The Snowflake herald., 1921-12-09


The next day after his return, Abe
received a letter from Ann. She had
come over to the store on the arrival
of the stage and taken her letter and
run home with it. That Saturdays
stage brought the new suit of clothes
from Springfield.
1t was an Indian summer day of the
first week in November. That after
noon Abe went to the tavern and asked
Ann to walk out to the Traylors' with
him. She seemed to be glad to go.
She was not the cheerful, quick-footed,
rOsy-cheeked Ann of old. Her face
was pale, her eyes dull and listless.
her step slow. Neither spoke until
they had passed the Waddell cabin
and were come to the open fields.
"I hope your letter brought good
news" said Abe.
1T was very Short" Ann answered.
''He took a fever in Ohio and was
sick there four weeks and then he
went home. In two months he never
wrote a word to me- And this one
was only a little bit of letter with
nO love in It, l don't believe he cares
for me now or, perhaps, he is mar
ried. don't know. I'm not going
10 cry about it any more. can't. I've
no more tears to shed. I've given
him up"
Then l reckon the time has come
for me to tell you what is on my
heart" said Abe. II love you, Ann.
have loved you for years. 1 would
have told you long ago but ! could
not make myself believe that / was
good enough for you. l love you SO
much that if you can only be happy
with John McNamar l will pray to
God that he may turn out to be good
and faithful man and come back and
keep his promise"
She looked up at him with a kind
of awe in her face.
''Oh, Abel" she whispered 81 had
made up my mind that men were all
bad but my father. | was wrong.
! did not think of you"
Men are mostly good" said Abe.
"But it's very easy to misunderstood
them. In my view it's quite likely
that John McNamar is better than you
think him. l want you to be fair to
John. If you conclude that you can
not be happy with him give me a
chance. 1 would do my best to bring
back the joy Of the old days. Some
times l think that [ am going to do
something worth while. Sometimes /
think that can see my way far ahead
and it looks very pleasant, and you,
Ann, are always walking beside me
I'm it. Before we take another step
1 wish you could give me some hope
to live On--just a little straw of
hope"
"YOu are a wonderful man, Abe"
said Ann, touched by his appeal. "My
father says that you are going to be
a great man."
IL can not hold out any such hope
to you." Abe answered. "Pm rather
ignorant and badly in debt, but I
reckon that 1 can make a good living
and give you a comfortable home.
DOnf you think, taking me just as
am. you could care for me little?
"Yes; sometimes I think that l
could love you, Abe" she answered.
81 do not love yOu yet, but 1 may
some time. really want to love YOU"
"That is all can ask now," said
Abe as they went on. "Do you hear
from BIN Kclso?"
81 have rot heard from her since
June"
'I wisn you would write to her and
tell her that am thinking of going
down to st. Louis and that 1 would
like go go and see her."
''f'll write to her tomorrow" said
Ann.
They had a ple5sant visit and while
Ann was playing with the baby she
seemed to have forgotten her troubles.
They stayed to supper, after which
the whole family walked to the tavern
with theirs. When Ann began to show
weariness. Abe gently lifted her in
his arE1s and carried her.
That evening Mrs. Peter Lukins
called upon Abe at Sam Hills store
where he sat alone, before the fire,
reading with two candles burning on
the end of dry goods box at his
elbow.
II wanted to see you private bout
Lukins," she began. There's them
that call him Bony Lukins, but L
reckon he amt no bonier than the
everidge run O. men-not a bit-an',
IL he was, 1 don't reckon his bones
Orto be thrOwed at him every time
he's spoke to that away"
what can 1 do about it?" Abe
esked
"Pve been hopin' an wishin' some
Kind of a decent handle could be put
on to his name," said Mrs. Lukins,
with her eye upon a knot hole in the
counter. Something with a good
sound to it. You said that anything
you could do for the New Salem folks
you was goin' to do an thought may
be you could fix It."