Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-03-24
The Cyclone
Finish
BY MARTHA M. WILLIAMS

UCORGEOUS! No other word for
| ~ it !" Leslie shouted, hands fast
| upon the cables on either side as the
swing swept In a full semi-circle, out
and back again.
Dare you to stop!" she called gayly
to the husky men who were motive
J power.
| The swing was a pOnderous affair.
1 Three-inch cables playing through
wrought-irOn rings clamped stoutly to
| a right-angled branch of century-old
| oak The branch was more than a
foot through, and sound as a bell The
| paneled seat was big enough for two.
| Bert Axley and Joe Sessums had put
! 1t up-by leave Of Parson Sessums
rambling gray house, the level thick
| turfed yard, and thousand rich acres
| besides. He kept young heart, so
| liked to have the new generation
about him. Hospitable as sunlight to
| those Of his own age, 1t was noted
that staying visitors were generally
under twenty-five. Also and further,
Joe's crony. Bert Axley was almost
as much child Of the house as Joe
himself
Joe's widowed mother had come
there, bringing her boy, the sole
grandson. Between them all, the child
had been so handsomely spoiled he
had grown up the finest young fellow
In the county. Tall, timber, light
footed, clear-headed, adorably faulty,
more adorably kind, 1t was felt that
his proper matching came near to be-
ing matter of public concern. AS to
Miss Leslie Gilf1ower there were two
opinions. Mighty pretty. rich as cream,
a Martin granddaughter to offset the
obscure Gilfower strain, the solid ele-
ment couldn't just see her as Mrs.
Joseph Sessums, whereas the gayer
folk felt such matching must have
been made in heaven.
She was at Sesame for the summer,
that her father and mother were
spending in South America. Bert and
Joe had surrendered abjectly at about
the third glance. A square game it
with the best man winning-if any
body.
The countryside enchanted her, by
it's unllkeness to Handicapped "estates"
amongst which she perforce lived.
Dancing on the soft turf to JOe's
whistling with Bert for partner, or
with joe to the rhythms of the planta-
ton band-fiddles, guitar and a tri-
angle, made her fairy tripping 1t In
moonshine. Granny in her wheel-chair
bent to see it with her strongest
glasses, beating time softly with her
unscathed left hand. But the real
marvel and magnet was the big swing
she saw it first with Joe and Bert
pumping in it, standing face to face
upon the seat, bending, swaying, faster,
faster, ever faster, ever higher until
they came earthward clutching leafy
twigs wrenched off recklessly at high
est ascent. Leslie pleaded hard for
share In such sport-she was unwise
ly laughed to scorn. That night under
q midnight full moon, she slipped Into
the swing alone, somehow set 1t rock
ing, then could not stop it for ever so
long. Joe and Bert watching her from
ambush, chuckled--hard at first-then
as one man they scrambled out and
up, crying joyously: "You talk about
pumpin'-when you don't even know
how to let the cat die" Discovering
that she was on the edge of tears,
with
they would teach her-oh, ever so
many things-to ride standing upon
horses bare back, for example, to hit
the ace Of hearts at ten PAGES, drive
two-twenty trotter all by herself-even
a good bit later, when her head had
quit swimming. to be really truly
swung-high enough almost to pick
leaves for herself.
That morning there were clouds In
streaks, at rising, but there was no
threat Of storm.
How 1t happened nobody ever could
saw. One minute blue sky, sunshine,
hardly a breath Of air-the next, from
nowhere it seemed, roaring tempests.
thunder out-roaring them--and the
world beginning to rock and reel. The
swingers were passing-send-
ing the passenger upward with all
their might, back and forth. Just as
the seat and the girl cleared their
hands the big oak began writing VIC
Notwithstanding huge branches half
way to earth, shivering in all their
fibers as they bent. one of the sturdi-
est caught the seat, held it fast and
swept back and upward. Then through
the sudden dusk sword of white
light rent the century-old heart in
twain. No voices could prevail against
the storm. No eye saw anything for
minute-then dimly the watchers
perceived that half the big tree was
topping to a fall. The half thar bore
a burden so precious! AS 1t Irembled
slowly sudden stiffness fell. Through
il both men shouted Hold fast till
YOU see us-then jump-if you can.
yxro,u ootch yolI-or die irving" this