The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-11-21
CHAPTER vi
10

In this fall Of the year of Huldy's
return, it had seemed for a while that
the tension in the Valley, centering as
it did about Will Ferrin's farm, must
flame up into something like a con-
fiagration. But after that day when
Zeke trounced Bart, as though this ex-
plosion had eased the general pres
sure, nothing happened for a while
An early snowfall blanketed the Valley
a foot deep, and the folk who dwelt
hereabouts withdrew each into his own
habitation as into harbor of refuge
Will and Zeke and Hubby were left
alone at the farm on the slope above
the brook. Bart and Amy had now
not so many visitors; and Marin Pierce
and Jenny went sometimes for days on
end without sight or sound of anyone.
could hear the axes or the saw where
the steam mill was at work, TWO or
three miles down the Valley.
Amy did not come soon again to see
Jenny and her grandmother. The deep
snow hindered; and when it presently
deep in the wet woods, and then snow
fell again, and so presently winter
shut down across the land. Thereafter,
till spring, neither Jenny nor her
grandmother went far from the house.
The girl had been used to wander
sometimes in the winter woods; but
this winter there were many tracks
along the brook, where men had come
up from the steam mill to Barts.
Marin Pierce, and Jenny's own wit,
warned her not to risk casual encoun-
tiers with these strangers.
Most times, l wouldn't worry a
mite about them," the old woman adj
mitted. But a woman like Hubby,
she'll poison every man anywhere
around her, till you can't tell what'll
happen"
So for the most part Jenny stayed
at home. Bart now and then stopped
on the way to the village, and this was
almost their only contact with the
world. Disaster might have come to
them and none have known for days;
but Jenny was not afraid. 1t was not
easy to be afraid, in the presence of
her grandmother. That dauntless old
woman was as voluble, as brisk, as
diligent and as crisp of spirit as of old !;
and the rwo were congenial and con-
tent.
In the spring, Marin Pierce had some
faint of rheumatism in her old bones,
which resisted all her remedies; so
she sent Jenny to gather herbs that
might relieve it. Also, one day she
babe the girl bring a root of the water
lily, from one of the deep Doggy pools
in the brook near the cedar swamp,
and concocted fearful brew which
S made Jenny drink day by day. The
girl protested:
But Granny, don't need tonic.
! feel fine"
Hush, child" the old woman I'm
sisted. 81 know what I'm about" Yet
she did explain: Springs the time
when the new sap runs in a tree, or in
a body too; and that may be all well
enough if the trees to go on TO flow
erins and bearing But if some hurt
or harm come TO 1t, why the quick
pulse of the sap just makes it bleed to
death the quicker. This will slow
your blood, child. Do as | bid"
And Jenny drank, obediently; and
as the frost came out Of the ground.
and the hardwoods put on their veil
of new green, the deep flood of new
life flowed through her. too. Indoors
all winter, she welcomed this release,
and went more often abroad. and
strength was in her like a flowing we'll
Once, wandering toward the bridge
she met Amy by the brook. 1t was
long since they had seen one another.
and Jenny thought Amy looked broken
and old and very tired. She said some
word of solicitude, but Amy fled from
her kindness as though in fright or in
despair. At home again, Jenny related
this circumstance to her grandmother.