Year: 1875

Sand that's the end %


That's the end," he answered, gent
ly closing the book which no one cared
to hear, and hiding his reproachful eyes
behind his hand, he sat silent. till I'm
Gle Dan, reused by the cessation of the
melodious murmur that had soothed his
ear, demanded with kindly bluntness


"Well, boy, which is it to be, MOON
shine or money? I want you to be
spry about decidin' for things is gittin'
behindhand, and l cattle'ate to hire if
you quit work"


'Sakes alivel No man in his senses
would set long on the fence when there's
good farm and smart wife awaitin'
on one side and nothin' but pottery and
starvation on the other v' calculated
Aunt Becky, briskly gathering the
saucepan-lid, as if to add the savory
temptations of the flesh to those of filthy
lucre.


/ Ruth said nothing but looked up at
Nat with the poetic sentiment of her ma
ture shining in her eyes and touching
her with its tender magic, till it seemed
an easy thing to give up liberty for love-
The dandelion chain the child wove
round the boy had changed to fowery
garland now, but the man never saw
the thorns among the roses, and let the
woman fetter him again; for, as he look
ed at her, Nat flung the cherished book
into the fire with one hand, and with
the other took possession of the only
bride that could win him from that 9th
er love.


81 decide as you would have me, sir.
Not for the sake of the farm you prom
ise me, but for love of her who shall
one day be its happy mistress, thank
God"


''Now that's sensible and hearty, and
I'm waal pleased, my boy You jest
buckle to her for year steady and let
your ink-horn dry, and we'll have as
harnsome weddin' as man could wish
always providen' Ruth don change
her mind, " said Uncle Dan beaming be-
nignantly at the young pair through a
cloud of tobacco smoke while Aunt
Becky poked the condemned manuscript
deeper into the Goals, as if anxious to
exorscise its witchcraft by fire, in the
good old fashion.


But even in Ruth's arms Nat cast one
longing, loving glance at his frst-born
darling on its funeral pyre; then turned
his head resolutely and whispered to
the girl:


"Never doubt that l love you, sweet
heart, since for your sake l have given
up the ambition of my life l don't re-
gret it; but be patient with me till /
learn to live without my 'moonshine,
as you call it."


Sunshine is better, and I'll make it
for you, if can. So cheer up, dear lad,
fall to work like man, and you'll soon
forget your pretty nonsense" answered
Ruth, with firm faith in the cure she
proposed.


"I'll try"


And, folding his wings, Pegasus bent
his neck to the yoke and fell to blowing.


Nat kept his word and did try man
fully, working early and late, with an
energy that delighted Uncle Dan, made
Aunt Becky bestir herself to bleach her
finest webs for the wedding outfit, and
caused both to believe that he had for
gotten his pretty nonsense" for the
pen lay idle and he gave all his leisure
to her, discussing house-gear and stock
with as deep an interest as herself, ap-
parently. All summer long he toiled
like one intent only on his crops; all
winter he cut wood and tended cattle,
as if he had no higher hopes than to sell
so many cords and raise lively calves
for market.


0utwardly he was promising young
farmer, with prosperous future and q
notable wife awaiting him. But deep in
the mans heart spark of divine fire
still burned, unquenched by duty, love
or time. The spirit that made light in
Millions darkness, walked with Burns
beside the plow, and lifted Shakespeare
higher than the royal virgins hand, sang
to Nat in the airy whispers of the pines,
as he laborcd in the wood, smiled back
to him in every ox-eyed daisy his scythe
laid low along the summer fields, and
solaced him with visions of fairer fu-
ture than any buxom Ruth could paint.
1t would not leave him, and he learned
too late that it was the life of his life,
gift that could not be returned, a
blessing turned into curse for. though
he had burned the little book, from its
ashes rose fame that consumed him.
since it could find no vent Even the
affection for which he had made cost
lier sacrifice than he knew, looked pale
and poor beside the loftier loyeliness
that dawned upon him in the passionate
struggle, ripening heart and soul to sud
den manhood and the life that lay be-
/ fore him seemed very bleak and barren
when he returned from playing truant
in The enchanted morld imaOinatsan