90 THE COUNTRY BOY 



empty fireplace with long faces. No one spoke 

 and the only noise was the clock, which ticked 

 louder than ever. It was about dark when 

 father arose and said it was for the best, that 

 "here in Silverton there were no opportunities 

 for him, in fact no pond for him to swim in 

 even, and when you w^ere away downtown, no 

 one that he apparently loved, and if you will 

 think of it a moment, it would have been cruel 

 for you, a lover of animals, to have kept him 

 here all of his life." But there were no 

 answers, just long breaths now and then, until 

 it was time to light a candle. Then the world 

 took on a brighter aspect. 



In a few davs I recovered with the rest and 

 the long, beautiful spring came. No rain to 

 speak of, and it was fine. I never saw so many 

 picnics and never went with so many pretty 

 girls, and ball games ran all through the sum- 

 mer and the j oiliest threshing crews you ever 

 heard of. Fall came and I was hauling wood 

 into the barnvard one dav when I heard wild 

 geese; lots of them had been j^assing over for 

 a week past, on their way south for the winter, 

 but presently, just over the cone of the barn, 

 came some large bird. I thought at first it 



