Читать книгу Goose Creek Folks. A Story of the Kentucky Mountains онлайн

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“Law me,” said the girl again. “I never heerd of any kin ter the Twilligers takin’ ter larnin’ afore,” and she relapsed into silent amazement. She had not recovered speech when the small station at the Gap was reached.

“Ter think I never asked her name!” murmured Gincy’s cousin in sudden dismay as Talitha left the car.

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When Talitha alighted from the train the sun had not yet risen, but the rosy banners which heralded its coming floated wide across the eastern sky. It was on a morning like this that she and Martin had started homeward with such elation of spirits, such hopes for the coming year. But then summer was just begun; now it had gone and her hopes with it.

She started across the foothills and up the long mountain trail, the old elasticity gone from her step, the hardness of her lot weighting her down. It seemed as though her feet could never carry her the long, weary way home. Upon a jutting crag she stopped and looked back. Far in the distance, cradled among the foothills of the Cumberlands, it lay, the place of her heart’s desire. Would she ever see it again?