| Cold As Clay A farmer had a daughter, Jenny, for whom he cared more than anything on earth. She fell in love with a young man named Jim who worked on a nearby farm. But the farmer didn't think Jim was good enough for his daughter. To keep them apart, he sent Jenny to live with his brother's family on the other side of the mountain. Soon after she left, Jim got sick and soon died. Everyone said he died of a broken heart. The farmer felt very badly about Jim's death and he could not tell his daughter what had happened. She continued to think about Jim and the life they may one day have together. One night many weeks later there was a knock on her door. When the girl opened the door, Jim was standing there. "Your father asked me to get you," he said. "I came on his best horse." "Is there anything wrong?" she asked. "I don't know," he said. She packed a few things, and they left. She rode behind him on the horse, clinging to his waist. Soon Jim complained of a bad headache. "It aches something terrible," he told her. She put her hand on his forehead. "Why, you are as cold as clay," she said. "I hope you are not ill," and she took off her handkerchief and wrapped it around Jim's head. They traveled so swiftly that in a few hours they reached the farm. The girl quickly dismounted and knocked on the door. Her father was startled to see her. "Didn't you send for me?" she asked. "No, I didn't," he said. She turned to Jim, but he was gone and so was the horse! Jenny and her father went to the barn to look for them. The horse was there, covered with sweat and trembling with fear, but there was no sign of Jim. Terrified, her father told her the truth about Jim's death. then quickly they went to see Jim's parents. They decided to open his grave. Jim's corpse was in its coffin, but around his head... they found Jenny's handkerchief! |