The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-08-18
COUNTRY BOARD.
BY MARY c. VAUGHAN.

IA Mhhh u Nho'i1AN.
ALL the long Winter of 1866 rumors
of the approach of that dire pestilencc,
the cholera, had agitated the public
mind. 1t was expected here at the
opening of the Spring, and people pre-
pared themselves for the dreadful visi-
tation.
The common people were distracted
by the theories of it ventilated in the
public prints. Many felt slight inter-
est in the question of contagion and
non-contagion. Governed by their fears
and their impulses alone, they resolved
at all events to flee in good time from
the impending danger.
Profound and anxious thought radi-
ates. EXcitements are seldom akin to
pent fires, but far and wide they range
the popular mind, producing consterna-
ton, alright, dismay arousing the pas
sions, stimulating greed, and all the
baser tendencies of mankind.
In this case, country shared with city
in the excitement. If the city was to
be emptied of its inhabitants, the coun-
try must be prepared to receive them.
Another necessity suggested itself to
Rusticus. If Urban wanted Summer
home, and was afraid to stay in his own,
he would doubtless submit to good
deal of eXtortion.
RusticuS had some reason on his side ;
also no oinconsiderablea amount of shrewd-
ness, and more knowledge of human
nature than is commonly supposed to
belong to his habits. 1t was a very
natural mistake he made, but it was a
mistake. There was one thing not pro-
vided for his logic-that was the abate-
ment of the excitement, and the pre-
vention of the spread of the pestilence.
Nevertheless, all drawbacks duly con-
sidered, think he has made quite
money enough out of the public trou-
bles.
Arad Dempster was driving along the
sandy road of Il country town of unusu-
al rurality of habit, situated not more
than hundred miles from New York.
Arad was fOrty-fve; but hard work,
the tan of many burning Summers, and
the hardening of many freezing Win
tiers, had made him what his boys chose
to call him, an "old man." He was
bow-backed, and rheumatic, full of
strange angles and of curves, which
nevertheless deviated from the line of
beauty.
Since leaving his home-a comfortable
but unpainted farm m-house-he had prog
ressed mile or two, when tall, gaunt
female, who might have seen the same
number of years as himself, or more or
less for it was impossible to guess her
age from her loolsl, came out of a low
roadside dwelling, SO tiny that it SEEM
ed hardly able to afford shelter to her
self alone, and addressed him.
"Ho! Arad! Arad Dempster! What's
your hurry? Can't you hear nothing,
nor stop minute? Sa-ay!"
This last word, protracted into dis
nal monotone, brought the reluctant
Arad to bay. AS he said afterward,
"When he heard that he knew he
might us we'll give in. 'Twa'n't no use
trying to git away from old Car'line
when she got arter you for a talk"
"Hearn the news, Arad?" she COM
menced, as he rcined the old mare up
to the fence.
"No-what is it?" quoth Arad,
grimly.
"Why, they're go'n' to have the
cholery down to York this Summer,
sure lis you live, and everybody's go'n'
to leave the city. That are paper't
saw down to Squire Muzzy's yesterday
said as how't the grass would grow in
the streets, and the brown stone
fronts, ,'-whateve they are-would be
covered with moss. An it said, like
wise, that they'd all go into the country
to board, what didn't go over seas, and
the country-folks must be prepared to
'commodate their distressed brethren
and sisteren they didn't say nothin'
about little children, but | reckon they
wouldn't leave them at hum to have the
cholery), and board them till cold
weather comes ag'in. Now, how many
you goin' to take, Arad Dempster, and
how much you calculate to ask ?''
With this momentous question Aunt
Car'line paused to recover breath.
"Dun know" answered Arad "dun
know haint heered nothin' about it,
before. sides, what do we want o
boardcrs?'
Wal, you just hear what the folks
has to say about it down to the Corners
Il have beena thinking about it nigh up
on all the time since read that are piece
in the papers,, and jist stop and tell me
when ye come back, can't ye:" she
screamed after him as she entered her
house, and the old man drove away.
Arad was ruminating animal, not a
man of words, and he had matter for
thought as he drove along after this
colloquy, or perhaps, more properly,
soliloquy. Long before he reached the
Corners, this was the result of his cogi-
tations:
"lf all them city people that are so
rich are goin' into the country, why,
they'll fill it chuck-full, ! guess-every
house, an maybe some in the barns an
corn-houses. An don't s'pose they'd
mind paying any price-as much as
four or five dollars week, mebby, for
their board. Guess we can make out to
,COmmOlnto some ON ,pm and 1hnrn,s