Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-11-18
From the Overland Monthly.l
GRANDMOTHER's STORY.

GRANDMOTHER's STORY.
"Now, dear grandma, do tell us about
that dreadful adventure of yours, out
West. We are dying to hear it, all Of
US. .
TT don't seem quite the thing to put
such frightful ideas into your young
heads, grandma replied, stroking Ma
ry's brown curls as she spoke. Your
aunt Lucy shouldn't have mentioned
it. But since she 5Uas so foolish, and
you've got your curiosity raised, So"
You think it best to crafty it, :"
cried Mary, clapping her hands; so do
/. Now, girls, don't dare to speak a
word I wouldn't for the world miss a
syllable.
1T was about two years after my
marriage" began grandma, with lit
tie shake of her head at the roguish
speaker, 'that the adventure, as Mary
calls it, took place. John and I went
West, directly after our marriage. We
were pretty poor. both of u.s. Not but
what our families stood as high as any
in the village" added the cid lady,
drawing herself up a little. Ny father
be was deacon in the Baptist Church
there. But, as ! was saying, we were
L
little to depend upon but our own
heads and hands. But he was smart
fellow, and / was strong and healthy,
aud used to houseR ork. Work was
more tie. fashion then than it is nova
days. Many's the large washing my
sister and | have got through with IN
the time Une of your Biddies would
have spent in fretting over it.
The girls laughed merrily, and Kate,
glancing slyly up into the handsome
old face, said, You were very pretty,
I as well as smart, grandma, or l am
much mistaken
"Oh, yes, said Mary, demurely, Il
have heard of those "peachy cheeks, F"
and violet eyes, and that 0zeLy light
brown hair But, oh dear We shall
never come to the adventure, at this
rate. Girls, 40 be quiet.
Well, as / was saying, we had moved
out West. We owned a hOuse-a very
small one-and quite piece of ground;
and. by degrees, we grew better off.
After a long time, Sairy Henderson
came to live with us-the first hired
girl we'd had since we were married.
1 She was tall, raw-boned thing, nigh
on to six feet high, should imagine.
She was smart, tidy body, an John
liked her. But l never could, not for
anything she ever said-she was rather
/ close mouIhed than otherwise-b on
! account of queer, little ways she seem
! ed to have at times. But, thinking
this might be fancy, and not being apt
to give way to my feelings, said moth
ing to John about it.
When my baby (your father, Katie)
was SIX months old, Salry had been
with US then about three weeks. John
! received letter from mis- brother in
the big city. He wanted to see him or
business important to John, as we'll as
to himself We both felt badly he d
scarcely left me day since we were
married, but there seemed no help fOI
it. But he arranged that l should
have neigh Dor (the nearest lived OH5
two miles of, girls) come and stay with
US. He insisted on this, saying | WASH
a mite afraid
Well, be left, and week passed by
and by that time l began to feel mos
as secure, with only Sairy and our
selves in the house, as when a neigh
Dor came to stay with US. For thi
happened twice, and when Mr.. Wilson
sent word for the the third time tha
he couldn't come, and who should b.
; send instead, l laughed and said 30
never mind. Sairy's as good as man
any day she can handle a gun, and,
fancy, could throw Mr.. Wilson, in
minute, if she tried"
So that vas settled and Sairy, baby
: and l were left alone. After making
everything secure downstairs, VI
came up to bed. Sairy's room was a
one end of the passage, and mine a
? the other
I never was one of your nervous
women, going into conniption-fits,
a mouse runs across them. But, some
how, that night / did feel nervous an
restless and after nursing Willie an
: laying him in the bed, sat some tim
I I by the window, trying to get breat
of air. At last, rose and undresse
me. had said my prayers, and wa
creeping into bed, when great horro
and trem bliDg-I can't describe it an
other way-tell upon me. There seen
ed no reason for i'll didn't think {
3 any reason, that | mber-bJ
Q there l stood shaking, though it was
i July night, shaking from head to foo
and grasplng the bed-post.
2; 6 l must be nervous, said l, at las
a with laugh; "sakes alive how fatht
= would laugh at me. But, lor it muI
be because I'm so tired out" An
getting into led, [ drew Willie towaT
= me, with feeling of relief, as I fe
his soft little hand on my breast. Tt
shiveriDg fit had left me, but couldn
. sleep.
2, Toss an tumble, toss an tumble, a
p that blessed night The room as h
d as any oven the queerest fancies
a. my head of hearing soft Rootstel
g, through the house. Believing the
~ ~ to be fancies, l wouldn't give way
Of EN-, though, no way till, at last, +
a ward one o'clock, l fell asleep. I mu
Is have slept till nePrly three, and thu
Q the great horror and trembling was {
Is me again, taking nae this time in n
sleep. But had a consciousness nc