Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-07-06
both and Neither.
BY MRS. W. A. LAWRENCE.


one evening, please tell rs a story"
Hoot-toot! Have you come "A thous-
and miles, away out West, to hear sto-
ries from an old woman who wasn't born
in this century?
That's cause why, said Robin,
leaving his building blocks in a zlgzag
fence, like the worm fences on great
uncle's farm
90 yes an old story like you, that
wasn't born in this Gentry" coaxed
Daisy.
We'll, what shall it be about
80, 'once upon time, said Dali
Hoottoot of with your fairy
books !"
20, well, then, great gran ma, tell
about bears
"No, said Robin, "teu about In.
jins, dreadful Iniins with stone hatch
cts in their belts
"Well," said great gran ma, Il
will tell you about both, and yet about
neither"
"How can you asked Daisy. Is
it a riddlef"
wait and see and you mustn't
interrupt me while am telling the
story. When / was a little girl
go, that is just as nice rs 'once
upon time, p" said Daisy.
But You interrupt me, said great.
gran'ma.
Daisy looked little ashamed, ana
great-gran'ma began, -" When | was a
little girl, about as big as Daisy"
"Were you ever as little as Daisy,
great-gran' ma asked Robin
Eyes. | was, more than seventy
years ago. My cheeks were as round
and smooth MS Daisy's and my eyes
we're rs bright and my hair was as
brown rs hers. But must go on with
the story. When was little girl
about ms big as Daisy, my father lived
in Western New York, which was then
n very wild country. The thick, dark
woods were all around MS, and they
were full of bears wolves and Indians.
In the winter my father and brothers
trapped beaver and otter and mink for
their fine soft fur, and early in the
spring they carried the skins TO the set
Element, forty miles OF, and exchanged
them for salt, gunpowder, seeds, and
other necessary things.
"One frosty spring night, while our
father and Oldest brother were gone on
this Journey to the settlement, We sat
round bright fire in II wide open fire
place parching corn, and guessing rid
dies. hnd talking about fathers com
ing home. and what we would name the
new COW he was going to bring
with him. Mother was very much
afraid of bears and Indians, and al
ways anxious while father and brother
John were away That evening She
seemed more anxious than usual We
had all learned, even the baby, 10 be
quiet III an instant when mother SAID
'Sh-sh -sh AS she did many times that
evening Then she would stand on a
bench and listen at a chiuk high up IN
the wall, or lie down with her ear at
the crack under the door. And once
she took up the gun which father had
left with her, and examined it to make
sure 1t was all right and ready to De
fred of. At last she said, BE quiet
now, children, while | put the baby to
sleep. Girls, you may take your knit
ting and see how many rounds you can
knit. Put in mark where You be-
gin, so Won will make no mistake in
counting. Boys YOU may shell that
basket of corn to make the hominy to-
morrow, and see VINO will get the big
gest pile of cohs
"Well, there we sat on our low
benches round the nice fire. very quiet
and busy, talking only in whispers, and
mother singing little songs to the baby,
when there came strange noise right
over our heads, --t'rtok. crc0k, crr0k.
Mother stopped singing and We all list
ened. Crfqk. crcuk, creek. came the
noise again. Mother gave the baby t.
our oldest sister and ran tor the gUn.
Keep very still. she whispered L
is something on the roof
lis il lnlun. muvver askeo oa
little brother, his fat face all knottco
up with trying to keep from crying.
:" No, Bobby, its only a bear.
think. Mother VIII shoot it iii come,
to the ladder. Crack Cra-ocf, tt'u-a
0rk ; went the noise again.
".I-i-iuiins said our hlg sister
and she shook 80 she halt-waked LITTLE
Sarah.
stop that, Patty, and keep the
baby still said mother. Biuv, lay
some fat pine on the fire and, Nancy