Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-23
A NARROW ESCAPE.

THERE p said Mr. Porter, as ne wrot
the last line with flourish, and rose from
The table hurriedly, "don't let me forge
this letter. It contains about sixteen ad
dresses that can't get along without.
copied them all on one side to save
bother. Alice, you help me remember it
I'll put it up here, on the end Of the man
tci-piece"
why don't you put it in your pocket
papa and then you will be sure to have
1t ," Thus spoke the watching Elsie.
Because the pockets that have about
nie now will be hanging in the clothes
press when am in the city. [ declare,
haven't much time to lose" and Mr.
Porter hustled away to dress.
= Mrs. Porter immediately emerged from
his dressing-room. "Elsie, run quick
and ask Mr.. Wheeler if he wants papa tc
carry that package; and if he does, tel
him to have it st the cars in ten minutes
or it will be too late. Be spry now" And
Elsie put Baby Nell in Dicks lap and
ran. Just a minute more and Mrs. Por
Ter came agnin. "Where's Fred o. she
said, quickly. ''Dick, do you know
what has become Of him ?"
saw him go down the hill with
Charlie Wheeler just minute ago,
.na'am"
Dear me what a nuisance! l wish
lac was ever here when he was wanted.
You'll havd to go, Dick. Get your hat as
quick as you can, and run to the store
and tell Stephen that Mr. Porter wants
that bundle that is in the right hand cor
i1er of the drawer. Now be just as quick
rs possible. There is always a dozen
things left till the last minute; to hinder
people"
Where shall 1 leave Baby Nell,
sna'am?"
''Set her on the carpet, and give her
something to play with. I'll keep watch
Of her"
Then they went their different WAYS,
and Baby had the room to herself. She
Looked around her with great solemn
eyes. She had Elsie's slipper and red
ball to play with; but she had PLAYED
with them score Of times, until they had
quite worn her Imagination out. 1t stood
30 reas On that she ought to be able TO find
something of more Importance in that
great room to take up her attention. So
she threw the ball under the sofa, and
tucked the slipper in her cradle and COW
cred it up; then she started on her
travel
There were good many things that
- "Noiei SIppOSc NOulu nave tdheu up
her attention, and it does seem strange
that she should have made straight for the
znantel-piece; yet that was precisely what
she qua. She climbed up on her stool,
and from that to the great easy chair, and
by standing on the arm of it, her curly
head just reached the mantle. She gave
a little squeal of delight, and, Selling upon
the important letter, pumped herself in
The easy chair to read it People read
letters; she had seen them often: wby
shouldn't she? The envelcp was not
sealed, and her small fingers easily ierked
out the sheet. Then you would have
been edited, if you could have seen and
heard her. Such curious jargon as she
ratified off, stopping, now and then, to
throw back her head and laugh; as if the
contents of the letter were very funny,
indeed. As she turned the leaf the stiff
paper tore little; it made curious
noise. Baby Nell was very fond of noise;
quite scholar, indeed, in the art of
out new ones. She paused in
her reading, and gave the paper quick,