Litchfield enquirer., 1873-06-05

>sASA1-CAy O-As dbAI CGDtbDIo SUBSTANTIVE any responsibility whatever think hi: feelings were rather hurt at the idea O riding three III buggy, and he would notalave been altogether sorry to leav. Diana at home, but she and took no no tlce of the young gentleman's hints. anc he mas faln to content himself with thu thongnt that we were in the country, and out West, and that it did not so mucl matter
 1t struck me when Dick did finafi, come that ne was Ill a remarkable hurr, to start. and hastened us away withoni leaving me time to say those more s.last words" which housekeepers are 50 apt te bestow on their cabinet ministers wher they set out on a journey. Dick also de muTed at driving around by the mill, and stopping to speak to the captain, with whom l wished to leave a commission about some domestic matter. It was moi lar ont of the way, to be sure, but we had been delayed already, and the afternoon was getting on; and, as the errand was one of no importance, gave up the idea, and Dick turned the horses heads toward the Gaioosa road, and drove swiftly out of the village.
 As we turned into the openings, through which our path lay for some distance. we passed one of the teamsters from the mill going up to the village with a load of boards. This said teamster, commonly known as Dutch Jake, was an exceeding ly slow man. and was never known, under any Circumstances, to adopt any plan of action on the spur of the moment. As We passed, he nodded by way of saluta- tion; but, after the swift colts had left the team far behind. we saw that he had stoD- ped Als horses and was looking after us. apparently pondering in his mind some matter with which we were connected.
 We heard afterward that Jake had had "a great mind" to give us warning of the danger that lurked that day. in the Sep tember woods; but, before his mind had became quite '.great" enough for express sion We had passed out of sight.
 'd wonder what he wanted of us?'' said Dians.
 q don't know anything that he could possible have to say to us," I said; ''but yet almost wish had gone back to see" !"
 ts0h, he only stopped to let his horses res, said Dick; and yet glancing back, though turn in the road had now hid den Dutch Jake from sight; and then sud- denly Master Dick became very anima- ted on the subject of the beauties of those openings through which we were pass ing.
 The road lay through a rolling county, among what, in Michigan, for lack of sonething better, are called hills. It was theslast of September. and there had been just frost enough to turn the leaves. The oak in that part of the world put on a fall dress of rich, deep crimson, shading into browns and semi-purples, and flecked and spotted with the dark, glassy, un- changed green of summer. Here and there among the oaks stood Q brown beech, and now and then a scarlet and yellow maple, that lit up the forest arcades ikea pillar of flame Each turn of the road showed some new vista of the wood. The clear, dark-blue sky was flooded with light and color, and the sunshine danced and decked in the cool shadowy greens and browns of the grasses and ferns that covered the ground. The air was inex- sweet with the spicy smell of the oak-leaves. It was one of those days. rare in the North, which make one realize that there may be stata.0f being where if iust for its own sake, is worth the having, and where the irrepressible con- fict between man and nature may finally end in peace.
 We had been silent for some minutes, when Diana suddenly exclaimed: 'sWhy, there is the ugly dog r There he was, sure enough. He must have followed us a long distance, and, now that he had come so far from home, he seemed to think it safe to make his appearance; and, by the slde of the buggy, looked up to us, wagging his half-a-tail. and barking his satisfaction till the woods rang.
 ''I never in my life saw any thing so ug- ly as that dog" said Dick.
 ''He's good creature, if he is ugly" said Diana, who was always ready to stand on the defensive for any person or thing, herself excepted.
 ''And his ugliness is 80 extreme that it becomes almost a beauty, :" said l..
 Hes not much to look at, but he's a good one to bark, said Dick. And, in- deed, the ugly dogs voice was powerful organ. His bark was quite unlike that of any other dog I ever heard, and seemed a sort of cross between the sonorous ring of the fox-hound and the half-roar of the mastiff.
 A mile or two brought us to the entrance of swamp, through which ran log road, which, if we followed it, would cut off full three miles.
 Hadn't we better take the swamp road ?" said Dick-''it's so much shorter; and then you'll have more time for your visit, and we can get home before dark. ''
 "What's the hurry about getting home before dark ?" asked Diana. ''It will be beautiful moonlight"
 ''Oh, nothing," said Dick carelessly; 'sonly you know, Di, they say strangers that stay out nights sometimes get.fever- and-ague, and thought Mrs. Graham would like to get home as soon as she could.''
 I was rather surprised. at this instance of prudence and consideration in Master Dick, but consented to take the short cut. as knew this particular corduroy had lately been mended. Otherwise, l should have hesitated about aubjectine Calvin's 'scolts" to the risks of the pas. sage-corduroy in that part of the world frequently resembling the laird of Ellan. gowan's man-traps, where, ''if man went in he would break horses leg."
 We proceeded slowly, though surely, and with no more pitches and bumps thar was reasonable to expect. It was Diana's first experience of log-road, and she laughed and chatted in high glee; but il began to strike me that Dick was even more silent than would seem to ho- justi fled by the attention the horses demand, ed, and noticed that he occasionally glanced round with look of apprehen sion, and once, at some sudden 'rustle II the bushes, he started and actually turned pale.
 Dick Monroe was not a boy to be scared merely by finding himself in a strange place, and vague nervousness and fore boking of I knew not what began to creeI over my own mind. Yet what possible cause of dread could. Turk in the tamarack swamp? In the depths of winter there might have been some faint possibilitie: of wolves. but none had been seen in tho country for years, and, though it was ius barely on the cards that we might see black bear leisurely crossing the road, ye l knew that at this season of the year al the brute would ask would be to be le alone. But, in spite of myself. ther, grew upon me g sense of danger of whicl 1 was ashamed to speak. so utterly base less and absurd did it seem in that peace ful place and under the summer sky.