Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-15
-~ Out~Of doors was very pleasant They

Out of doors was very pleasant. Ihey
| sat down on the soft grass that edged the
road, and curled the long stems OF dande-
lions while they waited for their fortune to
come; growing so interested in their oc-
cupation at last, that they had almost for
| gotten that they were waiting Tor any
thing, when horse and rider came dash
ing down the road, and Tom Clifford, with
barely time to reach the village in sea-
son for the city bound train, rode full upon
the barricade For gloomy and desperate
sutton, bent upon rushing to the ends OF
the earth, to be stayed in his course by an
old cart loaded with bean-poles was GER
tainly exasperatng. Nevertheless he
| could not 90 on; and as the two beamlng
and satisfied young faces peered out at
him, he demanded in veXed astonish-
ment:
| "What on earth have you got here?"
"We're a oli-gate," explained Miss Car
lie with dignity. "Me and Billy made it,
and We'll let you through if"
But the statement Of terms was cut
| short. The horse at that moment espied
the tluttering white sun bonnet and seiz-
ing so favorable an opportunity to be
frightened, sprang suddenly to one side,
flung his unsuspecting rider to the ground,
and sped away up the road again. Tom
rolled over and sat up in a bewildered sort
Of way, got upon his feet slowly, brushed
the dust from his clothes, and looked after
his retreating steed with a long whistle.
'Well! it isn't likely anything will stop
him now until he gets home SO | might as
we'll stay and pull this thing down. What
possessed you two youngsters there
Tom paused, laughed, and grew more like
| his goOd-natured self than he had been for
| VT hn nd
nant, disappointed expression of those lit
! tie dirty faces was irresistible. Garlic
| protested stoutly when the strong hand
began to demolish her work; but Tom
| persuaded and explained, and the final
| promise of ride in the cart, when he
rolled it back up the lane, effected salts
| factory capitulatiOn.
The toll gate disposed of, Toms next
| move was to follow his horse, and he
| speedily discovered that the wise animal
| had not taken the trouble to 90 home, but
| had stopped nearer by, at a place where he
| had frequently been allowed to make him
| self quite at home He had been rccOg-
nized at once; and saddled, bridled, but
| riderless, awakened suspicious of evil
| The trio Of women had gathered about
| him in the yard-Aunt Polly with hands
| dripping from the suds, Aunt Becky lean
| ing upon her crutch, and Maggie pale and
trembling-when Tom arrived upon the
scene. Since he was prevented from
making journey to far-off lands, and
| leaving long chapters for misunderstood
| ings, suspense and adventures, he should,
| according to all precedent, have broken Il
| limb in falling from his horse, so that he
could have been carried into the house,
and have had a gradual reconciliation
| through slow, delicious convalcsccnce-a
mixture of roses and cream-tOaSt But he
had boyish propensity for falling right
| side up, and there was nothing at all the
| matter except a rent in his coat. Aunt
! Polly noticed the torn garment before his
| brief explanation was ended, and in the
| kindness of her heart insisted that it
should come in for repairs ''Shc was
washing, to be sure, and Becky was no
| great hand with any needle but knitting
needles, but Maggie could do it as slick as
| you please" The owner assented with
alacrity. 1t did look rather badly to
wear through the village-if it wouldn't be
too much trouble tojust put stick in il -
He watched the color come back into
the face bent 50 steadily over that piece of
darning; watched the white fingers busy
with their task, and REMARKED Significantly
What a talent you have for making
things right again"
after other people have made them
crooked" added Maggie, promptly.
Il don't think those threads will show
that they were ever separated"
Maggie vouchsafed no reply to that, and
he looked on in silence a few minutes
! longer.
There. the breach is nearly healed"
"Quite," she said clipping her thread.
as it," he asked SO suddenly that she
| looked up, and then his eyes would have
an answer and she couldn't keep her
| heart out of hers
So that was the end of ia long story
cut short in the most commonplace way
And Polly absolutely left the world at
large to take care of itself for several sue
cessive wash-days while she planned Mag
| gic's outfit. Tom never went to Arizona
at all, but kept his place in the village
store, and goes home to a cOzy little nest
at night, where Maggie meets him at the
| door and receives a double entrance fee,
| because he says he shall owe that to all
| toll gates his life through. And Maggie
| thinks, with a throb of thankfulness, how
we'll it is that tenderer hand than our
| own wilful ones guides our destinies.
Yes, they are simple souls, and better sat
| istied with their humdrum happiness than
with the most poetic misery; but, alas for
their biographer and the ruined volume ,
-tScr1bner'S Monthly.