The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-04-18
SsI&tteo Storp.
WHAT CAME OF THE FIRE.

Uncle DaSnaWay rode over to
Daisy Lodge in his trim little carry
all. Aunt Hannah was sick, he said;
had been ailing for a week, and she
wanted me.
"But what shall l do with my
guest?' 1 asked, standing out there
iu the sunshine, ankle-keep in red
clover"
EYour guest! didn't know you
had one"
"Yes, my old friend, Blanche
Heath, don't you remember herr"
blanche HeathP / Think l do" he
said, hesitatingly, a curious, amused
expression in his face, and the color
came to his cheek; "that wild little
thing who rode Deacon Hides horse
that time-oh, yes, yes"
"But, Uncle Dash, that was ten
years ago." I said; "she was wild
then, rather. Well, you see 1 can't
leave her, and can't send her
home"
"Bring her to the parsonage; you
must come, you know; Hannah has
set her heart upon it."
1 shook my head. Blanche had
been my visitor only for two days,
and had invited her for a month.
Would she go to the parsonage?
would she remember-and here l
lou0bad to unvsalf
81 suppose 1 must" l said at last,
sand III see what 1 can do with
Blanche"
"All right; Pm off to town. At
halfpast three, sharp"-he took out
his great mOon-faced, silver watch
"I'll be back; be ready then; pray
don't keep me waiting"
went into the house in some lit
tie trepidation. Would Blanche
accompany me? To leave her by her
self was out Of the question.
There had been a time-at least I
fancied so-When a word, q look,
from Uncle Dash had set her pulses
bounding, but I feared she had new
er been a favorite of the rector. He
had only seen the wild, thoughtless
girl, who sat under his ministrations
only because it was the thing to at
tend church and behave decorously
while there. She vexed him with
her merry, thoughtless ways; her
ready laugh, and gay attire were dis
tasteful to him; the laugh, because
It was so often out of place; the
dress, because he was a man of So
Der notions, but sometimes thought
he liked her watching dark eyes, and
innocent, expressive face.
1t seemed he did remember her
ride on the deacon's horse, slow,
stupid animal, too old for active
work. Blanche had caught him
once in the deacon's pasture, and,
after dressing his ears, name, and
tail in the most ridiculous fashion,
with punches Of grass and flowers,
and long rings of pine shaVings, she
had sprung upon his back, herself in
fantastic attire, a long, red scarf tied
about her shoulders and waist, her
brothers straw hat on her head, and
urged the creature into a trot. Old
Rosinante became frightened at last;
it put speed in his lean bones; he
began to run, and she clung to him,
terrified and screaming, until the
beast stopped short, right in front
of the rector's study window. Poor
Blanche came home crying, and de-
claring that she hated ministers of
all sorts; they never make any allow
ance for the fun in ones nature; in
fine, she was so thoroughly morti-
fed that she did not 60 inside the
church door for weeks.
AS l entered the sunny little par
lor, smiling over the recollection,
Blanche turned round with q ques-
tioning glance. How the golden
CLEANS rippled all over her hair
that fine red brown one rarely sees
save in old paintings-and her eyes
were sweeter and grayer than before!
Twenty-eigh was more beautiful
than eighteen.
"If I were q man l should fall in
love with you this minute" / said
going toward her, and kissing her on
the forehead.
"If l were a man, l don't think
you'd kiss me that way" she an
swered, laughing, "but who was it
you were talking with?'
"Uncle Dash"
A rosy flush crept along her
cheeks.
"Oh," she said, saucily, "the Rev.
Dashaway Merrifeid; 1 have good
cause to recollect him; he, doubtless,
considered me the only black sheep
in his flock"
q don't believe it," l remarked,
quietly.
"Oh, but he did; and 1 don't won
der at it either, when I look back. |
Do you remember the day he found
my Sunday school exercise, and
what had written ON the back? l
do to this day, and it was: Dash,
Dasher, Dashed, Dashover, Dashun-