Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-02

that Johnny was better, and that Cit
tie fun might 'liven him up" Whereupon
Dick arose, shook himself, and saving.
Ppm ready. Lead the way, Old Man;
here goes" himself led the wav with a
leap, a characteristic howl, and darted
out into the night. AS he passed through
the outer room he caught up blazing
brand from the hearth. The action was
repeated by the rest of the party, closely
following and elbowing each other, and
before the astonishei proprietor of
Thompson's grocery was aware of the in
tention of his guests, the room was de-
serted
The night was pitchy dark. In the
first gust OF wind their temporary torches
were extinguished, and only the red
brands, dancing and fitting in the gloom
| like drunken will. the Wisps, indicated
their whereabouts. Their way led up
| Pine-Tree canon, at the head OF which a
broad, low, bark-thatchcd cabin bur
| roWed in the mountain side. 1t was the
home of the Old Man, and the entrance
to the tunnel III which he worked when
he worked at all. Here the crowd
| paused for moment, out of delicate def
erence to their host, who came up painting
in the rear.
"Pr'aps ye'd better hold on 2 second
out ger, whilst go in and see thet things
is ~ right" said the Old Man, with an
Indifference he was far from feeling.
The suggestion was graciously accepted
the door opened and closed or, the host,
and the crowd, leaning their backs against
the wall and covering under the caves,
waited and listened.
For few moments there was no sound
but the dripping of water from the caves,
and the stir and rustic of wrestling
boughs above them. Then the men be-
came uneasy, and whispered suggestion
and suspicion passed from one to the
other. Reckon she's caved in his head
the first lick! 'Decoyed him inter the
tunnel and barred him up, likely" "Got
him down and sittin' on him" "Prob'ly
biin suthin to heave on us; stand clear
the door, boysr' For just then the latch
clicked, the door slowly opened and q
voice said, Come in out o the wet"
The voice was neither that of the Old
Man nor his wife It was the voice Of a
small boy, its weak treble broken by that
preternatural hoarseness which only yag-
abondage and the habit Of premature self
assertion can give. 1t was the face of q
small boy that looked up at theirs-a face
that might have been pretty and even re-
fined, but that it was darkened by evil
| knowledge from within, and dirt and
hard experience from without. lie had a
blanket around his shoulders, and had ev-
| identity just risen from his bed Come
in" he repeated "and don't make no
noise The Old Mans in there talking to
mar" he continued, pointing to an ada
cent room, which seemed to be kitchen,
from which the Old Mans voice came in
deprecating accents ''Let me be-" he
added, querulously to Dick Bullen, who
had caught him up, blanket and all, and
was affecting to toss him into the fire,
let go o me, you old fool, dye hear?'
Thus abiured, Dick Bullen lowered
Johnny to the ground with q smotheled
laugh, while the men, entering quietly,
ranged themselves around a long table of
rough boards which occupied the center
Of the room. Johnny then grayely pro
several articles which he deposited on the
table. 'Thar's whisky. And crackers
And red hcrrin's And cheese" He took
a bite OF the latter on his way to the table
"And sugar" He scooped up mouth
full en- route with a small and very dirty
hand. "And terbacker Theirs dried APP
pills too on the shelf, but don't admire
'em. Appils is swellin'. Thar" he con-
Guided, ''now wade in, and don't he
afeard. I don't mind the old woman.
She don't b'long to me. S'long."
He had stepped to the threshold Of q
small room, scarcely larger than closet,
partitioned off from the main apartment,
and holding in its dim recess small bed.
| He stood there moment looking at the
company, his bare feet peeping from the
blanket, and nodded.
"Hello, Johnny! You amt goin' tc
turn in again, are ye?" said Dick.
Yes, | are" responded Johnny, de
cidedly
why, wot's up, old fellow ~
"I'm sick'
"How sick ?"
"rve got a fever. And childblains
And roomatiz," returned Johnny, and
vanished within After a moments
pause, he added in the dark, apparent
ly from under the bed Clothes-" AnG
bi1es."
There was an embarrassing silence. The
men looked at each other and at the fire
Even with the appetizing banquet before
them, itseemed as if they might again fal
into the dependency Of Thompson's
grocery, when the voice of the Old Man
incautiously lifted, came deprecatingly
from the kitchen.
"Certainly! That's So In course they
is. ~ gang o lazy, UIuIRtn IOdItis. dnL
that ar Dick Bullen's the ornariest of all
Didn't have no more sabe than to come
round var with sickness in the house and
no provision. Thet's what [ said: "Bul
len," seq I, cts crazy drunk you are, OIL
a fool" seq |, ''to think O such thing
"Staples," seq /, "be you q man, Sta
pies, and. 'spect to raise the devil under
my roof and invalids lynn round ?" But
they would come-they would. That's
what you must 'spect O such trash as lays
round the Bar"
A burst of laughter from the men fol
lowed this unfortunate exposure. Wheth
er it was overheard in the kitchen, OF
whether the Old Mans irate companion
had just then exhausted all other modes
of expressing her contemptuous indigna
ton, | cannot say, but a back door was
suddenly slammed with great violence
A moment later and the Old Man reap
peared, haply unconscious Of the cause
> of the late hilarious outburst, and smiled
blandly.
"The old woman thought she'd ies
run over to Mrs. McFadden's for a socia
call, he explained, with jaunty indiffer
ence, as he took seat at the board"
Oddly enough it needed this untowarC
incident to receive the embarrassment
that was beginning to be felt by the party
and their natural audacity returned WITH
their host. | do not propose to record
the convivialities of that evening The
inquisitive reader will accept the state