Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-04-17
WHAT CAME OF THE FIRE.

WHAT CAME OF THE FIRE.
Uncle Dashaway rode over to Daisy
Lodge in his trim little carryall.
Aunt Hannah was sick, he said had
been ailing for a week, and she wanted
nae.
'But what shall I do with my guest %
I asked, standing out there in the
sunshine, ankle-deep in red clover"
"Your guest! I didn't know you
had one"
eyes, my old friend, Blanche Heath
don't you remember her? ?"
blanche Heath? I think I do" he
said, hesitatinglN 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." / said "she was wild then,
rather. Well, you see I can't leave her,
and l can't send her home"
"Bring her to the parsonage you
must come, you know Hannah has set
her heart upon it."
Ishook my head. Blanche had been
my visitor only for two days, and I had
invited her for a month. Would she go
to the parsonage? would she remember
and here 1 laughed to myself.
81 suppose [ must" I said at
last, "and I'll see what I can do with
Blanche"
"An right; Tn off to town. Atbalf-
past three, sharp"-he took out his
great moon-faced, silver watch-"Inbe
back be ready then !; pray don't keep
me waiting"
I went into the house in some little
trepidation. Would Blanche accom-
pany me? To leave her by herself was
out of the question.
There had been a time-at least I had
fancied so-when a word, a look, from
Uncle Dash had set her pulses bound
ing, but I feared she had never been a
f~avorite of the rector. He had only
seen the wild, thoughtless girl, who sat
under his ministrations only because it
was the thing to attend church and be-
have ~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, be-
cause he was q man of sober notions,
but I sometimes thought he liked her
witching dark eyes, and innocent, ex-
press1ve face.
It seemed he did remember her ride
on the deacon's horse, a slow, stupid an
imal, too old for active work. Blanche
had caught him once in the deacon's pas
ture, 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 fantas-
tic attire, a long, red scarf tied about el
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
chung to him, terrified and screaming
until the beast stopped short, right IL
front of the r~ector's study window
Poor Blanche came home crying, anG
declaring that she hated ministers of al
sorts; they never make any allowance
for the fun In ones nature In fine, sh,
was so thoroughly mortified that sh'
did not go inside the church door TO
weeks.
AS I entered the sunny little parlor
smiling over the recollection, .Blanch,
turned round with a questioning glance
How the golden CLEANS rippled all owe
her hair-that fine red-brown one rarel
sees save in old paintings-and her eye
were sweeter and graver than before
Tw~enty-eight was more beautiful thai
eighteen.
"If L we're a man 1 should fall i
love with you this minute" 1 said goin
toward her, and kissing her on the fore
head.
eff [ were a man, I don't think you
kiss me that way" she answered, laugh
ing, "but who was it you were talkin
with ?"
"Uncle Dash"
A rosy flush crept along her cheeks.
"Oh," she said, saucily, "the Rev
Dashaway Merriield I have good caus
to ~recollect him he, doubtless, consiG
cred me the only black sheep In hi
flock"
at don't believe it," I remarked
quietly.
"Oh, but he did; and I don't wonde
at it, either, when I look back. Do 20
remember the day he found my Sunda
school exercise, and what / had write
on the back? I do to this day, and
was Dash, Dasher, Dashed, Dasl
over, Dashunder, Dashaway Merr
field Upon my word, I saw the COZ
ners of his mouth curl when he read II
black as he looked-bus what busine:
had he with such ridiculous name?
know he almost hated me for it in fac
almost hated myself, for I had set tt
whole class in a giggle, andyc1 couldn
90 q dozen steps after that, any day j
the week but you would hear a boy ra'
fling it over at the top of his lungs. o.
don't blame him in the least for dl
liking me ; 1 am sure I have thorough