Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-04
Our Young Folks.
WINNING TIE MEDAL
. BY KATE W. HAMILTON.

u WY >otd ANoSCl1DC1 CSCIlUO.
Small figures, mutf1ed in shawls and tip
pets, passed out of the moonlit garden
and disappeared among the shadows of
the grove, which grew thicker and deeper
as the small procession passed further on,
walking single file along the narrow path,
with the dry leaves rustling under their
tread.
A light, which had been plainly visible
from the farmhouse, twinkled upon them
now and then from some open space, and
again was hidden by the trees as they
passed on, until a sudden turn in the
path brought them full upon the place
from which it came-an old haltruined
cabin, in the heart of the grove.
"HelloOi" called Charlie, as the party
stopped before the door, or doorway: for
the door had long been gone, and justnow
a heavy amy blanket hung before the
opening.
"Helloo theret" answered a voice with
in and then a merry, boyish face looked
out. Joe and | are two hunters, and this
is our cabin in the woods. If you are
travellers, and nave lost your way, We'll let
you in"
Exactly. Pm your long-lost brother,
and.l haven't seen you before in twenty
minutes" laughed Charlie, pushing the
blanket further aside, SO that all could
pass i'll.
A cheerful fire was blazing and roaring
in the open fireplace, and lighting up
with its radiance the little rough room,
that was bare of al furnishing except a
few boxes and logs arranged as seats
around the broken, uneven hearth. The
girls threw off their wrappings merrily;
AMI, with hair tossed and cheeks glowing
frnn, thair "a1l- in tho chill wirI Irav
near the comfortable blaze.
Bring on o u venisOn, Mr.. Hunters.
We're hungry enough to eat it," said
Tom, tossing his cap and mittens down in
a corner.
Venison did not seem to be plenty; but
the "hunters' produced a quantity of
nuts to be cracked, and the girls had
brought mOlasses and a saucepan, with
which they proposed to make some candy.
They had sent Rob and Joe in advance on
purpose to nave the fire started, and so all
were 500 gayly at work. Any or all of
the pleasant rooms at the farmhouse were
not so attractive to the children as this
dilapidated little nook in the woods.
Charlie, Gerty, Rob and Lizzie had come
to stay at the farm while their father and
mother were in Europe. Uncle Jack had
begged for them, because he said he and
Aunt Mary, with their little Tad and
baby Jenny, couldn't half fill the great
house. 1t seemed to be full enough
| after they came-at least, it was always
overlooking in the direction Of the old
cabin.
Such grand times as they had. Not
just the four children alone, though; for
| Tom and Joe Scott lived only half a mile
away, and Annie Cole still nearer, and, of
course, they were not long in getting &C
quainted. Tom and Joe wore homemade
Jackets of coarse cloth, and queer neck
ties or no neckties, just as it happened :;
but they were right down good fellows,
for all that" Rob and Charlie declared,
when Gerty mentioned the matter. Gerty
couldn't help liking bright, good-natured,
merry Annie Cole. She had been a trit1e
p%atrOnizing at first, because Of Annie's
lOngsleeved aprons and dresses without a
bit of overskirt to them; but after the day
| she visited the little frame schoOl-house,
and missed the word "coquette" in the
| spelling class, while Annie spelled it
without a moments hesitation, Gerty
wisely dropped all pretense of superior
ity. AS for Lizzie she never dreamed OF
p~atronizing anybody. She was not the
youngest, nor the oldest, nor the bright
est, nor the p~rettiest of the children. She
was "only Lizzie" she used to say, when
she was questioned; and some way the
others had fallen into the habit Of saying
"only Lizzie" too.
Seven boys and girls and a delightful
tumble-down old cabin like this were
material enough for fun, and they used to
make the rough walls fairly ring. They
called it a prison, a castle, or a smuggler's
cave, as the fancy suited them; and held
cOmiCal concerts there and odd piano.
ramas, OF gathered around the fire, as they
did tonight, after the candy and nuts
were ready, and told wonderful stories.
Its just jolly out here. We have the
best kind Of times" said Tom Scott, en-
phatically, breaking a minutes silence,
during which everybody had been watch
ing the blaze. II say, we ought to be a
league, or order, or something"
"a disorder or something. Just look
where you're throwing your Shells"
laughed Annie.
"Hut-tentots," said Rob, desperately,
with his mouth half-full of candy.
"Cdbin-ets, for the promotion OF what
ever turns up" suggested Charlie.
The first thing that turned up proved to
be the old sOap-box upon which he was
sitting; and he was rolled upon the floor,
with his sentence scarcely finished. Peals
of laughter and inquiries as to how he
wished to be promoted" ended the sub
iect for then; but Tom brought it up
again in the first interval of quiet. He
was quite in favor of organizing into "a
league or something" 1t sounded nice,
and would be lots of fun" he said. And
presently the others caught the contagion,
and began to discuss what kind of order
or society it should be, growing gradually
more and more earnest in their plans and
talk. SO earnest they were that when,
half an hour later, Uncle Jack and Aunt
Mary, attracted by the light of their fire,
came to look in about them, no one no
ticed Dr. heard them until they were inside
the cabin.
"Strangers right in our midst, without
any countersign or password! You didn't
know we were a society,"" said Rob.
"a society for the spread of molasses
candy, evidently" remarked Aunt Mary.
And it has pretty nearly accomplished
its mission, l should think, added Uncle
Jack, cycling rather suspiciously the seat
that was offered him. Hope it hasn't
spread very extensively in the region of
this box"
NO." said quiet Lizzie, half shyly, but
with a glad light in her eyes. Its a So
ciety for good, you know-to be heroic"
Heroic! All of your" Uncle Jack
raised his eyebrows in pretended amaze
ment. you won't set the house on fire,
for the sake of bravely rescuing every,
hpdy in it hone. or catch a fever To