The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-05-22

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also triumphant as they gazed upon the
completed structure, with its last pole
standing nearly upright against the
cart. Partly for GOODNESS to herself,
partly by way of ornament to the edi-
flee, Garlic Gemoved her sun-bonnet
from her head aud hung it upon this
highest point.
"Bet nobody can't get through that |"
exclaimed Billy, pantingly. "How
much do you s'pose we'll make?"
Dollar, may be-" replied the SAN
guine Garlic, her eyes growing round
with the stupendous prospect. "Pm
too tired to build any little house to
live in, to-day; let's stay outdoors"
Out.of-doors was very pleasant. They
sat down on the soft grass that edged
the road, and curled the long stems of
dandelion while they waited for their
fortune to come growing so interested
in their occupation at last, that they
had almost forgotten that they were
waiting for anything, when horse and
rider came dashing down the road, and
Tom Clifford, with barely time to reach
the village in season for the city-bound
train, rode full upon the barricade.
For gloomy and desperate suitor, bent
upon rushing to the ends of tho earth,
to be stayed in his course by an old
cart loaded with boan-poles was GER
tainly exasperating. Nevertheless, he
could not go on and as the two BEAM
ing and satisfe young faces peered out
at him, he demanded, in vexed aston
ishment -
"What on earth have you got here p
We're a to)l-gate," explained Miss
Garlic with dignity. "NIe 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 duttering white sun-bonnet, and
seizing 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
II bewildered sort of way, got upon
his feet slowly, brushed the dust from
his clothes, and looked after his re-
treating steed with long whistle.
"Well! it isn't likely anything will
stop him nowuntil he gets home, so
might as we'll stay and pull this thing
down. What possessed you two young
sters"- and there Tom paused, laughed,
and grew more like his good-natured |
self than he had been for "a hours.
The defiant, indignant, disappointed
expression of those little dirty faces
was irresistible. Garlic protested stout
ly when the strong hand began to de-
molish her work but Tom persuaded
and explained, and the final promise of
a ride in the cart, when he had rolled
it back up the lane, effected satisfac-
tory 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 go
home, but had stopped nearer by, at
place where he had frequently been
allowed to make himself quite at home.
He had been recognized at once; and
saddled, bridled, but riderless, awaken
ed suspicion of evil. The trio of wo,
men had gathered about him in the
yard, Aunt Polly with hands dripping
from tho suds, Aunt Becky leaning
her crutch, and Maggie pale and trem-
bling, when Tom arrived upon the
scene. Since he was prevented from
making journey to far-off lands, and
leaving long chapters for misunder-
standings, suspense and adventures, he
should, according to all precedent,
have broken limb in falling from his
horse, so that he could be carried into
the house, and have had gradual re-
Cancellation through slow, delicious con-
valescence-a mixture of roses and
cream toast. But he had boyish pro-
pensity for falling right side up, and
there was nothing Mt all the matter ex-
cept rent in his coat. Aunt Polly no.
ticed the torn garment before his brief
explanation was ended, and in the kind
ness of her heart insisted that it should
come in for repairs. "She was wash
ing, to be sure, and Becky was no great
hand with any needle but knitting
needles, but Maggie could do it slick rs
you please" The owner assented with
alacrity. "It did look rather badly to
wear through the village-if it wouldn't
be too much trouble to just put stitch
in it,"
He watched the color come back into
the face bent so steadily over that piece
of darning; watched the white fingers
busy with their task, and remarked sig !
n cantly -
"What n talent you have for making
things right again"
"After other people have made them
added Maggie promptly.
~ don't think those threads will
show that they were ever separated"
Maggie vouchsafed no reply to that,
and he looked on in silence few min