Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-05-29

come; growing 60 Interested IN their oc.
cupution ut last that they had almost for.
gotten that they were waiting for anything
when q horse and rider came dashing
down the road, and Tom Clifford, With
barely tine to reach tho village in season
for the city.bound train, rode full upon
the barricaae. For q gloomy and desper-
ate suitor, bent upon rushing to the ends
of tho earth, t" be stayed in his course by
an old cart loaded with bean poles was
certainly exasperating. Nevertheless, he
could not 60 on and as tho two beaming
and satisfied young faces peered out ut
him he demanded, in vsxed astonlshment:
"What on earth have you got here ,"
"We're u toll-ga.e," explained Miss
Carrie, with dignity. "Ne and Billy
made it, aud we'll let you through if"
But the statement OF terms was cut
short. The horse at that moment es, led
the Auttering white sun.bonnet, and seiz-
ing 80 favorable an opportunity to be
frightened, sprang suddenly to one side,
flung his unsuspectiug rider to tho ground,
and sped away up the road sgaio. Tom
rolled over aud sat up in 6ewildered
sort of wav, got upon bis feet slowly
brushed the dust from his clothes, and
looked after his retreating steed with .
long whistle.
"Well it isn't likely anything viii! stop
him now until he gets home, 50 might as
we'll stay and pull this thing down. What
possessed you two youDgsters-." and
there Tom paused, laughed and grew mere
like bis good. natured self than he had
been for twenty -four hours. The defiant,
Indignant, disappointed expression of those
little dirty faces was irresistable. Carrie
protested stoutly when the strong hand
began to demolish her work but Tom
persuaded aud explained, and the final
promise of ride to the cart, when he
rolled it back up the lane, effected q satis-
factory cap,tulation.
The "t'll gate" disposed OF, Toms next
move wus to follow bis horse; and he
speedily discovered that the wise animal
had not taken the trouble to 60 home, hut
had stopped near by, at place where he
had frequently been allowed to make him.
self quite ut home. H. had been recognized
NJ once; saddled, and bridled, but rider
less, awakened suspicious of evil. The
trio of women had gathered about him in
the ysrd,-Aunt Polly with hand dripping
from the suds, Aunt Becky leaning upon
her crutch, and Maggie pale and trem.
bling,-when Tom arrived upon tho scene.
Since he was prevented from making u
journey to iar-of lands, aEd leaving long
chapters for Misunderstanding, suspense,
and adventures, he should, according to
all precedent, have br"ken limb in tall.
ing from his horse, and have had q gradu-
III reconciliation through slow, delicious
convalescence-a mixture of roses and
cream. toast. But he had q bosish pro.
pensity for falling right side up, and there
was nothing ut I'LL the mattor except q
rent in his coat Aunt Polly uoticed the
torn garment before bis brief explanation
was ended, and in the kindness of her
heart insisted that he should come in for
repairs. " She was washing,to be sure, and
Becky was no great hand with any needle
bnt knitting needles, but Maggie could do
it slick as you please" The owner a..
sented with alacrity. at did look rather
badly to wear through the vlllage.-it 1t
wouldn't be too mucn trouble to just put
stitch 10 it."
He watched the color como back into
the face bent 30 steadily over that piece of
darn'ng-watched the white fingers busy
with their task, and remarked Significantly:
"Nhat talent you have for making
things right again."
"Atter other people have made tSem
crooked" added Maggie, promptly.
IL 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 minutes
longer"
"There! the breech is nearly healed"
"Quite." she said, clipping her thread.
els it ?" he asked 90 suddenly that she
looked up, and then his eyes would have
an answer, and yho couldn't keep her
heart ont of hers.
So that was the end Of it-a long story
cut short in the most commonplace way.
And Polly absolutely left the world at
large to take care ofitself for several euc-
cessive wash days while she planned
Maggie's outfit. Tom never went to
Arizona at all, but kept his place in the
village store, and goes home to cosy
little nest at night, where MyggN meets
him ut tho door and receives u double
entradce fee, because he says he shall owe
that to all toll.gates his life through. And
Maggie thinks, with throb Of thankful.
ness, how we'll it is that tenderer Hand
than our own wiiful ones guides our dss-
tinies. Yes, they arc simple souls, and
better satisfied with their humdrum happi.
ness than with the most poetic misery
bu: alas for their biographer and the ruin.
ed vvlumei