The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-01-08

'Come alone this yere cold night
from the village ? he circulated, in
amazement. Did yo' ma know p
No. said Lily, casting down her
eyes, 'We didn't tell her.
"Well, come in by the fire. said
he drawing them in and closing the
door.
'What yo's pose yo' mall say
when she finds yo'r done runned
away
Bertie burst into loud crying and
Lily sobbed.
'Oh won't you show us the way
back | didn't think of that
'Well, well, don't cry, yo' must get
warm and have bite to eat, and
then I'll see to the getting on you
home. / amt so young as l used to
was, and it's no fool tramp through
these woods arter night l can tell
ye.'
1t was a droll little place that the
children had come to. The whole
house consisted of one room roughly
built, evidently by old Philip him
self. On one side was rude lounge
frame, holding some sort of a coarse
bed and blanket or two on the 9TH
er table, made by turning pack
ing box On one side. The third side
was given up to the rickety old
stove, the pipe of which went out
through hole in the side of the
shanty, and a rough shelf behind it,
on which was plate or two, as
many cups, apackage or two of corn
meal, tobacco, and other necessaries.
andsa lighted candle, stuck in hol-
lowed out potato. There was no
chairs but a soap box beside the
stove, looked as though it was used
for that purpose. A saw and saw
buck in the corner by the door ana
an old coat and hat was all there
was in the dwelling.
But if the house was old, it was
warm, and the two half frozen chill
dren eagerly crowded up to the
stove.
'Pore chillen = said their tender
hearted host. It's wonder ye
didn't freeze to death out III dem
woods
sWe did most said Lily with quiv-
ering lips. And oh dear how can
We ever get home again p
Don't fret your heart my little la
dy,' said old Philip kindly. Pli see
about that ar. Pears to me yo'd
like hot tater, now wouldn't ye
my little man?'
YES said BERTHE, who was more
than half afraid of him.
Philip opened the door of his
stove, haked away the ashes, and
there were two nice potatoes, baked
to lovely brown. He took them
out, carefully brushed off the ashes,
and laid them on the table, brought
out an old cracked cup with salt in
it, and an old knife, and told the
children to come up and eat. IfPd
a knowed l was guine to have COM
pany to tea,' he said laughingly, I'd
got it up in style. But eat the taters
and I'll bake you an uncommonly
nice hoe cake. Ye like hoe cake?
Il don't know said Lily, who
stood irresolute before the table, not
knowing just how to begin such a
meal. How do you eat these ?
They're hot
Sure 'nuff,' said Philip. Il done
forgot ye wasn't used to my kind O.
eating Il jes cut off de end, drop
pinch Of salt in, and dig out the in
side
'Oh = said Lily, fastening to fol-
low his directions for herself. AS
for Bertie, he had already devoured
his potato without salt.
Philip now brought out a bowl
and mixed some corn meal in it, then
brushing off the hot griddle of his
stove, he pored the mixture on. In
a few minutes he turned it over with
knife, and in short time he hand
| ed it in the same way onto a plate
and put it on the table. 1t was
brown and smelt good, and the hun
cry children eagerly devoured it,
while Philip made another.
When they had eaten as much as
they could, and drank some water
out of tea-cups, Philip gave Lily a
seat on the soap box, while he turn
ed big stick of wood up on end and
sat down on it himself. lie took
Bertie who had got over his fright
into his lap and proceeded to take off
his soaked shoes and stockings and
warm the red little feet. Lily mean
while did the same for her feet,
which ached with the cold.
Now tell me how you coined to
run away said Philip, when they
were comfortable.
we come out to fpd Chris
Child said Lily. Barbara says he
comes down Christmas Eve on the
hill and gives the presents to Santa
Claus and we wanted to pick ours
out ourselves
Yes | want horse to ride,' said
Bertie, who had recovered his spir.
its now that he was warm and fed.
Poor little things = said Philip
compassionately. 'Yo' must O. had
a drefful tramp I'll see how the
weather is.'
So he sat BERTHE on the lounge bed,
and went to the door. A fierce
blast came in as he opened it, and a
furry of snow, nearly putting out the
light. He shut it quickly, and stood
with look of perplexity on his
face.
'I'll tell yo' what, said he at lene tn,
in answer to Lily's anxious look, Sits
teetotall = impossible to go through
the woods to night. | wouldn't try
it alone, let alone totin' two chillen.
I'll fix yo' up de bes' l can here TO-
night, an as soon as it's light I'll GO
to the village an tell y'r folks, an
they'll come with a sleigh. The res
a wood road round little piece
down here
Bertie's lip went up for a cry bu,
Lily took him in her arms in moth
erly way, and said 'Nsver mind
Berthe, dear, it will soon be morning
and then we'll 60 home in a sleigh
And then it'll be Christm as, you
know
They talked little more and ther
Philip fixed a place for them tc
sleep. He shook up the bed till il
was high and round, laid one blank
ct over it, put the half asleep chill
dren in it, and covered them up al
snug as lie could with the othe,