Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-09-08
A Brave Girl.

OHbSA Nol =, "H~s A~~SS SeNsN~aS
flop, swinging signs croak, and the
wind blowing in fitful gusts, plays
the mischief generally, that hasty
message came to ''Pine Farms" as
the quaint, pine studded old place
was called.
An old and tried friend lay dy-
ing in the next village, the messen-
ger said, and If Farmer Harris and
wife would be there in time for a
parting word they must come at
once. The dying man had been
from early boyhood John Harris's
fast friend, and it was with tremb-
ling hands he fastened to harness
the old gray mare-his wife mean
while with her daughter Bessie's
assistance, hurrying together such
articles as might be needed for a
two days absence.
In less than all hour everything
was ready, and the white haired
couple, seated within the roomy old
time chaise, fingered for moments
conversation ere they departed.
The distance to Morton, the next
village was not great, nine or ten
miles at the most, and the interven-
ing road, although unfrequented,
considered perfectly safe; but on
this occasion the farmer and his
usually CHEEKY wife found them
selves leaving the house with a
strange feeling of reluctance. 1t
might have been the effect of the
message they had just received, or
perhaps the weird dreariness Of the
day that so effected their spirits,
but certain it was that neither had
in all their lives experienced such
utter depression, such an over
whelming foreboding of evil to
come.
81 don't know why it Isl" the old
lady remarked, as she kissed Bessie
for the last time, "but never hated
so to leave home in my life. 1t
seems as if l was leaving you to
some danger
"No fear of that" laughed pref
~ Bessie Harris. atom will be
home in n,' 70 an hour, and besides
we have plenty of fire.. HIS ~ 'ne
house should they be needed"
"'Well," rejoined her father, stake
care of yourself, anyway" and
looking back as he drove away,
clock up the house directly"
"Whatever could have made them
so nervous l WONDER" thought
Bessie, as she watched the chaise
out of sight; "and the idea of
locking up now-why it's scarcely
more than five o'clock"
Nevertheless the girl proceeded
to do as she had been directed, and
taking up her sewing, sat down by
one of the windows to watch for
Tom. Presently he came, rustic
Apollo in beauty, young Samson
in strength, and Bessie could not
but smile to herself at the thought
of danger, with herculean Tom
so near. Yet danger, and that of
the direst sort, was even then very
near, lurking in the very air and
casting its hideous shadow athwart
the pathway of the sunny hearted
young girl.
The brother and sister sat down
to tea, and Bessie laughingly relat-
ed the strange nervousness her
father and mother had evinced as
they drove away that afternoon
but Tom only looked grave, and
when hour later a knock came
to the kitchen door, he strobe to-
ward it with an involuntary expan-
sion of muscle aud a fist ready for
use. But he almost laughed out
right at his superstitious folly when
the slight figure of neighboring
farmers boy presented itself in the
doorway. The lad, like the mes
senger of the afternoon, brought
no good tidings. His young mas
ter one of Toms chums, had just
been thrown from his horse, and
the affrighted mother wanted him
to come over, while he, the boy,
went for the doctor.
1t was request not to be refus-
ed, and forgetting any fears he
might have had on Bessie's ac-
count, the young man at once put
on his hat and coat and prepared
10 obey the summons.
"Don't open the door to anyone,
= % L. .1Io1 bo oh M ba left uan1 |