Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-04


De assured of this fact when, setting al:
naughf the established lawsof gravitation,
we hung suspended on /" Jarob's Ladder
la glorious sunset below, the sky above.
Its like being drawn up to heaven
\ over q rainbow, cried Dill, leaning far
out OF the window. sOh, Polly, Polly,
1 wish we We're going there to stay,n
Don't, Dill, talk that way on the verge
of precipice /"
II would be such triumphant climb
| ing out OF the miseries of this horrid
world" persisted Din, sending shivers
down my back; for, with Joe and. Teddy
IN Il the world wasn't at all horrid TO me,
and | was in no hurry for heaven.
Once since we began the ascent Mr..
heene had tried TO omen conversation with
Dul, ana been undeniably snubbed, and
he had now betaken himself to the front
platform to look out upon the :. Silver
Forest'--the guide-beok name for aclump
OF bleached tee-roots near the summit OF
the mountain--while she stood by me
craning her neck through the window till
grew fairly dizzy. 1
/ Come, Dill, stop saying such unearth-
~ things, and sit down like a rational
/ being"
In a minute, Polly. Something's burn
ing! Don't you smell smoker
Mercyt it's you, Dull! Joe! Joe!
Dill's on firef' ~ 598asa IL
a spark from the engine mast have been
smoldering among her hat ribbons, for as
| she drew in her head her gauze veil
| burst into flames. For moment thought
| she was being snatched up to heaven in n
| fiery cloud; but the next instant Mr..
| keene had torn off the hat, crushed out
| the fire, and crushed in the crown. Then
| he handed il back, sorry looking head
| gear, scorched and smutty, with broken
| piumes. She put ii on with an attempt at
4 grimace tr
Thank you very much. Do look
like an extinct volcanos"
| Hardly extinct, Dill | believe you're
burning with wrath against me deep down
in your heart"
/ "Well, If you will rake up the pa
| haven't reason ~ said Dill, in low, an st,
tones. what right have you TO reprogry
| me--a man who was ach
| And here, if you'll credit it, my pre-.
cious Joe blundered in again between me
and my enlightenment respecting Dilfs
broken engagement, this time by calling
my attention to the monument of the adj
venturous young lady who persisted on
the mountain. OF course it asIwicked
to play eaves.ropper, but would have
/ cheerfully been wicked little longer,
! till Dill had had chance 10 finish her
sentence. After that she and Mr.. Keene
i talked together long and earnestly, and,
| considering the remarkable figure she cut
in that hat, it struck me, when she stepped
from the car at the Summit House, that
she looked sweetly resigned.
/ Signs of a thaw, Ell, Polly2" remark.
ed Joe, that night, as we left the parlor,
where Din and Mr.. keene were amicably
conversing.
So IL seems, Joe; and | don't know
what to think, for Mr.. Keene was--some,
thing dreRdiul--a married man, for aught
| know. Dill began TO tell me, and you
came along. Maybe he's reformed but
/ don't want her to marry reformed
man; do you, Joe?"
| But ne didn't pay the least attention
| He had planted himself before printed
| placard in the upper hall.
Here's richnessr Listen, Polly.
Guests going out to see the sun rise are
requested not to take the bed blankets
from their rooms Wonder If there's a
| like notice in the dining room, begging
Us to leave the table-clotbs and napkins y
But i'm the morning, when, in response
| 10 the bell, we crept out into the windy
| darkness TO watch the day break, we felt
the force aud cruelty Of the request. Spite
Of all our wraps, there would have been
| bliss in an added blanket. ! crouched in
| a corner OF one of the eastern steps, with
Joe sitting in front OF me 10 keep the
wind off, as was his duty and privilege,
and we gazed down into an archipelago
of cloud, dotted with treeless islands OF
mountain peaks. Just as day was boil.
ing above nights brim," Dill skipped
along, that hideous hat canted low over
her happy eyes.
"Irs all right, Polly p" whispered she
| in my ear. It's all explained, and john
and / are engaged again. -
"Oh, Dill, j hope you haven't done any.
thing rash You sal you hated him
you said I should If knew what he was. I"
"Ah, but he wasn't, Polly. There was
my mistake. II was his cousin, John
| Keene--the same name, you see; that's
what deceived me, for | had never even
| heard of him E#
"Dill Clement" cried ], ont of all pa
thence, "are you talking IN your Sleep
| If not, be good enough to translate your
meaning, and speak SO Joe can hear. Mr..
Keene was not, and his consin John was
whatg'
Engaged to Miss Pingree, of New
| port, !" said Mr. Keene, sauntering up, and
leaning over DIPS shoulder. 4" Dill met
her there at a party last summer, and
overheard friend inquire of her about
her lover, John Keene, Of Bangor and
what did this silly child do but jump at
once at the conclusion that ! was the man
in question, engaged to two girls at the
| same time. She sent me the stunning
quictus forthwith, not deigning to furnish
| her reasons"
Well, You ought TO have told me about
! your relations, John" said Dill, with q
pretty pout How was 10 know there
we're two John KeeDcs In the little city OF
Bangor, and that each had sister MaryW
Joe threw back his head, laughing. +" /
call this an anii-climax, Polly" he said,
before could STOP him. Here you've
been crediting Mr. Keene with no end OF
rascaities, when the amount Of the story
is that his cousin John Is engagedp'--
Hdrper's Bazar.