The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-05-01


til we were scarcely able to stand, and at
last the new acquaintance Joined in and
laughed as heartily as any of us. "Well,
if this don't beat the Dutch. Three la
dies travelling all alone through this
countryl You are brrve ones. Of course
you shall stay, and right glad I'll be of
YOUR presence. 1 will do the best can
for YOU Bless your bright faces, it does
me good to look at you. Come right in,
dears; L was kind o dazed like at first,
for I've lived here four months and hain't
seen woman's face in all that time. 1t
is lonely here, Why, you don't know
how pleasant it seems to hear young peo-
pie laugh, again. 1t takes me right back
home to the States. Have your baggage
put of the stage will show you your
room. Well, well, this is Il surprise"
She opened door and ushered us into
n bed room, and left US. The room had
n red and black ingram carpet, clean bed,
curtains of red calico. and table, chairs
and bureau, made of old boxes, covered
with turkey red calico; red toilet cash.
ion on the bureau and red watch-case
hanging above it, few bright autumn
leaves pinned on the wall, and couple
of pictures on each side of the widow.
Isn't it lovelyY' we exclaimed. Who
ever thought of finding this pretty room
in such hutl The furniture Is all
made OF old barrels and boxes" Percy
said, lifting the drapery that concealed
the boards: "But how tasteful and neat
it looks-s perfect bit of color study,
crimson chintz."
We had all fallen IN love with our hos
tess, who reappesred with fresh water
and towels. Ladies, by the time you
have washed and rested / will have din
ner ready. l am all alone at the ranch
to day. No one lives within miles of us,
SO Just do as YOU please while you are
here, Make all the noise you can; laugh
and sing: 1t does me good to hear you J"
Don't call us ladies, said Percy, tax
ing her hands and squeezing them be-
tween her soft little palms, Then she in
troduced us BY name, and added: 1--WE
are nothing now but set of wild girls,
glad to get away for while from the
folly and fashion of the world. Mother
II. we brought along TO chaperon US and
give dignity to the party, but she is the
widest one of us all; she has dropped her
years and wisdom little by little, until
now she is the youngest OF the three, and
the biggest goose"
$40, is that so?" appealed.
al can testify to the liberal truth OF
Percy's remark" 10 answered solemnly.
So, deserted by my friends, hid my face
IN the soft pillows and dozed until L was
called to dinner.
And rare one il was, although esten
in a shed. We chatted with Mrs. Allen
about the news of the world; told her
where we were from, how we got &C
ouain,ed; that we were now on our way TO
San Diego, the most southern city OF Cal
itornia, TO gather abalone shells. Then
she told her little story. Broken health,
lost fortune, journey from the home OF
her youth to the Pacific slope, homesick
i'll, lonely, she had lived for four months
in this place, uncheered by a woman's
voice or smile l judged that her hus-
band was dIss'pated man although no
word of reproach or blame crossed her
pale lips in regard to him. She spoke IN
most res peetable and ladylike manner
about h,m, but her surroundings were so
at variance with her native taste and re
finement that attributed 1t to its right
cause. For the time being she threw
away care and under the influence OF JOS
witty sallies, and Pacy's dry, pithy
speeches, she frightened and grew quite
eirlish. Let me see; We had for dinner,
ham and eggs potatoes, green corn, oak-
ed beans, macaroni, apple sauce, corn
bread, preserved apricots, custard pie, and
corn starch pudding, coffee and milk.
Cd fashioned milk, poured from q great
big Drumming pitcher, into big glasses;
milk that was yeliew with cream, and
fos',. ed richly. and tasted cool and sweet
ms clover blooms. l hand't tasted real,
genuine country milk before, think, for
about fifteen years. / had nearly forgot
ten the taste OF it; and the cream that
was poured from the lone little chins
pitcher over our preserves seemed
like forgotten scene of my childhood s
days, when days visit 10 grandma IN
her country hcme always ended by =
saucer of berries, hidden under thick,
yellow cream.
10 made her dinner entirely of bread
and milk, and we were SHOWN where the
bright milk pans were kept and told 10
60 and help ourselves 70 cream ard milk
whenever we wanted it. About once an
hour ever since We have been here We
each ELL bowl with bread and milk, and
eat it sitting barehesded on tho grass un-
der the oaks, and no lunch Of dainties IN
restaurant or dining-room was ever en-
joyed 50 much.
am almost afraid TO tell you all the
pranks ofthose girls the first day We were