The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-22

"Well, thin, I'm glad, too, Miss Oak
though it was unbeknownst to mesilf in.
tirely that was lost"
"What are you doing to the rose
bushes?' continued the little one. anx
ious to have some one to talk to.
"Tryln' to persuade them to grow uE
fit for gintleman's garden, an not to be
runnin' all round with no more civility
than wild bramble. There's many q
one in gintlemen's places, little Acorn
as shows by their manners they don't be-
long there" said Jem, with twinkle in
his eye.
"I'm not Acorn'-I'm 'Oak,'" inter
posed the child, half laughing, half pout-
ing.
AN that's the next thing to it, akin
yer pardin. Great oaks from little
acorns grow"
II didn't anyhow" answered Oak only
half satisfied. what are you going to
do when the roses are fxed?"
"Well," said Jem, meditating," I'm go
in to hitch up the boss an wagon an take
some corn over to the new mill forninst
the village. to see what the grindin's like
they be talkin so much about. Yer grand
father wants to try EN-"
The little girls eyes sparkled.
90 Jem, I'll go too!' she exclaimed,
clapping her hands gleefully; ''I'll go
with you, shant" l, Jem?"
"It's not me as will be sayin' no, if yer
mothers wllIin,' Miss Oak" said Jem,
good naturally can III fake fine care of
ye."
The child sped away, never doubling
success, and before Jem drove around to
the avenue she was On the steps waiting
a little embroidered sacque covering her
arms and a gipsey hat tied over her curls.
''Take good care of her, Jem," called a
iadys sweet voice from an upper window
as the wagon came up and the little girl
was lifted into it,
THAT l will, ma'am," responded Jem,
seating himself beside his young charge;
and away they rolled down the long lane
and out into the road.
They suited each other we'll, these
travelling companions: JeJn so fond of
his little friend, so kindly and so talka-
tive, with kind Of childlike simplicity
about him that made him understand and
enter into her enjoyment; and the little
girl, so full of dreams, fancies and ques-
tions-so ready to listen to his longest
tale, gleefully or sympathizingly, as the
case might be. On they passed along the
country road, through the little cluster of
houses around the -dignified by the
name of village "-and to the mill be-
You'd.
Jem's GRAND accomplished, the horses
head was turned homeward.
at isn't such nice day now; the sun
has stopped shining" said Oak.
"That's thrue for We. It's cloudin' up
for rain, I'm thinkin," answered her
companion, scanning the sky, and touch
ing his horse with his whip as a low peal
of thunder fell upon his ear. The horse
started forward at quick pace, and bore
them swiftly away from the mill to the
village station, and on through it. But
the summer shower came up rapidly, and
they had left the village short distance
behind them when the drops began to
fall.
90 dear! what will we do now?' ex-
claimed Oak, in dismay.
1--WE must turn back" answered Jem :;
g an it's soaking We'll be, thin, before
we reaches house." Then, as turn in
the road brought them near the railroad,
he suddenly changed his plan.
"Ah see there, thin, Miss Oak dear
an empty freight car switched off till that
side track! Well Just climb in till
the storm is over" and, springing out he,
lifted the child from the wagon into the
car. Then leading his horse little way
down the road, that it might not be
frightened by passing trains, he fastened
it, and fastened back to the car; none
too soon, for the rain was falling heavily.
"Oh, this is funr' said Oak, quite sat-
isfied as long as their was no danger Of
getting wet. Hear how it rattles on the
roof, Jem.'
at sounds finer to be rattlin' on the
car than rattlin on us, thin" answered
Jem, shaking the drops from his hat.
Its good were under cover"
GA cover from the tempest" The
words came back to Oaks mind with a
quick remembrance of the picture at
home; and she began to ponder them
over in her dreamy. childish way, and
fancy herself away on she desert plain,
until at last the vision grew dim and con-
fused, the long ,ashes dropped lower and
lower, and she had passed from waking tc
sleeping dreams.
Jem smiled as he saw it.
"Poor little chickv! it's tired she is.
he said; and, rolling his coat into pill
low, he laid the bright head gently down
upon it.
The shower proved not a very short one
and. despite Jem's anxiety to be on hi:
homeward way, there was nothing to dc
but wait. Hcmissed the prattling of nj:
companion, and the sound OF the steadily
falling rain grew monotonous. He be
gan to realize too, that he was tired after
his forenoon work and afternoon drive
and finally. concluding to try and rest, a:
ne could do nothing else, he stretched
himself upon the floor, drew his hat ovel
his ewes. and in less than five minutes he
had followed the child's example.
How long he had been lying there
| Tom never knew. His sleep must have