The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-08-16

the contrast.
Now, l pu: it to you, did you ever hear
of anything 80 diabclically, insanely
wicked as this scheme?
Do you know what did? Consider my
outraged feelings, and think, if you can,
what said to Scott and Martin.
I'll tell you agreed with them.
As I remarked before, all my humor
was exercised at one time. It Overcame
me just then. l was idiotic enough to
tumble neck and heels into this plot. I
owed Ty. one, and found myself sudden
~ burning with an Unsuitable desire to
lavish my humor upon somebody. And
then the c0nspirators were so casuistical.
They convinced me that all this would
only throw into high relief the matchless
charms of my genuine home when they
all got to it. And was proud of my box,
tell you.
Well, to bc brief, we Matched our wick.
edness there &C night on our verandah,
Scott swinging in the hammock, and Mar.
tin, with his grin, made green and ghost
~ by the moonlight, smiling like the arch
fiend himself among the roses.
1t was all deliberately planned, to the
smallest detail, Scott now and then going
down to the lawn to roll and laugh.
What Is more, it was all carried out to
the letter. Only, instead of two, the in.
vited guests grew to four.
One bright morning in August, there
might have been seen to put it tradition
ally-gctting off the Hudson River train,
four princcly- looking fellows, unexcep.
tionally attired. One of them wore NUT
ton chop whiskcrs, and carried o shot gun
and rod in q silver-mountcd case. 1t
was Ty. Two or three of the freight men
around the depot got the notion that it was
the Duke Alexis. As soon as heard, I
encouraged the idea. Glover, who, as you
know. is valetudinarian, asked the first
man he met if there was any miasmata in
the vicinity, and heard the man say that
stores on the river didn't keep much of
anything but hardware and fish. Fred
Granger looked as if he'd been taken
softly out of an open box or handbook,
and ListOn gave the heather around the
door few dimes to propitiate the town.
Then they all lit cigarettes, and were pres
emily met by Scott and Martin.
| Now, it isn't more than mile from the
depot to the rustic retreat, but l believe
they drove those fellows about five miles,
through all the most inaccessible places in
the township, before they pulled up at the
rOOkery.
According to agreement, rushed out of
the place in fez, crying, Welcome,
welcome to Nymsclove!'
shall never forget Ty.' 8 expression of
countenance Us he stood up in the vehicle,
and surveyed the scene through his glass.
We had written them the most glowing
accounts cf-wcll, of the other place.
There sat Angelina in calico dress, rock
ing herself by the ash heap, and darning
WOODEN stocking of most prepostcrous
size, that Scott had evidently imported for
the occasion.
But the two conspirators gave them lit
tie time to think: They hustled them out
| with many additional welcomes to the
Martin, "yOu will perceive, is purely rus
tic, and nature out of her magnificencc
furnishes sufficient delight"
"Seems to me-" said Glover, soto uoce,
it's dirty"
"LoOk at the color, the prismatic hues
of that little lake." exclaimed Martin,
pointing to the hog wash; "by George,
sir, we'll have you whip some trout out
| for us, we will, and no mistake. Gentle
men. Mrs. Crinkle."
WELCOME to Nymsclove," said Mrs.
Crinkle, modestly, :" trust you will ind
the delights of the country AMPLE"
"Step inside, step inside" cried Scott;
"cOme inside the cottage"
Upon my word, when l recall that fas-
ftidious group crowding into that carpet
less room, where there was nothing but
pine table and two or three pine chairs,
when remember SCOTS bringing out a
ginger-beer bottle, with whisky, and a
green tumbler, and recOllect the polite
petrifaction that would betray itself on
the faces of my guests, have to smile yet.
But, alas 1 did not know to what depths
my companions had gone in their wick
edness. In the first place, they arranged
to keep the guests without mouthfll to
eat as long as possible. with the promise
of hearty dinner, which was to be
ruined by family disturbance at the last
moment. They had even pulled out some
of the rear frame work of the house, so
that it would fall down at the proper mo-
ment. Make yourself at home" said
"There is no formality here. We call
this Liberty Hall; dinner will be served at
six. In the meantime everybody do as he
pleases."
"Come and see the grounds" cried
Scott, "wc'll take ramble through the
mead and haunted glen, it will freshcn
us up"
When they had gone, I asked Martin to
explain his idiOtic conduct. He had q
bottle of ammonia that he whipped out of
his pocket and applied to his nOstrils every
five minutes, accompanying the act with
bowls and tears.
Heavensv' he answered. 81 mus. do
something, or I'd suffocate. They think
I'm suffering with the hay fever, and
that it attacks me in spasms and par
oxysms."
Half an hour lafr he said he'd 60 out
and see what had become of the sylvan
hunters. He wasn't gone ten minutes
when he came tearing back, painting and
cOnvulsed.
Here, in the name of all that's stu
pendous, come quickp'
We ran out and followed him to bit of
marsh lying in the rear of the place.
There was q common stone fence running
through the bog, and crawling upon lis
precariOus summit, every man on his
hands and knees, were our guests, led by
Scott. He had taken them by rounda-
bout path into the meshes of the mCrass,
and then offered them no means of extri-
cation but this. He shouted when lie saw
us. and pointing backward ut w., grew
red in the face, and dropped flat upon his
stomach rs if seized with convulsiOn.
1t was the funniest sight ever saw. To
crawl upon the top of an old cobblc stone
fence is not an easy task at any time.
When there are two feet of muck on
either side of it, the difficulty is spiced
with danger. If you wear pearl gray
trowsers and white vest, there is dash Of
romance in it.
| Madl Well. they were all disguised.
But the splendid enthusiasm of Scott and
Martin left them but little opportunity to
demur. When they got back to the house
Tv. looked at his watch, and said he be-
leived he'd catch the one O'Clock train.
1t had been his intention all along merely
to make flying visit. He would come
up again and stay week, when the fish
ing was good.
Eyes" they all chorussed, Twelve got
to get back on the carly train. It's hard
to tear ourselves away ffUm this retreat,
but duty compels us to he in the CITY,"
The conspiratofs wouldn't hear of it.
Scott held up the rod and gun. Martin
vowed that thew shonldnst uo hack till the