The Lake County star., 1877-11-08

Oh oOxu0 cIx0uO, u0 oOOOu iOI " lOuX
time puzzled and curious before box
Squire had collected. What are
them things?n he asked. Fossil
leaves" replied Squire May. "I give
myself vacation every summer, aud
60 off geolngizing." The boy asked
few more questions before he left,
which showed him bright and observ-
ing. A fortnight after he came again.
"I've been reading all about them
things," he said. The sale of books
was not brisk at Conflict, and during
the intervals of trade Gus had plenty
of time to read. Still, the Squire was
surprised to find that the boy had
gone through volume of Hitchcock
and one of Hugh Miller, making him
self as intelligent a master of their
contents as 1t was possible to without
the aid of specimens. 81 recited what
l read day times every night to moth
err he continued, "and If father
would only lend me Sarsaparilla, that
IL the mule, / would like to go jolly
giving with yer"
NIL take you with me in my buggy"
said the squire, "if you can obtain
leave of absence from the store"
Through their three years of neigh
borhO0d the friendship between the
two grew and strengthened, till at the
time our story finds them the squire
remarked TO his wife that he didn't be-
lieve he could think more of Gus. An
toine IL he were his own son, and he
intended soon to commence reading
law with him. There was one other
who looked forward to the boys visits
with pleasure, the squire's only child,
little Hope. She had gone strawber-
rying and hazel nutting with him be-
fore he had won her fathers favor.
All the Antoine boys had strongly
black eyes and hair to match, forming
strong contrast to Hopes blonde
beauty. Mrs. May had been Mortified
on their first arrival to find her little
girl seated beside stump, on which
her toy dishes were displayed, enter
tanning troop of ragged boys. The
entertainment consisted of dough-
nut broken in minute bits, and, most
astounding sight for New England
mother, the youthful Antoines had
brought as their contribution to the
feast a cup half filled with New Or
leans mOlassee, some scraps of dried
orange peel, sand q bOtt'e, in which
there still remained few spOOnfuls of
whisky, with which ingredients Gus
was cOmpOunding a drink and filling
the tiny pewter cups with the expert
ness of q California bartender.
While Gus. was away "jOllygizing"
with her father, Hope went every day
to recite French lessons to Mrs. An
tome, and to learn to make the mar
velous embroidery, whose great eyelets
were filled with cobwebs like wheels
in lace stitches in pointe d'AlencOn.
So the summer passed, but with the
fall came the elections. Squire May
returned from his brief vacation to
learn with surprise that the "free state"
party had nominated him as their cam
didate for the district judgeship, aud
that his opponent on the democratic
ticket was Col. Antoine. The elec-
| ton was closely contested, but ended
in the usual way, Col. Antoine's
friends coming over from Missouri,
voting for him, and rendering the dem
ocrats triumphant. Squire May was
| legality of this proceeding, and as he
drove toward home it was observed
that his usual calm temper was much
disturbed.
The day following the election was
an eventful one to Mrs. Antoine and
Hope as they sat on bench under the
broad-leayed catalpas in front of the
Antoine mansion. A grotesQue shad-
Ow was thrown upon the path, and
Hope grasped Mrs. Antoine's arm in
alarm, wondering what strange ami
NAL would follow. 1t was only ped
dler, and both she and Mrs. Antoine
were soon deep in the contents of the
pack, which consisted of several cases
of cheap jewelry, a few pieces of fiimsy
dress goods, and some coarse Hgm-
burg embroideries. Mrs. Antoine
looked over these interestedly, but
with q smile ON her lips. II can EN-
broider better than that myself, and 80
can this little girl"
"Let me see what you do" said the
peddler, and Hope displayed a long
strip of the mingled embroidery and
lace work, the pattern In each eye)et
being one of Gus. Antoine's design
an anchor-it meant hope, he said.
II give you fifty cents for dat" said
the stranger.
40! will your" exclaimed Hope de-
lighted, while Mrs. Antoine rose, hast
ened into the house, and returned with
the entire collection, which she had
worked since she had left the convent.
/
and Hope was afraid to be left alone
with him, but Col. Antoine sauntered
| in at the gate Just as his wife entered
the house. For wonder, he was So
ber, and Hope felt her courage revive.
He regarded the peddler gruffiy, and
began to scold Mrs. Antoine when she
returned, though his ill-humOr van
ished when he saw that she was SELL
ing, not buying. The stranger select
ed q number of bands, and paid for
them from q chamois-skin purse,
which he took from his bosOm. The
colonePs eye glittered as 1t fell upon 1t;
and his manner changed perceptibly.
f" Are you going on to Conflict 2" he
asked as the peddler returned the emp
tied gourd which Mrs. Antoine had
offered him filled with water, and
stopped to pick up his pack. Yes?"
"Well, 30 am 1, and I'll walk along
with you. You look tired Just sling
your pack across Sarsaparilla. don't
mind tramp with pleasant COM
panion.
Mrs. Antoine looked frightened.
Such condescensiOn on the part of the
colonel was, to say the least, unusual
and portentous.
The next day the little Sabbath
school of which Squire May had been
the originator, and which held its
meetings in the log schOOl-house two
miles away, met at his house for Gel
ebration. 1t was q pleasant sight, the
children about a table-cloth spread up
on the grass, on which the food was
laid in picnic fashion. AS soon as the
children were helped the Squire dis
appeared, and while he was gone re-
port of q pistol was heard. He re-
| turned I'm the course of an hour to say
that swing was ready, and Gus. An
tome remained for some time longer
tossing the little ones In the mir.
On bis way home, as his foot touch
ed the little bridge which he had
built across the Wild Cat for the con-
venience OF the two families, Gus's
eye was caught by an object In the ra-