Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-06-27


have grown poetical.'
Daddy Will has painted a glowing
picture said Kate, with a demure
glance and deprecating shake of the
head at her old friend, sbut | an
afraid | shall be obliged to add few
touches TO it,
Don't have no pity on me Mis-,
Kate, he replied with shrug and
complacent chuckle. i have always
said you was born to make some MAI
mis'able, and you might as well be
gin with me. Go on with your few
touches missy.
You must know, then, mamma, th d,
when | returned to the tree under
which | left Daddy Will to recovel
from the effects of the heat, / found
him enjoying delightful nap, anc
snoring most melodiously in the re
refreshing shade.
| declar' Miss Har'yet, he hastily
interjected, | only jis dropped off fol
half wink.
Yes, mamma, Daddy Willis inten
tons We're excellent. no doubt, as he
was on the point of dropping off; bu
then his half wink, lasted a gooG
half hour at the least, and so l feal
that the pretty things he has beer
saying about the clouds and the
leaves, and the birds and the golden
road in which he saw me standing,
must be set down as the baseless fab
ric of dream.
See. exclaimed Mr.. Brotherton,
striking an attitude and spreading his
hands in melodramatic style toward
Kate and Daddy Will see of what
stuff our dreams are made.
All right, Uncle Miles, she replied.
you are never so harmless as when
you are histronic. And now. mamma
if you and papa will consent to leave
me to my own devices for tomorrow
| will devote the rest of the evening
to the task of making up party OF
young people to test the capabilities
of my newly found nook Of the world
for picnic. What say you mamma?
Yes? and Daddy Will, we shall want
you and your violin, for there must
be dance of course.
AS our star performer for the even
ing has pronounced the epiIogue,' said
Mr.. Brotherton, rising, L presume the
play is ended, and the audience may
disperse; after which the family group
dissolved, Kate to make her selections
and combinations for the ensuing
field day. and the others to mingle
with their many friends and acquaint.
ances. assembled under the hosbitable
roof of the Clear View House.
The picnic which we saw planned
on the vernanda of the Clear View
House led TO an adventure the many
consequences of which its fair pro-
jecter little dreamed of. While il was
at its height, and when the young ex.
cursionists whom Kate mad enlisted
were in the heyday of their enjoyment
they were suddenly startled by the
approach of a wild tempest of wind
and rain, from which they were res.
cued by chance encounter with q
gentleman who was himself hurry
ing homeward, and VINO insisted on
their accepting the shelter of his
hospitable roof Arrived there a de-
lightful surprise awaited Kate, for
in the mother Of their host she dis
covered the daughter Of her grand
fathers old eomradc, Colonel Dun-
can. Since the death OF the ancient
friends the families had been separ-
ated by the vicissitudo which marks
our American social life Hates
grandfather had removed to New
York, where Der father still resided /:
and Colonel Duncan at the close of
the Mexico n war, had sold his plan
tation 10 Virginia, and early in the
movement to California had trans
planted his family tree on its virgin
soil. Here he had. added to his al
ready ample wealth and lived to see
his only child and daughter married.
After the death of her parents and
husband she had returned to the
states and settled on the beautiful
and secluded spot to which Kate
and her friends had been introduced
by stress IF weather. The Paxton
househo old consisted of the lady her
self; her son, Colonel Hugh Paxton
who had served with distinction in
the late war; an ancient negro wom-
an who was no other than Daddy
Wills sister, Aunt Betty, who had
remained stanch to the Duncans as
had Daddy Will to the Daters, like
him had been honored and trusted
for two generations, and was now
the faetotum of the household of
Mrs. Paxton, whom she had nursed
when an infant, as she had her faith
or before her, and Sergeant O'Dale, q
veteran OF the Mexican war, he had
served under Colonel Hugh in the
late war land between whom a strong
attachment subssted. which was
based on important services mutual
ly fohdoicu III CT1tiCui 6IUoTgc uCles.
When Daddy viii parted with his
young mistress, all unexpected of
the revelation that awaited them, be
was led by honest Sergeant ODale
to another part Of the Paxton man-
sion; and on their way thither it
soon transpired that they had both
served in the Mexican campaigns,
and had been engaged in several of
the same battles. This was intro
duction enough for the veterans, and
they were speedily on the footing of
old comradeship. Sergeant ODafe
had vivid recollection OF the stor-
les that were rife in the army of the
gallant Colonel. Dater and his FAM
GUS black body-servant, who was al
ways with his master in his most
daring enterprises, and be had heard
various tales of their attachment to
each other and of their exploits,
which had gained considerably in
color and volume, as such tales are
wont to do under the magnifying in
SEPARATION of camp story telling.
The sergeant had heard the young
mistress of his aged companion ad-
dress him as Daddy Will, and giving