Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-05-24

your most becoming dress, and then il
company calls, you must not run off and
hide yourself as soon as the bell rings
You look ever so much like mamma now
only younger, and she's not thought to
be bad-looking woman, l assure you. "
Two hours later, Aunt Calista came
stealthily downstairs with volume of
Bryant's poems in her hand, and her
black straw-hat fiat upon her face. .
She said There was no other way to
wear it.. She was going for walk
mainly to escape the company which
she was certain was expected during the
afternoon.
'Wait moment" called out Alice
who provokingly came through the hall
just as she thought she had escaped
the observation of any of the family
"Wait moment, and let me bunch up
your overskirt little more. You are
determined to ruin all your prospects in
life, and disappoint the cherished hopes
of your dearest friends"
Aunt Cally laughingly eluded her,
and. darting through the door, disap-
peared around the house, and took her
way across the garden and through the
meadow to the brook, which skirted its
further edge. She strolled along its
bank until it entered wood, and then
for some distance further, enjoying the
coolness, the silence and the restful
quiet.
"Oh, this is 10 yely!" she said to her.
self And there is just the place |
have been looking for! That spreading
beech upon that bank. | wish that
clump Of alders was not there, though;
they hide the brook from me; but never
mind, | can hear it ripple, and gurgle,
and 'babble, | believe the poets call it,
and that will do quite as well as see
ing it"
So she climbed the steep bank, and
seated herself with her back against the
smooth stem of the beech, and, remov-
ing her hat, looked about her for a few
minutes, and then with a sigh Of salts
faction opened her book and read:
"Here are seen
No traces of mans .pomp or pride; no silks
Rustic, no jewels shine, no enviOus eyes
Encounter; no fantastic carvings show
Tha boast of our vain race, to change the form
fil'st the solitude"
Hark! Was not that footsteps. 1t
certainly was; and they were coming
down to the brook. Now she was glad
of the alder screens. She would remain
quite still, and the person, whoever it
might be, would pass on, unconscious
of her presence.
There he came; she could peep thro'
the bushes and see thatsit was man;
yes, man with fshing-rod-a short,
middle-aged man-'And of all things!
it he isn't going to stop right here!
Well, this is situation! | cant 20
away. He would be sure and see me. 1
shall have to sit still and hold my
breath. What if he stays here all the
afternoon? | hope to goodness he won't
catch single fish, the brute! | won't
look at him! for she had been peep
ing down through the branches of the
alders, while the gentleman was rapidly
preparing for his cruel sport.
1t was rather an embarrassing situa-
tion for timid spinster, to be sure.
The gentleman was SO close to her that,
but for the screen of alders, she could
almost have touched his hat with her
hand. The alder bushes were barely
high enough to hide her from view, as
she sat. The moment she arose she
might be discovered. Besides the un-
pleasantness of the situation, she had a
profound horror of fishing.
8 | won't look! | ,con't look" she
said to herself, over and over, and reso-
lutely bent her eyes upon her book.
But try as she might, she could not
take the sense of what she read, and
could not keep her eyes from stealing
glances now and then through the leaves
down at the unconscious figure, sitting
so motionless almost at her feet How
absorbed he was! She could not see his
face, of course, for his back was toward
her; but she fancied that his eyes were
bent immovably upon his line, watching
for the least intimation of bite or a
nibble.
Before she was aware, she, too, began
to be interested. Luckily, or unluckily,
she could see bit of the line, just
where it entered the water. There!
did it not tremble little? No, it was
only a ripple in the water that moved it.
There, again! That certainly was some
thing. Oh, dear, it was too dreadful!
What if some poor, little, hungry, un-
suspecting fish were to come along, and
be caught on that cruel hook, deceived
by the tempting bait, and she should be
obliged to witness the transaction? She
mould not look another second. But,
somehow, she couldn't stop looking, and
every minute vibration of the line only
increased the fascination, and made her
the more anxious for the result. Once
or twice the hook was lifted out of the
water for an instant, and each time she
almost shrieked aloud.
If he should bring up poor little
struggling creature, | shall scream, [
know [ shall, she said to herself 1T
seems as if | must throw something at
him, the great, awful brute"
She had half risen now, and was peer
ing over the tops of the alders with anx-
ious, frightened eyes rivetcd upon the
line, feeling, as she had just said, as
though she must scream, when, all at
once, there was very perceptible pull
downward. followed instantly by a most
vigorous jerk upward, and she did
scream, for, good gracious whatw was it
tugging at her hair, as though the pur-
pose was to take it all out by the roots.
Her scream brought the gentleman to
her side almost instantly.
Good heavens, madam!" he exclaim-
ed, excitedly, 81 hope you are not hurt.
What is it? All! | see; my fish-hook
caught in your hair. How awkward of
me! However, be calm, madam this,
by the way, was wholly unnecessary, for
Aunt Calista was as quiet and compos-
ed, to all outward appearance, now as
she ever was in her life-"I can very
soon extricate it, if you will allow me.
And without waiting for permission,
with deft, plant fingers, he set about
his task, talking volubly all the while;
now word or two of apology for himself
then remark upon the beauty of the
day, then her book-Bryant was ia
vorite of his, too-then compliment to
her hair-he would not have believed
it was natural-until, at last, in tone
of satisfaction, and with little flourish
of the hands, There we are" he said
~ I