Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-06-07

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IA highwayman.
\ listened to this talk OF Dicks, huni.
lated and i'll 1T ease. Was |, then,
aimlesS waif--a mere bit Of dri(t-wood
atioat i'll this human torrenr Even
Aunt Margary'S chatting and chiding
were better than this nothingnesS.
began 10 feel Very weary. \ remem-
brancc of my quiet room and of the
blossoming apple hough that hung over
the window came to NE SiSion-Rke.
! We stood before the window Of Il pie
ture shop where Il copy of some Rapha-
4 el Madonna smiled down upon us benig.
nantly. Her feet were ON the clouds.
stars encircled her head; far away were
the mauger and the misery, Yet perhaps
she remembered them STILL Regal in
her azure rope, she iloateI above this
sordid whirl, crowned and triumphant
after toll and travail. 4 few tears crept
TO my eyes is | looked, | wiped them
swiftly away lest Dick should see them;
but he had already forgotten his sur
lineSs, absorbed i'll contemplation OF
some gorgeous chromos. A something
like motherly pity filled my heart rs |
contemplated his bright face. so careless
and unfltrrowed in the midst of his
troubles, and Il suggestion came to me
then, perhaps from the beniticient Moth
er beaming down upon Us.
Dick, said |. abruptly, :" I'm going
back.
4 "Ail right, little one, patting me
patronizingly on the shoulder; the
very best thing YOU can do.
4 Not 70 stay, Dick said I,yexed at
the ahcrity with which he accepted tile
proposition. " ~; I've IN iJea III my
4 head.
I Look so, responded Dick sententi-
\ ously.
Dick, listen me -authoritatiyely. ~
shall sleep at Nurse Catterbyt tonight
and if You meet me there, I'll have
some thing to help YOU
My darling cried Dick; but | re-
PEELED this later exhibition otailecton.
Put me in the cars, my fiend; I'm
hungry, you know, and tired 10 death,
YOU know, but there's no time to lose.
In my feminine fertility ofresource
felt myself intinitly Superior to this
helpless, good-hearted lumpofa Dick
and nodded my head 10 him gaylv ut
parting, without thought Of failure.
And this was the suggestion which
came to me under the smile OF the
Madonna. IN my room III Aunt
Margery's there hung il gfand old
fashioned time-keeper with Il yold coin
attached to its heavy chain, and big
seal wherein glowed ruby. Secretly
! regarded this as my own, for it had
once been my mothers. an heir
loom of the family, the source of end
less disputes, as | had heard between
the grasping elder ssterand the young
er My mother was of II high spirit,
and finally, in II fit Of utter wearlness
and veXaton, flung the watch with all
Its glltterlng appendage, at her sisters
feet Aunt Margery had dnevGreturned
it--that was not her Way-Nut it had
never been wound up since that day (so
old Caesar said, and long after my
mothers death it hung silent and shin
ing in the room devoted TO my use
perhaps i superstitous offering to the
vexed spirit Of the departed. I had
determined to 90 back without being
seen, if possible, and get this watch, ap-
propriating It, as felt sure my mother
would approve, 10 aid myself and my
friend IN our sore need.
The ride seemed Il long one; the road
wound about in manner had never
observed before, with persistent dodg-
ing Of the end, that gave me ample time
for revolving ways and means for car
rying out my scheme, till finally the
moon shone out on the last evolution;
and leaving the cars ! trudged on afoot
until the sentinel poplars guarding
Aunt Margery's gate with their long
black shadows came i'll view.
It was with 4 beating heart, notwith-
standing my bravery, that | took tic
key Of the side door from mypocket,
and entered the familiar domicle at
night-fall ike a shadow.
Il was easy enough to obtain access
to the inner part Of Of the house from
here, for most ofthe doors were careless
/ ~ latched, and was not likely to meet
any servant at this time in the evening.
remembered a certain wide window
sill in the hall, cropping toward which !
sat down to rest myself, with acuriously
scared and hunting feeling, which had
not entered my calculations when |
planned this audaeious expedition
Then removing my shoes, slipped
softly through the long, deserted passage
way to my own room The door opened
with treacherous creak that seemed
bent to betray me. It appeared All
age before was fairly within.
This was my own pretty, pleasant lit
tie room, the shelter where ! had s0
often betaken myself from Aunt Mar
gery's rasping voice and inee-sant fault
finding-where | had dreamed day
dreams and reyelled IN nightly visions.