The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-06-20
OUR STORY TELLER.
A MORNINGS EXPERIENCE.
IHarper's weekly.I

IBarper's weekly.I
The Price family were gathered in the
kitchen on Sunday morning. The fam
lily consisted of Mr.. and Mrs. Price,
commonly "Uncle" and "Aunt"
Price; Miss Abigail Price, a spinster
sister; Mrs. Richton, Aunt Prices
mother, an aged lady of seventy years;
Mollie Jennings, a niece visiting the
farm; and Bridget, and a new recruit
from Ireland.
Uncle and Aunt Price were dressed
in their best, and their ancient horse
Elijah, harnessed in an open wagon, was
in readiness to take them to church in
the village, three miles away. A hiatus,
however, appeared to have occurred in
the proceedings, for Aunt Price stood in
the middle of the kitchen irresolutely
swinging her parasol, while Uncle Price
switched the honeysuckle that grew
around the door with his whip; Miss
Abigail stood grimly regarding the twain,
with her head tied in a duster; Mollie
had paused in the open parlor door,
Grandma Richton rocked feebly in the
corner by the dresser, and Bridget peered
in from the sink-room, open-mouthed.
"Well," Miss Abigail was remarking,
" If you think it's safe, far be it from
me to make objections. You know
James and Joseph are both gone"
"ShoP put in Uncle Price, testify !;
a. il it's come to that u Marthy'n' l cam t
go to church Sundays, we'll move. We
sha'n't be gone more'n two hours. Jest
lock up, all you like, and I'll resk your
being troubled in broad daylight"
But, uncle" said Mollie, nervously,
"you know they went to SIMPSONS at
three in the afternoon, when they were
all out berrying, and they went to
Floyd's-"
They'd naturally expect to get some
thing at Floyd's," said Aunt Price
but coming here right in the face of a
parcel of women-folk, for the little
we've got, would be some different"
Humphp commented Miss Abigail.
"They might as we'll steal our spoons as
anybody else,s; but, as / said before, il
you think it's safe, and we mile from
any house, and the bolt lost off the wash.
room door, why, then"
"Bolt lost7 How's that?'
eve can't find it, that's all; and
there's no earthly way of locking it
And here thereve been six robberies in
"Well, well !" said Uncle Price, latch.
ing the wash-room door meditatively
"Pll go round to Nathan's after service
and get his pistols. / hain't thought
much about it, but it would be goot
plan to have 'em here nights. Just pu
in a piece of wood over this latch
that III hold it; and keep quiet ant
don't worry. Lord never see nothin,
like you for worrying. I've locked the
barn, and if anybody comes round, yol
Jest pint that old gun of mine out tn
chamber winder."
It's loaded, amt it?" queried Aun
Price, apprehensively.
"I guess it would go off enough t
make a noise. Abigail d want to fir
something, and she might as we'll tr
that. You know the butt end, and that
all that's necessary"
"All right" said Miss Abigail, wit
unabated grimness. "There's no tellin
what may hit, but it don't matter mucl
IL you come home and find"
"Come, Marthy," Interrupted he
brother; "we shall be late. Good-by,
grandma. Jest keep quiet, and I'll b,
my best cow nothing III happen. Who
Eiijahl Back"
Miss Abigail stood in the door unit
the antique wagon, Aunt Prices re
shawl, and finally the crown of Unc
Prices much-worn beaver hat had di
appeared beneath the crest of the neare
hill; then, after taking a comprehend,
view of every part Of the farm tn
came within the range of her visio
and herself examining the locks of Il
shed doors, she came back into IL
kitchen, where Bridget, whose fears h.
been greatly excited by the foregoil
conversation, had collapsed upon cha
and Mollie was spasmodically trying
reassure her.
"There isn't the least danger, Bridg
at least suppose there isn't; nothil
may happen, you know. We've only
keep the doors locked and keep inside
Just be sure you do that-and "
needn't be afraid; ended Mollie, WI
being from Boston, with a city cir
horror of burglars, very much exagg,
ated the terrors of their position.
Shure an I'd niver left home fol
pla-ace where I'll be kilt .intirely in t
da-ay tonne p moaned Bridget, with /
face hidden in her apron; then sudder
sat upright, in fresh alarm, as a gust
wind whistled down the chimney a
claPged a blind together:
"That's nothing but the wind. H
it does blow, thought Aunt Abig.
what are you going to doT'
DO? Pm going to fasten that wa
room door" responded Miss Abig,
who.was dragging heavy "beam %
wood across the shed, which she p
ceeded to lean against the door in qr
ton, bracing the other end against
boiler. " / don't want any of Jonaths
little pieces of wood stuck over Latch
/ mean to have it safe. The latch dc
hold, anyway, and wind like this wo
have that door open in a minute. / dc
exactly like this arrangement eithe
she added, eying the uneven base of
beam with unfriendly eyes, while Mo
stood sympathizing in the doorway
the kitchen.
"Well," continued Miss Abigail, a
final crowding in of the beam, &c s
pose that must answer. Now, Bird
we want dinner at quarter past tive
Get your fire made, and let the cabh
be boiling. 1t won't do any good to
there crying. I'll take care of the r
ding, I'm going up stairs to put moi
to bed. III you want nything, speal
me, and don't unlock door for v
life. Mollie, will you Just see that
lower windows are fastenedw
After thorough examination of
aforesaid easements, Miss Abigail c.
back and took her invalid mothe
charge, with final caution to Bri,
to "let her know if she saw any