St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-09-13

those woods; don't yOu S'pOse so JOe.'
Joe nodded with a mysterious air,
and Marcia looked from one to the
other with her great solemn eyes, but
did not say a word, and she was still
standing there when Joe and Jenny
climbed over the bars and ran to the
house.
Mrs. Peters was as busy as three
women, at least that was what she said,
and she wisked about so swiftly from
the pantry to the kitchen, and from the
kitchen to the milk room, and from the
milk room to the cellar, that she ONLY
heard a word now and then that Joe
and Jenny were saying. You see, she
was canning fruit, and getting dinner,
and setting cheese and besides she
wanted to go to the sewing society in
the afternoon, and when she heard
something about going over to the north
woods and taking our dinner, she
thought it would be an excellent way
to keep the children out of mischief.
"Yes, you can go, if grandma1l put
up your lunch put on your shoes Jen-
n.y." and away she went to the sink
with two jars of hot fruit.
Grandma was always liberal of gin
gerbread, and the basket was filed,
while Jenny put on her shoes and pack
ed her young family and the entire
wardrobe in "a bandbox, and Joe kept
his eye on Marcia, who still sat by the
bars leading to the rye field.
"Let's go through the woed-shed and
down the lane" he whispered, and So
they did, not stopping to take breath
until they were beyond the big moving
lot. Joe had the pail and the Ratchet,
but the buffalo robe had been left be-
hind, and the fish pole could be cut in
the woods.
Marcia, with her eyes fixed upon the
kitchen door, waited patiently for halt
an hour, and then went into the house.
"Dear me, haven't these children
gone yet ?" said Mrs. Peters, stumbling
over her with pan of buttermilk; ego
straight out of the kitchen, Marcia ;
Joe and Jenny are going to the woods
Marcia went out what was more she
did not come back. She had not come
back at sundown, when Mrs. Peters
hurried home from the sewing society
because a thunder storm was coming
up. She did not come with Joe and
Jenny, who came racing across the
fields with the first big drops, scared
out of the woods by the awful thunder
that seemed to be muttering over all
their naughty deeds.
"Why, where's Marcia 2" said the
mother.
''She didn't go with u.s." said Jenny,
guiltily.
"She's been gone since morning. y
said grandma, putting her apron over
her head and looking up and down the
road.
The storm increased every instant.
The wind was a tempest; the lightning
seemed to set the very air on fire !; the
thunder almost rocked the house, and
the rain poured in great white sheets
down the windows.
Grandma wiped her eyes with her
old hands all in tremble. Mrs. Peters
groaned aloud, and searched the house
and the sheds, growing every moment
more desperate, and Joe and Jenny
crouched terrified in the corner, expect
ing every moment to be struck, as a
punishment for their wickedness in run
ming away from Marcia. Worst of all,
Mr.. Peters had gone to get the horses
shOd, and nothing could be done until
he came home.
Jenny crept up to grandma and hid
her face in her lap. Nobody was ever
so naughty that grandma didn't pity
them, and the very touch of her kind
old hand on Jenny's head was com
fort. BY and by came the sound OF
wheels, and MI. Peters came in with
queer anxious look on his face. In
his hand he held bundle of wet rags
1t was Amaranth.
''See here, mother, isn't this Marcia's
doll Why, where is Marcia ?"
80, John, she's lost: we can't find
her, where did you find the doll 2" said
poor Mrs. Peters.
Mr.. Peters turned very pale.
''On the bridge by Finlay's MILL" he
said slowly; sit was hanging on the
railing"
Joe and Jenny broke into a passion
of sobbing and crying, but Mrs. Peters
went into her room and shut the door
Grandma with her arms around both OF
the children saw Mr.. Peters jump on
old Fan and gallop away through the
storm.
Old Mr.. Finlay was busy in his mill
The rain was filling the creek and turn
ing his wheel, and there was long row
of bags waiting each one for it's turn
SO he limped about singing and whist.
ling. On pile of bags sat Marcia, will
a great harvest apple in her lap, watch.
ing the hungry mill stones, and won.
dering what became of all the pretty
yellow corn that went pouring in at thu
hopper. MI. Finlay did not speak tt
her, but he threw her friendly noe
now and then, and it was plain to Sc,
that he and Marcia understood eacl
other perfectly. This was what Mr.
Peters saw when he rushed into til,
mill, leaving poor old Fan all of foam
by the door. Mr.. Finlay nodded fasteI
than ever and said.
Come for your little gel reckOneC
you'd be after her fore long; she's ;
nice one, she is; ; me n my old woman
would be mighty glad on her; - an.
then he went on grinding as if it wal
not at all remarkable for a four-year
| old baby to be two miles from home al
alone.
where were you going baby 2" ask
ed Mr.. Peters, hugging her as he neve
had hugged her before.
''Runnin' way" said Marcia, snug
Cling very close to her fathers arms
''Take Marcia homen
What welcome the little runawa,
had Mrs. Peters, grandma, Joe ant
Jenny squeezed and kissed and pettel
her, and found out for the first tim,
how much they loved her. Marcia tool
it all in silent astonishment, but whel
Mrs. Peters felt the slender arms tighter
about her neck, the thin lips qnive
against her cheek, she felt very sur,
that she had mistaken her odd littl,
girl, and that her heart was hungry fo
love after all.
| "Fll never Iun away from her AGAIN