River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-08-14


down, together and the cloud
changing to crimson and gol'
i as the sun sank lower anu lower to ar,
the purple watching and listning
"Thcre they are' l cried joyfully a
last, at the sound of carriage wheels Oh
the long hill
1t came slow and faint for awhile, thel
quickened into fast rattle at the bottom
of the hill Then we heard the rumhhn;
of wheels and sharp strike of heels on TIN
little wooden bridge. Then the soun(
died away.
Coming up the short hill. They'll
be here in just two minutes" said /.
And sure enough in minute we hearC
the wheels nearer and sharper, and in an
other minute Uncle Lacy's pudding-and
milk horse and Handicapped chaise trot
ted by.
"Oh! Pa will come next said l.
But no! Next came PAIR of ink blacl
horses, driven ra.idly by an elegantly
dressed gentleman.
"That is Squire Palmer. lie hives II
Squakeag, and he always wears gloves,
said l. "Pa'll be the next one. Hark
/ hear him now.
But | vas mistaken, for then cam,
Deacon Davis, and his wife, riding be
hind bony horse, in a high greer
wagon, and locking like two bags o.
meal.
Then some travellers drove along A
man and woman, with two little chill
dren sitting on stools in front, and two
more behind on two more stools. They
looked liks pins in pln-cushion, they
were stuck in so thick.
After that was Captain Ingraham
chucking the reins and saying "Cadepr
to his old solrel horse. He was going
the other way, though.
AT last, when it seemed as though ev-
erybody in town had gone by, we heard
another welcome rattle and clatter
THAT is our folks 1t must be. There
is nobody left, said, with great sense
of relief. But it wasn't; and it wasn't
anybody. Or if 1t was, he stopped nj
one of the three houses between us and
the top Of the hill.
The young men had come in lopg be-
70 e. heard them trying to amuse chem
selves by declarations and discussions
and now the stars had begun TO flicker
out one by one, and the bats to fly
though the soft summer twilight. So |
| lighted one of the best brass candlestick,
and carried it into the sitting room.
81 guess they'll be in before long
said, in bashful apology.
Il should think they had been long
now" retortcd the tall man.
| smiled grim little smile, and went
out feeling as if had committed one OF
the seven deadly sins against the gram
mar ana dictionary.
1.-TWO wagons more have gone down
the hill and not gone by. They are ghost
wagons, called Lottie from the door step.
80, Lottie, You don't think anything
has happened, do your ! cried.
''No, there couldn't" she said conf
IDENTIFY. Sand if there had, somebody
would come and tell us. 1t was about as
dark as this though, that time Deacon
Davis's horse got scared at Captain In
era ans bars, and turned around SO
sharp he broke tue thill right smack of, y
she continued.
81 know it." answered, looking visit
fully at the lights twinkling out here and
there in the houses where there was a
mother at home.
"You remember how Deacon Davis got
tipped over that other time, coming down
Mr.. Potter's hill, don't you2" continued
! Lottie. Uncle Lacy was going by him,
pa saws it is dreadful careless to go by
going DOM hlll,-and so Deacon Davis
turned out and the rein got caught, and
when he tried to turn the old horse back,
she didn't go bacs, but kept turning out
till the wagon tipped over and broke Mrs.
Deacon Davis's arm. Aunt Patty went
over and got supper, and washed up the
dishes, and she said the knives were just
as black as anybodys, for all Mrs. DAVIS
is such an awfully particular woman"
"Lottie, " said l, elismally, do you sup
pose my mothers arm is broken and our
wagon is tipped ovel?"
why, no! Your horse isn't so skit-
terry, is he? Perhaps your folks have
gone somewhere to stay all night
'Then I'd ought to get supper for the
company said /, feeling as though the
weight of the whole universe was press
ing down upon me.
"Well, III help you" SAID Lottic
cheerfully.
On yes! could be cheerful if it was
her house and her company, and | was
helping her. Though / always did de,
spIse setting tables 1t is just the same
| thing right over and over, and you know
all the time that it isn't going to stay
| But it had to be done. SO spread the
cloth.
| 1t wasn't clean-the table-cloth wasn't
but thought could cover the marks Of
Sebastian's gravy and the moasses drop.
ped ON it at breakfast with the plates
| There was some cold tea in the teapot
and, while Lolita put it on the stove tc
heat, / rummaged IN the safe for the sup
per.
II almost know ma would have homes
if she was here" said !, coming out with
a bowl of cider apple-sauce, land white
bread, like enough"
'.Yes, my mother always does for com
pany They will expect it, guess. Blu
YOU don't know where your mother keeps
it do you2" said Lottie.
mo, not exactly, perhaps ] could fine
1t; but she said the supper was all IN thu
safe, 4" said /, conscientiously, bringing
out a plate of rye bread and half a cur
rant pie. Il guess it's ready now, and
s'pose I've got to call them, but I'd pref
lN HCdI idbnGi XIV up w iStCi AliAA 81
alone in the dark" l continued, aftc
running up and down, and in and out, ;
dozen times
So went to the sitting-room door anC
said, family, "supper's ready" Then /
occurred TO me that, probably, Am,
would have said, "Will you have a wall
out to tca?" and / wished | could drol
through the floor into the potato-cellsr
But they walked ont Just as readily a
though hael asked theri to. And thel
what was | to do? l lad hardly eve
eaten meal in my life until somebod.
had asked blessing; and, in my uncer
tainty as to what it would be proper t
say, | Just looked wishfully at Mr.. Bow
ers, who was studying to be minister
and he went on with it just as though
had spoken.
So it was all right SO far, and | boga
to pour the tea. But where were the tea
spoonsl And when had slipped fror
nv chair and had brought them, behold
the sugar bowl had been forgotten
The company didn't seem to care
though, and appeared to relish the ry
bread and half currant pie, too. sup
pose they were pretty hungry, for
seemed they hadn't any dinner. So the
ate ana ate; and before they had fms e
, eating, there was a sound of wheels an
boots, and my father said whoa" rIgf'