Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-08-21
IMPROMPTU FIREWORKS.
Harper's Weekly.

Are you my Uncle Robert Z" sad a
sweet childish voice. And stopping
the cheerful whistle that always accom-
panied his work, and looking up from
the plane that was loudly lisping as it
rapidly skinned along the board he
was planning, Richard Foster saw, stand
ing in the doorway of his workshops
bright June sunbeam resting on her
pretty head-a little fair-haired girl.
Lost in astOnisment, he did not an
swer the child, but gazed at her with
wide opened eyes. She had appeared
so suddenly and quietly, and moreover,
she was so unlike the round. faced, rosy
checked, white haired, chubby little
ones of his native village-so fair, SO
fragile with a strange, yearning look IN
her large violet-blue eyes, and a tint of
purist geld on the long flowing hair
that fell about her small delicate face
that she seemed to belong to an entire
ly different race.
Are you my Uncle Robert?" she re-
peated, coming step or two into the
shop.
mo, I'm not, baby; I wish l were"
answered the CHEEKY young fellow, re-
covering from his surprise; for he dear
~ loved children, land this child touched
some chord in his heart that had never
been touched before.
"My names not Baby it's Eva"
said the child, shaking the black hair
from her face, and regarding him with
a serious look. "And mammals name
is Eva too" And then with & little sigh:
81 fought perhaps you was him."
"What made you think so, baby-I
mean Eva ?" asked the young man,
with q pleasant smile, tossing his plane
aside, and sitting down on huge block
Of wood that stood near.
you look like him"-speaking with
quaint precispness. Gle went away
when | was a very little girl-I'm most
five now-but | member him. He had
face like you, nice laughing face;
but" glanCing at the shirt sleeves -
" he wore coat, and he used to give me
candies for kisses-tWO candies for one
kiss; and mamma cries because he does
not come back and take us away with
him"
The dinner bell rang loud and long in
the cottage adjoining. The young car
penter mechanically rose to his feet,
and then deliberately sat down again,
rs he said, with tender look in his
honest brown eyes, I'm sorry man.
ma cries"
Yes, she cries"-in lowered voice,
and, completely won by the kind look,
coming to his side, and putting her mite
of a hand confidently in his" because
papa has gone up there" pointing 10
the sky 81 don't member him; twas
long, long, long ago; and Uncle Robert
don't come back; and she's beggar!'
this last remark evidently quoted,
with dramatic little gesture.
Again the dinner bell rang violently.
will you tell me where you live,
Eva?" asked Dick, paying no attention
to the summons; but before the child
could reply stout, buxom, blackeyed
girl flew into the room from the rear
door, and slight, graceful, fair-haired
woman came in at the door.
Dick, why on earth don't you come
to dinner" almost yelled the buxom
girl; and, :" Eva, my darling, what are
you doing here?' cried the pretty wo-
man.
q fought he was my Uncle Robert, y
said the child, smiling at the young
workman as she dropped his hand and
went toward her mother.
HEP" exclaimed the pretty woman,
carcely gIancing at him. why, he''
with light laugh, and slight intlec-
ton of scorn, or something very like it,
her voice-"he's carpenter" And
atching the child in her arms, she dis
ppeared as suddenly as she arrived.
Goodness gracious sakes alive!'
said Dicks blown-faced, red-cheeked
sister, with not an infection but whole
volume of scorn in her voice. "A car
penter indeed And what IS she ~
What is she?" repeated Dick.
ooh, come along to dinner, Dick, and
don't bother I'm hungry, if you amt"
giving him a by no means gentle pull.
Stop a moment, Lib" jerking
away from her. that's good girl, and
tell me all about it."
All about it? Pshaw! you men are
all alike! All about her, you mean.
Do you think she's pretty? ?"
Well, all about her them" said
Dick, utterly ignoring the question.
Mother'll be hopping mad, and the
victuals II be stone-cold, but l 'spose
I'd better hurry and tell you what |
know at once, or you'll be Fostering the
life out of me till [ do. She's a widow
: Mrs. Leonard Deming, M. D. that
is. Mr.. Leonord Deming was NJ. d. ;
and she came here two days ago to live
in the brick cottage round the corner,
with her aunt, old Mrs Paulding, who
is always talking of better days and
boasting that there has never been a
mechar ic in her family. And yet she's
as poor as a church mouse, and no one
knows how she manages to live"
But a few hours after Dick was again
seized with terrible thirst-a thirst
that he was firmly convinced could only
be assuaged by draught from the brick
cottage well, and again, pail in hand, he
set out, this time to reach the place Of
destination and began slowly to return.
It was ten O'Clock. In the cottage all
was silence and darkness Dick paused
as he reached it, and leaned against the
maple in front of the door and at the
shutterless windows where the wax
flowers and fireworks entreated, "come
buy me-" And as he gazed, smash
went pane of glass, and blue light
shot past him and fell with a prolonged
hiss upon the ground. Then in quick
succession came another and another.
Then fzz! bangl pop! pop! fizz! bangl
and the pyrotechnic articles were shoot
ing about in every direction, and the
white muslin curtains were in flames.