Sharp County record., 1879-07-31


To all of which Dick replied not a
word, but turned away and sawed like
mad, which so offended Miss Elizabeth
Foster that she never referred to the
pretty widow again until the afternoon
of the Sd of July, when, with gleam
of mischief in her face, she burst out at
the supper-table: "Oh, Dick, I've a
message for you. l met Miss EVa,' as
the little servant-girl calls her, They
say that girl serves Mrs. Deming for
love; wish | could get people to serve
me for that. please tell the-the shay
ings man, said Miss Eva, that | want
ed to come again, but mamma won't let
me- And, oh. Dick, if they haven't
put fireworks for sale in the other par
ior window! Wax flowers and fire.
works! Amt it funnyP"
But Judging from Dicks clouded brow
and closely set lips, Dick thought it any
thing but funny; and Lib, wisely drop
ping the subject, devoted herself to
mothers soft gingerbread with undi-
vided attention.
And the cloud still fingered on the
young carpenters brow as he, pail in
hand, Just after supper, bent his steps
toward the old well that stood few
feet beyond the brick cottage. He had
devl Hoped an extraordinary fondness
for Ehe water of this well; it seemed as
thoiigh nothing else could quench his
thirst, albeit until few weeks ago he
had been perfectly satisfied with the
cold -as ice, clear -as-crystal water drawn
from the we'll in his mothers garden.
As he drew near the isolated cottage
he saw the fire. works in the window,
and his heart came up in his throat. $50
poor, so proud, so lovely" he thought.
"I'll buy them tomorrow" And at
this moment the pretty woman stepped
out on 'the old-fashioned porch, and
Dick turned and fed.
But few hours after Dick was again
seized with a terrible thirst-a thirst
that he was firmly convinced could only
be assuaged by draught from the brick
cottage well, ami again, pail in hand,
he set out, this time to reach the place
of destination and begin slowly to re-
turn. 1t was 10 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 gazed at the shutterless windows,
where the wax flowers and fireworks
entreated, "Come buy me-" And as he
gazed, smash went pane of glass, and
a blue light shot past and fell with q
prolonged hiss upon the ground. Then
in quick succession came another and
another. Then fizz! bang pop! pop!
fzz! bang! and the pyrotechnic arti-
cles were shooting about in every di-
rection, and the white muslin curtains
were in flames.
In moment the strong young fell
low had burst open the door, thrown
the pail of water upon the cracking
fireworks, torn down the blazing cur
q, ID, fnd stamped out the fire. And
in another moment some one in a long
white robe, her golden hair silvered by
the moonlight, came flying out of the
room just beyond, and flinging her
arms about him, cried: "Oh! dear
brother Robert, you have come back at
last. But-but Shocking about her in
q bewildered manner" what has hap
pened?"
"I'm not brother Robert" said Dick !;
but he didn't loosen the clinging arms,
as it behooved him to do, when he made
the declaration. "I'm the-the sha-
wings man, and your window has been
on fire. Fortunately l was passing -"
But he got no further, for the white
robed figure uttered little shrek, and
fled with precipitancy as old Mrs. Paul
ding entered the room from the other
door, her best bonnet perohed on her
head, and her night-cap dangling by its
strings around her neck, silver tea
pot in one hand, and her favorite cat,
grasped by the throat, in the other, on
a queer little run, totally unlike her usu-
al dignifed tread.
To her did Dick explain the cause of
the wet carpet and the smoke -begrimed
walls, and amid her profuse thanks for
his timely help, was taking his leave,
when Mrs. Deming, lamp in hand, again
made her appearance-ttiS time in suit
able evening dress.
"Oh, aunt, what an escaped" she be-
gan, setting the lamp on the table; "and
to think l never awoke until the very
last, l was so tired; and Eva has
slept through it all. We might have
been burned in our beds" And then,
turning to Dick, she said, her sweet
voice trembling in spite of her great ef-
fort to maintain her composure, 81 beg
your pardon for the absurd mistake |
made; but l was so bewildered, and
only half awake, and I'd been dreaming
of my brother, whom you "-looking
him full in the face" resemble very
much" And breaking off suddenly,
her voice trembling still more, "How
can we ever thank you Mr.. -"
"Dick Foster," the carpenter, said
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