The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-05-15

When the afternoon session broke up
that day, a haycart with two big work
horses stood drawn up before the fash
ionable establishment. The floor of the
cart was thickly strewn with fragrant
hay, while old farmer Miller, in his
shirt-sleeves, held the reins. Cynthia
Adams was one of the last to leave the
school room. Who can describe her as
constituent when. upon gaining the yard,
she beheld Wild Becky standing on a
horseback and actually inviting these
city girls to Glitch on" Most of the
scholars looked as Mortified as Cynthia
had expected, but Mile King and four
or five other jolly souls tumbled in for
the fun of it.
Farmer Miller shouted to Miss Peters
that he'd bring 'em home safe and sound
afole bedtime, and cracking his whip,
they were soon rafting down the hill,
the girls getting such shake up as they
never had before, but they held on to
the poles like monkeys, filling the way
with their merry shouts and laughter,
and by the time they reached the long
winding road through the pine woods,
they were thoroughly enchanted with
their novel mode of riding.
Such queer, homeiy house as it was
before which they stopped! Becky
didn't try to hide any part of it, but
made them welcome to the whole, and
to the great barn, too, with its number
less hiding places, initiating them at
once into the most approved way of slid
ing down hay movs and riding on the
great swing doors. She took them
across the meadows to the stream, with
the little grove beside it, and there they
fished for trout; not that they caught
enough to boast of, for only the most
venturesome of fishes would bite in that
uproar of voices. When they got tired
of that sport they cl ascd the colts in the
orchard, and hunted out the squirrels,
with whom Becky carried on such a
droll make-believe conversation that the
girls, as they said, "almost died of laugh
ing"
The sun was setting low, and the grass
was all purple with shadows, when she
brought out table and said that they
would have their supper under the shade
of great butter-nut tree.
''This is the time they'll laugh"
thought Becky; ''but let EN-; l couldn't
get up a genteel tea to save my life, and
l shan't try"
And sure enough the girls did laugh.
To see such great platters of smoking
hot sweet corn, such huge pitchers OF
creamy milk, such stacks of freshly
picked berries, was enough to make any
hungry girl laugh, and in a way very
pleasant to hear.
Then followed shake-down on the
smooth floor of the barn, accomplished
by the aid of Farmer Miller, who whist
led the tune of "Over the Hills and Far
Away" from the corn-bin.
1t wasn't until the young moon shone
out clear and silvery that the girls found
themselves in the hay-cart riding briskly
toward the school.
81 believe l never had such a good
time in my life before" cried Mile, as
she saw, with regret, the outline of the
building through the trees.
"Nor l, nor I, nor !" was heard in
answer.
Farmer Miller recognized one of the
voices, and blessed it in his heart. 1t
was Wild Beeky's. AS the Others left
them, she crawled over to her grand
fathers side, and laid her hand, warm
from the grateful grasp of the school
girls, on his arm.
This started better state of things
with Becky. She began to truly like
the girls; then she loved one or two dear
ly, in true school girl fashion, and to be
worthy of their love, she tried to i'm
prove her manners. Next came ambi-
ton in her studies, and as under it all
lay deep affection for the good grad
father, she came out at the end of the
year one of the brightest, happiest girls
in the school.
There were outbreaks Of mischief now
and then. AS the old man roared to the
teacher one day, "She couldn't be tanned
all at once;" but his little girl had at last
found golden key. And SO, in bright
ening the lives Of the unhappy, and in
MAKING sunshine for all, Becky became,