The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-10-03

listen three minutes to their expound-
ing, the good man shook his head sor-
rowfully and added one or two more
clauses % his daily prayers. The mother
and he sat contentedly by the little stove
In the sitting-room. She darncd and
patched and turned. with the
lifelong habit Of saving rs strong
now when It's need was past as in
the early days. They took the county
paper, and had a few books bought from
persistent book-agcnts, but there was no
sense Of brightness and cheer in the mar
row quarters, and Sam shot out after
tea and could never be found till bed
time. Even the dingy kitchens az the
Canadians were better than his own
home, for there NJ least were lest and
laughter. or dance suddenly impro-
vised If Baptistc appeared with his fid-
die. This was bad enough, the father
thought. but when Sam was discovered
playing cards with the Brown BOYS in
the barn boundless indignation had its
way. Sam was thrashed and ordered
not TO 20 near them, and the cards went
into the kitchen fire.
The natural result followed. Out
warly submissive but inwardly rebellious
the boys had their way, and now N Is
Sam seemed suddenly to have gone to
the bad altogether; refused to enter the
church, and, il was reported, had been
seen drunk in the streets Of the county
town. The Brown boys ran the saw
mill at the foot Of the hill. but their
father did most Of the work and sighed
dolorously if any one asked him why he
did not keep them there.
Ruth looked at the lad rs she walked !:
a tall, sturdy fellow. with honest blue
eyes but weak, uncertain mouth and
chin As she talked he gained confidence
and answered with something Of his old
freedom; full, CHEEKY voice with very
little of the nasal quality at which Ruth
still WINGED.
- wanted to see you, SAM she
said, presently, - for | want to talk over
something with you, and think you can
help me. Will you come to our house
to-nightp-
sam hesitated and colored.
:" don't know about tonight, Miss
Ruth. I'd promised Harvey Brown to
90 up TO the line with him. n
as il special business?r
Moo, not SO very''
.sThen bring Harvey and John, too. =
said Ruth. 81 want all three Of you.
VIII youP-
:. Yes, ma'am.'' said Sam, con
founded. The :. Brown boys = were the
neighbcrhood synonym for outrageous
ness, and Miss Ruth must be beside her
self. However there was no chance for
remonstrancc, for with his .yes.
ma am F" she had turned into the Post
Office, with a . Good-by, then. till even
ing" and Sam walked on wondering
what he had better do.
= You've rot me in fine mess. = Har-
vey Brown said, when Sam told them Of
the promise made for them, but in spite
Of shamefacedness curiosity was strong.
Linda shifted audibly as she answered
the ponderous knocker, which Ruth
would not allow to be changed for a bell.
and ushered the boys into the dining
room. where a great table, on each end
Of which a bright light burned, had
been drawn near the fire. Ruth knew
that table was at once occupation and
screen for awkward feet and hands, the
former finding shelter i'm the shadows,
the latter turning over the illus
trated papers towards which the
boys looked at once. Miss
Dysart sat there quietly knitting. with
pleasant word for each in answer to
their awkward greeting. and then Ruth.
with slightly heightened color, spoke
her thought.
''Boys, have been thinking how very
stupid and dull great many Of these
winter evenings are, and am sure they
can be plcasanter for every one Of US.
We never get any amusements from
outside because we are so far away, and
think we grow restless and discon-
tented when there is none. Now what
propose may not be very amusing but
at least we can try it and see. Suppose
we travel little, in spite Of the deep
snow, and in this fashion: We all have
places we would specially like to see;
sometimes in our own country, some
times in others. Let us take turns in
choosing place and then finding out
all about 1t. have pictures. you see
a great many Of them and think YOU
viii find there il some pleasure in this
way Of travelling. But AZ YOU are not
at all sure whether your will like il or
not, we must see. Sam, where would
You like best to goP"
Taken by surprise, Sam answered af-
ter moments confused thinking:
The Mammoth Cave
"WhyP'
Again Sam mcditated.
because used to look at the pic
ture in my old geography"
It's curious you should have said
that" said Ruth, " because the first
package Of views on that table is one 81
views in the Cave. was there long
ago with Aunt, but never forgot it,
" Tell Us about IL, please, = said sam.