Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-22
IN HIDING.


whose day ends at sunset and begins before
cocs-crow that Mrs Ann Dustin Tisl1g from
her viruous slumeers, addressed herself to the
task OF fire making, Why Mrs Dustin should
awake at such untimeiy hour it1would have
oeen hard 10 explain. Dustin. her late husband.
was ld'e only in conventional sense, having
uls1 years oefore !t was not for the sake OF
neighbors, for neighbors there were none within
1hree-quarterS OF mile. There was nothing
cheerlul In The raw November darkness lit only
Oy Tie twinkle of the distant light house. No
oouy needed. no one waited for her. Had she
chosen TO lie Ia led till noon not q voice would
have been raised in protest and truly Heaven
sends nuts to those who have no teeth, for all
this charm OF pffvnAge which certain Iazv n -onlg
would SO have valued was utterly thrown away
upon her. PunCtual as the CLOCK at four In
summer ana flvp in winter, anticipating the
earliest hint OF dawn, up rose Mrs. Dustin, and
from that time forward the wheels of her day
drove busily On TIL sunset, when she went TO
OF old custom.
She had lust got her fire we'll under way when
MOCK ier upon tie door. Knocks have char
acteT. This Was not loud, bur quick ImDera-
brook delay.
Come In. said Mrs Dustin surprised. bit
calm. Then recolIeGttng that the door was still
and opened.
three figures stood without. dlmly defined
against the darkness or the morning.
''Oh Mrs. DUSTIN, said a voice s'nlaY we
come iHc We are hiding
Ol ihe mainland such statemant might havA
sounded odd and startling enough but 70 Mrs
Dustin,a Nantucket woman born aa1 bre1, it had
quite different significance. She was familiar
Win the Island custom known as "htdiLg par
ties when certain number of girls and
young men. having dance Ia contemplation,
settle Who shall give and who pay for ft by
preliminary game OF hide and seek Twelve
hours OF the day, from six TO six, are allowed
The latter 10 discover the lurking places to
which, before dawn, the former have beUaken
themselves It is an exciting game. as may
Well De imagined, with a whole island to range
over, the forfeit an equally pleasant one TO pay
or 10 win. spice OF adventure involved: so IT
is no wonder that IL should prove popular and
girls be- willing 10 shorten their beauty sleep
Ior the run OF indulging I'm IL. Mrs. Ann had
been OK many hiding party in her time and
knew all about them: so with ready wit she
hurried the girls inside shut the door lest some
flash OF light should 90 forth 10 guide the
seekers, anu proceeded TO discuss WAYS ana
means
''TaiL't no use your trying to stow away In
none OF my rooms, she said. The boys ii be
all over them like flash. 'Tain't the first time
they've come here. once they caught Mandy
Pike behind the Hour barral in the buttery: and
another time Lucy Smith she got In under the
shelf OF my closet, and set the tea, chest with
my best bunnet IN 1t, right af0re her: but law!
JACK Sperry he's as qu1ckS an eel and ne had
the chest and the Dunnet and Lucy atop OF
them, all out on the fiOor before you could say
scat. Hark! what's that:" as another knock,
heSitating but vigorous, fell on the door,
NNNN>tA-A0
slipping the bolt
ANY Girls in there, Miss Dustln?"
We'll, declare. If that foolish old custom
amt going the TaOunds yet. want to know"
replied Mis-. Ann. at the top OF her voice, sign
Ing the tittering girls TO silence meanwhile
Il call it hard If quiet folks can't get their
chores done up at this time OF mOrnin' without
your coming raound like this It amt six
neither. You'd ought TO be ashamed OF YOUR
sell, Mark totiin-I declare you he'd"
.'Taiu't siX-thatS a TACT said one OF the
alTnu
tins right. see you later" With this and
laugh they walked away.
Now. girls, set right down by the fire, and
let's JhiDk what to do said their hostess.
That Mark Collins d regular high-fIler for
spirits. Did you hear him laugho Draw I'D
closer. Miney. You'd better, you look hair
Miney. or JessamIne, obeyed with a little
silver. She was a delicate. pretty creature.
with fair hair and sweet blue eyes, and looked
quite unit Tor the exposure and Clill OF The
early walk.
" Howl we manager" pursued Mrs. Ann.
There's the cellar: That s the thing. I'll Tx you
mp there. IL Ill Just hold you and the bows
wont 6e likely TO suspect cau5e there WIT
none TIL last summer. / had IL dug In June"
Cellars. De 1t known. are not customary and
matter OF course things In Nantucket as Ell Sc
where. Many houses dispense with them alto
gether: III others the cellar Is merely 2 small
pit or cave dug beneath the kitchen for the
storage or butter and other pertshaoe CON.
mOdlties, while the walls OF the house rest
upon the ground, or on piles connected by
lattice-work. Mrs. Dustin's low proved cot
tage was OF the former description.
A trap-doOr and ladder led 10 the cellar, which
was about eight Ieet square. Lifting The trap.
Mrs. Dustin now proceeded TO line the space
with feather-bedS hastily brought down from
the second story. Various quilts comforters
and couple OF buffalo robes We're tumb.ed In:
a haSty JOrum OF tea vas breWed and fortified
thus by warmth and food. the girls deS ;ended
the ladder well wrapped In blankets and
coucntd laughing heap, IN the pillows OF the
friendly feather-bed5. Mrs Dustin saw them
well established. then with a nod reclOsnd the
door, drew square OF carpet over IT, set her
sewing machine thereon, hastily cleared away
tea cups and plates frightened the ire washed
her hands. un0Oited the door. Sat down, and
began 10 stitch vigorously. AS she did % she.
glanced at the clock. 1t Was exactly SIX.
HAN q second after came another quick knox,
and without waiting for answer. the door was
dasned open, and three young men hurried In
and with a rapid Excuse me, Mrs Dustin
were after those girls spread themselves over
the premises with rapidIty and thoroughness
born or long practice. Mark Colin, handsome
IellOW. with daring CLINT OF fun In his eyes,
hurried TO the attic. Sam Mayhem ransacked
the outtery, and opened all the cupboard doors,
while Issachar, or car, Pike diVed into the
secret TeceSseS or Mrs. Dust1n'S own bedroom
Ten minutes Sufficed to ransack the small
mouse: each bedroom was searched; every closet:
Inc dresses on the wall were shaken and
pounded; the logs OF the wood pile dtslodged
and thrown aside: sam even lifted elid off The
churn and peeped within. ALI was vain and
the discounted searchers returned to the XII
chen, where the mistress OF the house still DIipd
her Whirrins Ueadfe, and slipped the lone
white seam beneath the glancing needle. she
looked up as they entered and remarked drvly
Il nope you re satisfied, and You'll please nile
that wood up again just where YOU fund IT.
les 'em. we have. Why didn't you let us
In when we 1rSt came
"'CauSe ;tWaSn't SIX.
AT that moment Mrs. DustinS quick eye per-
ceiyed that Cars big loot had turned llp a
corner OF the carpet, thus leaving Visible Ona
hinge OF The cellar dOOT- With a rapid move
meDt or her own She replaced it, still sewing
steadily on, and liking as 1t were. the gaze OF
her visitors. while she added: 'Old WAYS is old
ways There's a difference OF opinion how
good they be; but II six is the hour, keep to
Fix: SO IL Amt no use coming a-knocklng at nv
door al twenty minutes past i've and that you
fellows can remember another time"
well, that's no more than fair" declared
sam Mayhem, with laugh. The three stood
debating for moment; then Come on we'd
better try the houses down 10 Trot Hills next"
SAID Car. They moved toward the door Mrs
Dustin watching them with secret satisfaction
on the very threshold the aStute Mark paused
and queried, Has this house got round cellar
to IT,
Mrs. Ann heart stood still for the space of
one second, then her answer came readily and
bold: NO. IL HGGf.'' And no lie either" as
she afterward explained, cause the cellar Was
square.
Another pause. Then. .'Come along" The
gate clicked they were actually gone; and after
few minutes delay TO make sure Mrs. Dustin
pounded cheerily on the trap, and called, ..Au
safe. girls 10 which burst OF laughter re-
Nf46 rrC hfln