Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-09-17

=" As not rs tWiiS bClpEc WIG IalH. IN
claimed Mrs Curtis, Us She opened her
parasol and leisurcly stepped from the
Haywood drygoodS store in which She
had. half an hour before, taken shelter
from the storm.
Yes. it is, ma am said Mr.. Brown,
the proprietor, handing her the bundles
she had bought from him, and he add
ded "Gou'll have hot walk under
this brilin' hot sun Better run into our
house an stay ter tea, You haint seen
the twins yet Smartest title critters
ever was. Mrs Brown gettin on finely
and will be glad to see YOU.
Thanks; Id like 10. but | must hur-
r. home and can my currapts, Besides,
| wouldn't undertake that long walk
through the pine woods after dark for
ANYTHING in the world Its gloomy
enough iii the daytime Give my re-
spects to your wife; tell her I'll drop IN
soon and see her and the babies. Good
day
Good-day,s said Brown, and he ad-
ded. as he saw Mrs Curtis hurrying
down the street. Queer critter.'
Yes, by all the inhabitants of Hey
wood. Mrs. Curtis was called peculiar
She was upwards Of fifty years tall and
erect with iron-gray hair, ruddy cheeks
and keen, dark eyes And decidedly
She was person that minded her own
business. She had lived in Haywood
over five years. yet in all that time not
a single person had been able to CLEAN
any information concerning her past
life All that could be ascertained was
that She was widow. childlcss and
with little property, consisting of Il
comfortable cottage surrounded 10y Il
few acres of land and with few hun
dred dollars III the Haywood bank.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Brown returned to
his counter TO wait on 4 customer, and
Mrs. Curtis pursued her Journey home
ward. For some distance her road led
along the dusty highway, then She turn
ed into little footpath through the
daisy-dottcd meadow, then across the
creek bridge. until presently she came
to the dense pine woods whose shade
was very pleasing TO her.
When about half way through the
woods she came to Il small patch OF late
strawberries. She stopped to pick them
Her brown, Woodworking hands were
nearly full of the luscious red berries,
when i rustling and footstcp startled
her. She hastily glanced up In an
instant All iron-like hand was clutching
her throat, and-only the frightened,
wildwood birds could tell t rest
About two miles from the village of
Hevwood. and on the banks Of Briar
Creek, dwclt Peter Groat. He was a
Dutchman, who, with his family, had
lately come to America, and III the
previous autumn had bought a few
acres of land bordering the creek.
Here lie had erected Il small but COM
Portable house, and was, to all appear
ances. IN honest, working man,
The only thing that could be said
against him w Il few grumblers was
that he WAS too close, clinging tightly
to his hard-carned pennies, and ever
on the lookout for more. But this was
certainly excusahlc when it was known
that he had Il mortgage on his farm,
which, together with the wants Of rap
idly increasing family, was enough To
make any man greedy Of gain.
II was the evening Of the day on
which our story began Peter, sur
rounded ny his wife and children, sat
plaeidly, smoking his pipe on the little
grass-plot in front Of the house.
The supper had been eaten, the COWS
MIXED, the pigs fed, the chickens
housed from thievish rats, and all the
family, Young and old, felt entitled 70 q
season of rest. Hans and Frits were
turning somesaultS on the soft grass;
Gretchen, the Aaxcn-haircd lasSie, was
feeding n pet robin: Franz, the six
months baby, vas cuddled up to bis
mothers breast, contentedly smacking
Ms lips over his evening meal.
The sun went down; the shadows
deepcned The clock in the distant
village struck the hour Of eight Peter
Groat rose, shook the ashes from his
pipe. and said
Come, kinder. it Is late The dew
i falling. and lets 90 to bed.
Water. water suddenly cried Hans
and Fritz, running up from the gate,
there Is a man coming in our yard--a
stranger
Peter slowly sauntered down to meet
the newcomer
He vas an elderly man, with tam
ed and rugged face, sandy hair sprin-
kled with gray, anl dark, deep set
ewes. somewhat inhamed His clothes
were 81 good material althoug. worn
and dusty with travel In his hand he
carrid L large satchel.
"Good-eyening, he said courteous
ly
Efening 10 you 81 replied Peter
ttroat.
I'm peddler. laid the man, speak,
ing in German. II have sold nearly ell
my goods, and am Oh my way back %
New York. | got left hy the train and
undertook u walk to tile next station.
lost my way and find that will have
y get Lodgings for the night Can you
aelp me2t
Tie good book commands Ill ~
show hospitality. said Peter And
although VII are not rich. We never SIT