The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-03-26


eyes.
"You are not drownedp said, smil-
ing at his solemn expression.
He shook his head, gravely, without
word, He was queer looking child,
quite little one, scarcely more than
10 years old. So far l had kept my
hand upon his collar, thinking he might
fall down. or faint, or something; but,
relieved of any such fears, L took it
away. No sooner did / do SO than,
without sign of any intention, he was
off like dart, up the bank, through
the hedge and out of sight.
well" said George, laughing:
there's gratitude for you"
Eyes" said /, little nettled; he
might have said thank you"
Cor told us how much farther We
have to CO." growled George.
I've got ducking for my pains" L
continued, thinking somewhat ruefully
of my outer garments.
"That won't matter" quoth George,
ENTHUSIASTICALLY; you'll soon get
dry"
We climbed up the bank and contin-
ued our journey, talking and laughing
over our wayside adventure. Somehow
or other, do not know how, we lost
our way; how far we went, or where we
got to. l do not rightly know to this
day. Matters were beginning to look
serious-the evening was closing in;
we were in a wild country, hardly a
house in sight; no village, or sign of
one; we were fairly tired, and l began
| to consider what had best be done.
! We were in rather an uncomfortable
frame of mind when, turning corner,
we saw right IN front of us, rising from
a belt of trees, a column of smoke.
The sight was like an oasis in the des-
ert We hurried to it and found, to
our exceeding satisfaction, it was a
charming country inn, shriped III
glorious understanding frame of honey
suckle. We entered together. The
very sight of the bar was enough to do
one good. The array of bottles taste
fully arranged, the genial air of neat
ness and comfort which pervaded ev-
erything, filled our wearied souls in an
ticipation with the sweets OF rest. Be-
hind the counter sat a female, looking
quite lady, about 80 or SO, in widows
cap and weeds. She rose at our en-
trance.
We want two BEDS" L said, coming
to the point at once.
We can offer you none" she replied,
civilly, but anything but warmly; =" we
are already overcrowded."
mo bedw / said, staggering back,
while Georges face fell an inch at
| least - But n sofa Or"
g 1 am sorry" interrupted she, speak
ing as / never heard an inn-keeper,
whether masculine or feminine, speak
before; but we have no accommoda-
ton of any sort to give you"
"Then where shall we find another
inn?"
The next inn is about she paused
&C eight or nine miles farther on"
She might as we'll have said eight or
nine hundred.
Out we staggered from that delicious
bar into the gathering night. There
was a man, of some sort, standing in
the bar; and, as we went ont, L noticed
him lean over and whisper to the host
ess. 1t was as though we had been lift
ed to celestial heights to be plunged in
to unknown darkness. What we were
to do we had not the faintest notion.
To walk eight or nine miles over such
country in our then state was phys
ical mpossibility. 1t was all we could
do to keep ourselves from sinking on
the road. AS we went, YEARLY drag
ging our legs along, some one came
running after us. 1t was a girl, appar-
emily servant girl, young, pretty, and
neatly dressed. She seemed in great
hurry.
"Please, sir" she said, stopping us,
3" I've brought a message"
/ looked at her. "A message? From
whom ?"
From the inn, sir. Mistress says
you're to come back at once"
Come back at oncep 1 repeated it
after her, astonished. These were odd
proceedings.
She says, sir, she will try to make
you comfortable. And she wished me
to say she is sorry, but she did not
know you"
Know me! OF course not. How was
she TO, seeing she had never seen me
before, nor her? The ignorance was
mutual.
Lets co. said George, cutting fur
Their conversation short.
remember as we followed that pretty
maiden through the dim cleaning of
what promised to be an unusually dark
night of half wondering whether she
were having little game with us. But
she was not, and III thinking so I
wronged her.
|
When we reached the inn the hostess
bowed.
am sorry, Sill" she said, in state
ly way, to have sent you away, but 1
did not know you"
Did not know me. What did she mean
by saying that she did not know me? OF
course she did not know me- How was
she TO? But l had no time for rehec-
ton. The servant showed us into an
inner room, the neatest, contest, prettiest
little room, l do believe, l ever saw.
George threw himself on the sofa, while
l sat on a chair. my feet apart, my hands