The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-10-29

our morning fire. But now? Well,
distance lent enchantment to the view"
IN this as well as many other cases but
there was no time for dallying, for al
ready our appetites were quickened be-
yondtheir wont, and Jessie, gathering her
skirts about her, cried:
Fill the kettle, Nan, and go after the
roasting ears. I'll get the wood and
build the fire, adding, as she vanished
in the dewy depths, You'd better get
some potatoes, too. while you are about
! it; they'll roast with the corn.
The little witch, what did she mean
Had she forgotten that my city training
rendered me all unfit for such task,
and was she even now laughing at my
perplexity? But there was no help for
it; so, taking basket and hoe, [ started
for the field of action, namely, the corn
field, where, nothing deferred by the
showers of dew that fell from the broad
leaves, I gathered a goodly quantity of
that esculent Wand, and then turned
my attention toward the potatoes. Here,
owing to my inexperience, I was not
quite so successful, but, after numerous
struggles with the unwieldy Cat least in
my hands, weapon, I came off in some
degree conqueror and returned in tri-
umph, bearing my sheaves with me- The
scene, however, which met my eye was
by no means an encouraging one. Jessie
had returned from her woodland ramble,
and the evidences of her toll were to be
seen in the few dry, knotty twigs scat
tered about her as she knelt before
very small smoky tongue of flame that
dickered in the socket and threatened to
expire momently. Hearing my footsteps
she looked up eagerly, her pretty eyes
red and tear-flled from the eddying
smoke, and half culver in her voice as
she cried:
go, Nan, what shall I do. this fire
won't burn?"
"You want more kindling, child"
said briskly. "Here, this fence is all
falling down, twill not be much the
worse for a few more pickets," and, drop
ping basket and hoe, Iseized the Ratchet
and soon reduced one of the aforesaid
pickets to suitable size, through which
timely aid the aspect of things was
changed to such an extent that our ket
tie was soon boiling and bubbling mer-
rily away in the most approved gypsy
fashion. We consigned both corn and
potatoes to its depths, being too hungry
for any slower method, and unanimously
decided it was too late for any further
efforts in the culinary line, as we drew
our three-legged table to the open door
way and prepared to discuss our sorely-
needed repast Never, I think, did corn
and potatoes taste better than those
eaten with laugh and jest that quiet
summer morning; albeit many an ear
of the former, owing to my lack of
knowledge, was decidedly young and
"green," and many of the latter tubers.
owing to the same cause, were in state
OF infancy.
"But, Man," said Jessie, ruefully, in
pause of our merriment, as our morn
ing troubles came back to her; "we
can't have all this trouble every day
about fire. What did Thoreau have
for kindling?"
/ "Green hickory, split fine don't you
remember?" answered I, promptly.
"Tll tell you what we'll do. though {:
Cover the fire every night damp grass
and leaves will be just the thing then
rake it open in the morning, and start
it with some of this old fence"
Which we did, and successfully, too.
"Nan, said Jessie again, this time
somewhat hesitatingly = Nan, what
will we have for dinner ?"
"Dinner !" echoed I, in dramatic
tones; "dinner are we never to be free
from that, not even in these solemn
woods? What did Thoreau have ?"
"COrn bread and molasses the bread
simply meal and water kneaded hard.
and baked before the fire, answered the
| little puss, demurely. 1 WINGED slightly,
for I'm somewhat epicurean in my
tastes, and the witch knew it. 81
thought that would bepretty dry, though,
so I'll make ours thin and bake them
fresh every time. See I've borught
griddle."
"And, Nan, I've something else to
show you," she said, triu4nphantly lead
ing the way down to Clear brook, where
she displayed small butter jar sunk for
more than half its depth in the cool
water, and ], firm disciple though [ was
of Thoreau, uttered no word of protest
at this daring innovation against Walden
rules.
After this our days slipped quietly,
sweetly past the three-legged table was
well laden with books-so well, indeed,
that, as meal-time circled round and we
| ROY 4o hoH or
chair, or Vice VersG, Jessie was wont to
refer mournfully to the " two pieces of
limestone that Thoreau had, but threw
away, because he found that he must
"dust them"
Our slight duties dispatched, it was
two very prim young ladies in the plain
est of CARDS and the smoothest of braids
g1iltless alike of "wave" or "criInp"
at least, mine were; Jessie's, little
witch, were as distractingly pretty as
ever-that sat down at that self-same
table, armed respectively with Taine !"
and Ollendorf," to I" con each lesson
Ger" We were but girls, however, and
many q pleasant interlude of dreamy
wonderment and girlish gossip foated in
whenever Jessie found German verb
dddO w COAJuSdtc, vi PouSCu LII SOlAtS
unavailing search after new authority
bearing on the subject at hand.
Happy, helpful days were they, varied
by an occasional walk up to the house
when the coast was clear, or sometimes,
standing on the crest of the little rise
just behind our cottage, we would sur
vey the graveled sweep of Beechwoods
carriage drive through an old tield-glass
Jessie distracted from brother Fred's
room, and laughingly comment on the
frowning faces some of the fair inmates
of the cushioned barouches carried
away with them upon learning "The
girls have gone farther in the country
for seclusion and study" for Beech
woods was most delightful place for a
weeks sojourn, as they well knew; but
Aunt Kate, once won over to our side,
protected us manfully, SO that none in
vaded our solitude.
But everything must have an end, and
so did the pleasant days that had graced
our weeks stay al Walden, and we awoke
one morning to hear quick shower
pattering against the windows.
~ L. Ill -