Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-10-06
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11VN y AuVNs
The shower WIS ended. A brisk west
erly breeze was rapidly tearing away tn
gray thslnler-clouls from the face of tn.
June SIX y, and the sun shone down will
renewed frrvor.
AS hot as twas before the rain ~ ex
claimed Mrs. Curtis, as she opened hel
parasol and leisurely stepped from the
Haywood ,lrygoods store in which she
had, half al hour before, taken shelter
from the storm.
"1eS, it is ma 'am,' said Mr.. Brown
the proprietor, handing her the bundles
She had bought from him, and he added
"1un'll have hot walk under the
hrllin'-hot sun. Better run into our
house an stay to tea. You haint seen
the twins yet. Snartest little critters
ever was Mrs. Browns gettin' on fine
~ and will be glad to see you.
"Thanks; I'll like to, but I must
hurry home and can my culrants. Be-
sides, [ wouldn't undertake that long
walk through the pine wood after dark
for anything in the world. It's gloomy
enough in the daytime. Give nv re-
GE>N-S ~ .tOt.1 Wiz, le1l lleI II uIOp III
soJr anu see her and the babies. Good
day"
Good-day," said Brown, and he
added, as he saw Mrs. Curtis hur1ying
down the street, "Queer clitter"
Yes, by all the inhabitants of Hay
wood, Mrs. Curtis, was called peculiar.
She was upwards Of fifty years, tall and
erect. with iron-grey hair, ruddy cheeks
and keen. dark eyes. And decidedly she
was a person that minded her own bust
hess. She had lived in Haywood over
tive years, yet in all that time not sin
gle person had been able to CLEAN any
information concerning her past life.
All that could be ascertaineu was that
she was widow, childless, and with q
little property, consisting Of a comforta-
he cottage. surrounded by a few acres
"t land, AMI with a few hundred dollars
i'll tue Haywood bank.
Meanwhile Mr.. Brown returned to his
counter to wait on a customer, and Mrs.
Curtis pursued her journey homeward.
Eor some distance her road lay along the
dusty highway, then she turned into a
little footrath through the daisy dotted
meadow, then across the creek bridge,
until suddenly she came to the dense
pine woods whose shade was very pleas
Tag to her.
When about halfway through the
woods she came to a small patch of late
strawberries. She stopped to pick them.
Her brown, Woodworking hands were
nearly i1ll Of the luscious red berries,
when a rustling and footstep startled
her. She looked up. In an instant an
lron-like hand was clutching her throat,
and only the f6g htened wildwood birds
could tell the rest!
About two miles from the village of
Haywood, and on the banks of Brian
Creek (welt Peter Groat. He was a
German, who, with his family, had late
~ come to America, and in the previous
autumn had bought few acres of land
bordering the creek. Here he had erect
ed small but comfortable house, and
was, to all appearances, an honest, hard
working man. The only thing that could
be said against him by few grumblers
was that he was too "close," clinging
tightly to his hard-earned pennies. and
ever on the lookout for more. But this
Was certainly excusable when it was
known that he had mortgage on his
farm. which together with the wants of
a rapidly increasing family, was enough
to make any mau greedy OF gain.
1t was the evening of the day on which
our story began. Peter, surrounded by
his wife and children, sat placidly smok-
ing his pipe on the little grass plot in
front Of the house.
The supper had been eaten, the COWS
the pigs fed, the chickens housed
from tMevish rats, and all the family,
Young and old, felt entitled to a season
Of rest. Hans and Fritz were turning
somersaults on the soft grass; Gretchen,
the tiaxen-haired lassie, was feeding
pet robin; Franz the six months baby.
was cuddled up to his mothers breast,
contentedly smacking his lips over his
evening meal.
The sun went down; the shadows
lleepened. The clock in the distant vii !
lage struck the hour Of eight. Peter
GrOat rose, shook the ashes from his |
pipe, and said:
leone, kinder, it is late. The dew is
falling, and let's to bed"
Water! vater!' 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 new conner.
He was an elderly man, with tanned
and rugged face, sandy hair sprinkled ,
with gray, and dark, deep set eyes,
somewhat inhamed. His clothes were
If good material, although worn and
lusty with travel. In his hand he car
ried larg e satchel.
GOOD evening" he said, courteously.
Evening to you, sir, replied Peter
Jroat.
I'm peddier, said the man, speak !
ing in German. 81 have sold nearly all
my goods, and am on my way back to
New York. I got left by the train and
undertook to walk to the next station. T.
lost my way and find that will have to
get lodgings for the night. Can you
help 1ne?''
"The good book commands us to show
hospitality" said Peter. "And al
lhougn We are not rich, we never yet !
turned away benighted traveller. So, ).
'oue IN and my frau shall get you
something to eat !
TIC Ldple was soon spread With neat, |
white cloth, upon which was placed a
platter of : cold boiled meat, garnished !
With, vegetables, then plate of white
bread, a roll of butter,> a dish of shining
black raspberries and q plate of spicy
ginger cookies. r..
~ feel too dirty to sit down to. de-
.cnt table, said the traveller. with a (
smile; Inlay I trouble you for basin
1t was brought AS he took off his
coat preparatory to washing his face and
hands, Gretchen, who stood beside him
With a fresh towel in her hands, uttered
| slight Scream ,.0,';,
"Blood !" she cried. "There's blood
IN your sleeyes!'
The basin OF water fell from the stran-
GERS hands. - His face s1ione3 white
through the gistening drops Of waterjne
lad dashed upon it. Then with an ef-
"rt, he said. carelessly; ~. 81 ,s.-i
"Ah, yes; those rocks by the creek