River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-06-09
DOLLY'S DESTINY,

matter with his own hitching post?" re-
torted Miss Dolly turning in the door
way
Mr.. Blount laughed Everybody felt
bound to laugh at Miss Dollys crisp say
ings that kept her friends in good hu-
NOR these forty years.
"And when David does call on you"
pursued Mr.. BlOunt more seriously, Il
do hope, Dolly, you'll give him chance
to do his errand. That'll be no more
than fair and the man won't be easy un
till he has freed his mind"
"What mischief are you forerunner
of now, james Blount," cried Miss Dol
ly, facing about like a soldier on drill
what on earth have | to do with Da-
vid's errands?"
'Well, his wife has been dead a year
or more" said Hr Blount, suggestively
shutting one eye, and squirting with the
other down the length of mis- whipstalk,
"and lately he has been asking about
you You can put that and that togeth-
to suit yourself"
"Fiddlesticksl' said Miss Dolly ener-
getica!ly.
Il shan't say have him or don't have
him-though there isn't likelier man
living than David-but | do say, Dolly.
You ought to give him hearing" and
having convinced himself beyond a rea-
sonable doubt that the whip was all
right, Mr.. Blount tickled his sleepy
horse with it and drove away.
ooh, my soIrowsw calculated Miss
Dolly, closing the door with an afflicted
countenance, and sitting down so quiet
" for once that photographer might
have copied her then and there. Not
that he could have done her justice, for
her expression was to quick and varied
to be caught by any trick Ofchemicals,
and without it Miss Dolly's physiognO-
my would have been rather character
less but for her prominent Roman nose.
This organ gave tone to her face, BY
which | would not be understood literal
ly, as saying that she talked through
nasal whine. | mean simply IN met
aphOrical sense, this bold feature spoke
loudly of energy And Miss Dolly had
abundant need of energy-else why the
nose? Every two years during her
childhood she has been tiptoed into the
east bedroom to see a new baby, till at
ner mothers death, five little brothers
fell to her charge to be coaxed and scold-
ed into manhood.
''You can't bring up those boys" said
dolorous aunt. They'll run square
over you, Dorothy Almeda."
LET them run over me so long as 1t
does not hurt 'eml" laughed Niss Dolly,
skewing her iaxen hair with a goose
u uill, and tying calico apron over her
long-shOrt, preparatory to bringing up"
said youths
From that day forward she went
cheerily on, making the best of every
thing, though it must be confessed she
often had odds and ends to work with,
as people usually do have who are born
with Il faculty. Somehow she found
time for all her duties except matrlmo-
ny, If that were duty, 1t was one she
could not and would not attend to
while her father ami the children need
ed her. Diverse young men thought
this great pity, among them David
Wiggin. Don't be silly, David! SAID
Dolly, when he limited us much to her;
whereupon David went off and married
Olive Searle, the pleasant girl up III the
parish
This happened thirty years ago, and
David was again wifeless, and again the
current of his thoughts turned toward
Dolly, who still lived ct the old home
stead at the foot of Bryants Falls Her
father had died some months before.
OF the boys, James and Ezekiel had set
tied on neighboring farms, and the re-
manning three had gone west. David's
benevolent heart warmed with compass
sion as he remembered Dolly's lonely
condition, and he felt that it would be
exceedingly kind in him to offer her
home, especially as he owned as good
a place as YOU would find on the river,
while the Blount cottage was falling
into decay. He wouldn't let her former
refusal tell against her, for as he looked
back, he couldn't really see how she
could have married any one at that
period. She ought to be rewarded for
the devotion she had shown to the fam
lily, and for his part he felt magnani-
nous enough to give her n second
chance to accept him. Such was the
worthy widower's state Of mind when
he asked James Blouut with mock hui
militv whether it would Oe of any use
for him 10 try and make a bargain with
Dolly.
Chats more than | can tell, Mr..
Blount had answered. 'Dolly's puz-
zle; you'll have TO find her out your
self"
.Ir. Wiggin smiled in complacent an
ticipatiou of acceptance, indeed If 1t
might not seem like reproach to the
memory of his lost Olive. | should say
the kInd-hearted man rejoiced in this
opportunity of making Miss Dollys
happiness Benevolence was In MS
face, beneyolence was in his spirit, as
he sailed forth at an early day to ac-
Quaint her with her good fortune. The
broken harrow which he had strapped
into the wagon To give the neighbors
plausible reason for his trip To the
Falls. was by no means typical OF men
tai laceration TO It's owner. His feel
ings rs he approached Miss Dolly 5
moss grown cottage was purely one OF
thaukfulness that it was in his power to
provide her better home. Not that
he was grateful to his dead wife for
leaving Il vacancy there. Mr.. Wiggin
had mournCd faithfully for Olive year
and a day.
Miss Dolly WIS out in the garden
gathering catnip. She had built chip
fire under the tea kettle and then
whisked off to pick an apronful OF the
pungent leaves while the water was
boiling. There she was stopping be-
meath the caves of log-cabin sun
bonnet. and humming u lively tune
when Mr. Wiggin drove up.
Come, ny love, haste away.
piped Miss Dolly cheerily. swapping
away brisklv ut the stalks.
" Cut short the hours of thy delay;
Fly like a youthful
Fly like youthful struck in a
wheezy bass
The sun-bonnet tipped back like a
cart-body.
'sakes alive = cried Miss Dolly, not
in the words of the hymn, as Mr..
Wiggin strobe toward her on his slightly
rheumatic legs.
II didn't mean to put you out, he
laughed, shaking hands heartily; 'but
it seemed kind O natural to take part
with YOU in Invitation.
You always had a way of falling in
at the most unheard oftimes, | remem-
her" retorted Miss Dolly, Saucily, re
covering herself and going on gathering
catuip