The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1882-11-04
BON. Mr.. Stuhhs was not hard Of hear

lterated; so about hal an hour after we
had clearly expressed our wishes he
came into the room, looking for his hat,
and remarked.
"Said We wanted that waggan at bout
three o'clock, didn't ye?"
Yes, Mr.. Stubbs, said Dot and /.
Then he went away again, and didn't
come back for an hour, this time with
his hat on his head.
"Hullo, Mr.. Stubs, I" said Cadwallader,
one of the men, n hopeless Invalid, come
for the sea air, with whom the rainy day
had made us acquainted. Found your
haiti Lucky you came in jest when you
oldest thinkin' about adyertisin' for II
in the Boston papers,
Cadwamader was man of about fifty,
q genuine Yankee, with none of the
Yankee culture, whose native humor
had been driven out by years of illness.
"Wa'al, vase, found it; 'twarn't gone
for long" Mr.. Stubbs was never quite at
aase under Cadwallader's chaf lessee.
lou said you wanted that boss long
bout half past two, didn't ye?"
YES" said Dot, acridly.
Vase, | Gale lated that was the time
ye said"
That's one ofyour hard working New
England Farmers, upon which the at
mosphere has no effect, suppose" said
Dot, as be left the room.
Mr.. Stubs was splendid specimen of
this race physically. He stood six foot
two, L believe, and looked strong enough
TO pillow an acre or TWO before breakfast
and think nothing of it, after the man.
ner of the ordinary centenarian who has
never used tobacco in any form. But if
he did anything of this he was very
Jiu
wife and daughter, quiet and intelligent
women, managed everything quietly
and intelligently, but Mr.. Stubs seemed
to expend large quantity of time thar
nessln up" We never quite learned
what he harnessed up for.
''Wa'al, Mr.. Stubbs," said Cadwalla
der, later in the morning, where you
ben this long timer?
"Wa'al I've been over to see Wilson
bout the boss them ladies wanted. Ye
said We wanted it tween two and three
. didn't ye2"
Dot didn't answer She was to easily
put out with Mr.. Stubbs-much more
easily than l. I don't think it was SO
much because my temper was sweeter,
nut because she was. more practical. |
was mildly interested to know how many
times he could say it before the wagon
came; SO it was that answered:
'Yes-nearer three, Mr.. Stubbs."
"Yase Wa-al, told him thought We
said somewhere long there. He'll be
here"
said Dot: "If he says anything more
about that wagon. / shall throw this
INK bottle at him.
"Going' out to ride, amt ye?" said
Cadwallader. Thought | heard Mr..
Stubs say suthin' abou. it."
After our one o'clock dinner We were
up in our rooms reading when Mr..
Stubbs opened the door at the foot of
the stairs. "Gals!" said he.
Dot threw her book down, with an ex-
clamation
See what it is Dot" said l lazily. az
fancy he wants to know just what time
we want that carriage"
"Well?" said Dot, over the stair rail,
with such asperity that l wondered he
didn't quail; but Mr.. Stubs was not oil
the stuff that quais.
"Lessee-ye didn't want that Vaughn
till long bout three, did we? Ye didn't
want it right after dinner, did YET"
l laughed family. "You might tell
him we'd like it about three, Dot" l sug-
gested.
''No We didn't" said she, with per-
haps unnecessary emphasis. 81 gave
you the hour"
Vase. Wa'al, | guess he'll be here
bout the right time. He's pretty sure
to be along"
With grim determination Dot shut
the door and took u her book, and we
read IN silence for an hour Then I
looked at my watch.
e,IJ o. 49,
ing between half past two and three? I
think"
Gals" said familiar voice, sits pref
ty nigh three o'clock and the waggin's
here. l told him l didn't b'lieve you
calc'lated to go much before three"
We drove up the quiet street, by the
with its group ofidlers, VINO had listened
with such unanimous and fatteripg in
terest wnen we nad gwen our names on
the occasion of our first inquiry for let
ters. Over the bridge and up the short
hill from the crest of which was that
broad view of the blue water, the re-
membrance of which now as | write
gives me a feeling of homesickness.
There was something charmingly novel
to us both in thus starting out to drive,
we knew not where aud with no more
definite object in view than to see if any
body lived in these silent houses Still
the same downdrawn curtains, the same
grass-grown path to the front door, the
same look of utter seclusion.
"No wonder New Englanders are Ro-
man Catholicsl'' said Dot. "What's the
use of convents?"
''At the next house with brass
knocker l shall stop, knock, and walk
in if they'll let me, will see if the doors
are real or imitation"
1t was some time before we came to
such place We were about two miles
from the village now, and the houses
were by no means near together. When
we did jumped out, and without heed
ing Dots ironical inquiries as to what !
was going to do when had succeeded
in ettectlng an entrance, tied the horse
of course The gate did not move easily
on its hinges, and the old-fashioned
flowers that had been planted each side
of the walk twineds themselves across
il, and made green matted bed out Of
which was originally a pebbled path. I
stepped on large stone before the door,
and raised the heavy knocker. Clang!
clang it rang through the silent air. and
reverberated through what was perhaps
an empty house.
"Dot," said l, "I'm scared"
"Of course you are" said Dot, severe
ly. land I'd like to know what you will
say when they open the door. I've no
doubt it's an offense equal to petty lar
ceny, or assault and battery at the very
least, to 90 to the front door when there's
side one to be had."
turned quite pale at the thought.
You've no excuse to give" went on
Dot, ritilessly, "and they'll fine you, and
it'll be pretty thing to get into the
Maine papers, and be copied into the
Connecticut ones and come to the eyes
of your unslspecting family"
This was gloomy outlook, but there
seemed little danger of its Immediately
becoming actual experience. They didn't
seem to mind that knocker any more
than some people do an ear-trumpet
Emboldened by the unbroken silence, |
gave Dot defiant look, and let it fall
again. 1t crashed louder than before.
Still no sign Of life in or about the house.
Perhaps it's a-deaf-and-dumb asylum;
uegested Dot, in a whisper. Why she
whispared / didn't pause to ask II