Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-04-13
[ hope you'll be suited" said the

again ana Hau 10 % tisLtSucu ANEW,
aud by that time they had come TO q
house in the midst Of lonely belt OF
woods, which the driver said was Cat
ley's DAM" upon which the pretty girl
disappeared into the purple twilight,
and Mr.. Payne and the Goldfish went
on, sorrowful, much jolted, and alone.
A glimpse of the beautiful Magallo-
way river by moonlight; the cry OF q
wild-bird in the woods; the neise OF
hidden cascades; blur Of lighted win
dows, which the driver said was the
factory; down blind lane, and check
ing the tired horses at one-storied
stone house behind wall of cedar
trees, and then the Jehu cried out:
"Now, then Here We be? Widow
Buck'sw
Mr.. Payne got stiffiy out, and helped
to unload the various paraphernalla TO
travel which belonged TO him-all 70
them by this time considerably flavor
ed with salt Goldfish.
Perhaps you had better wait" said
he, as the driver turned around and
chirruped to his horse.
"What for?" demanded the man.
'In case Mrs Buck should not be able
to accommodate me, Or
ooh, It's all right" said the driver.
She'll take you In. Naomi would have
told you, else"
And away he drove, leaving our hero
alone in the spectral moonlight, with a
pile of luggage at his feet, and gaunt
dog smelling suspiciously at the skirts
of his coat.
"Who's Naomi ?" said Mr.. Payne, ad-
dressing the moon, "And what would
she have told me?'
He raised an old-fashioned brass
knocker that hung at the door, and rat
tied it briskly. The gaunt dog, aroused
to sense of his duty, left off shutting
and began to bark. Presently, tall,
thin woman, with a red pocket
handkerchief tied on her head, with
a kerosene lamp in her hand, opened
the door.
oh said she, peering sharply at
him, you're the young man from the
city, are you ,"
With the initiative thus taken out
of his hands, Mr.. Payne could only in
cline his head.
"All them traps your'n?" demanded
the Widow Buck, abruptly.
"Yes, madam" Mr.. Payne admit
ted.
"Humphl" said the widow. '~Pears
to me it's purity tol'able cheeky of you,
mister, to take it for granted you'd be
asked to stay"
II thought, madam"
Hi, I1rY
sharply. 'To begin right straight at
the beginning, we don't know anything
about you. You may be bank-bur-
glar, or counterfeiter, for all We
know"
my references, madam"
Eyes, | know" said widow. "And
them very references is most likely
forged But Pm willin' to be reason
able. How old be your"
And Mr.. Payne, secretly wondering
if this was they managed things in
Maine, answered meekly:
"Two-and-thirty."
Ever been married before2' sharply
questioned the widow.
Certainly not, madam | am n sin
gle mani" answered Mr. Payne, with a
very justifiable spark ofindignation in
his manner.
"Any business" went on his cate
chist.
''Noae, madam"
"Well, like that" said the widow,
with scornful sniff. Like your i'm
pudeuce, to come here and own to such
disgrace as thatl Expect to live on
me, hey"
Madam gasped poor Mr.. Payne.
How dye suppose you're ever going
to keep my Naomi, even if l allowed
you to marry her?" sharply went on
the woman, what / shant do, and don't
you think i'll She don't care for you,
anyway When she heard you was
coming, she made up her mind to stop
off at Catley's Dam just to get rid of
the sight Of you. Therel SO just pick
up your traps and go back again in the
way you comel You won't never be a
son-in-law of mine"
But while Widow Buck was volubly
uttering these last glib sentences, a faint
light began to dawn on Mr.. Payne's
semi-obscured brain.
81 think, Mrs Buck" said be, "that
you must be laboring Under little
misrepresentation. Ny name is Percipal
Payne. | am from Boston. | was re-
comm ended here, as an eligible board
ing-place, by Mr.. Warden, of 10 Pep
permint Place"
Mrs. Buck nearly dropped her lamp
in her CONSERVATION.
"Well, | never" said she instantly
flinging the door wide open. please TO
walk in, sir III send the boy out after
your trunk and things in half minute.
| beg your pardon, I'm sure, for mis-
taking you for Peleg briggs, from Lo-
well. as was comm here after my
daughter Naomi She works in the
Lowell mills, Naomi does. To think
how ever | could have made such a
blunder DO walk in, sir.
And Mr., Payne was promptly intro
duced to a delightful little interior" Of
red carpet, round table spread for tea,
shaded lampligbt, and fire Of logs,
burning on an open hearth, TO keep out