River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-04-06

81 will come back by land" she said
to herself, as she sat in the little hotel
at Portland. and viewed her green and
yellow complexion with shudder.
{" Money wouldn't induce me to risk
my life again in that horrid steamer,
where one is buffeted and seesaged
about on waves that are as high as a
house. Thu palace-car fare will be
something OF an expense, and l SHAH
lose my return ticket by steamer, but
Pm sure Mr.. SYmington won't grudge
it to me when he hears how I've been
pitched and tumbled about on the
ocean in peril of my life"
And she put on her black brocaded
silk, her new plumed hat, and the seal
dolman, and took the northward- bound
train, resolved to present an imposing
appearance to Aunt GriZzy Gumpton
when she should reach Wild River
station.
1t was very coda dull, bitter, lead
en- cold--with the ground frozen like
rock, the streams bound in ice, the sky
gray and bitter. with an inetfable
gloom. Aunt Grizzel Grumpton lived
in little one-storied house on the top
of an uncompromising hill, where a
solitary cedar tree was twisted around
like corkscrew with the force of the
east wind, and the few lean sheep hud
died behind the rocks in shivering
groups, picturesque, but far from COM
Portable. And even after they had
come in sight of the old building whose
one coat of red paint had long ago
been worn away by the suns and rains
of well-nigh a century, Mrs. Symlng
ton had serious doubts whether the
one-horse sleigh in which she was
jerked and jolted up the incline would
not be blown sheer away by the rush
of the tempest before they could reach
their destination.
However, it wasn't. And once in
Aunt Grizzy's cottage things were very
comfortable. There was no wide
throated chimney, filed with moss
fringed logs, such as the fancy of city
jewellers is apt to despict in the solitary
farmhouse. People In Maine know
better than that. But there was an i'm
mense cook stove, which heated the |
room to an atmosphere of eighty odd
degrees; the cracks in the window |
sashes were pasted over with brown
paper, and sand bags were laid on the
top lodges, while d double rag carpet |
covered the floor, and wood box heap
ed to the very top stood in the angle of
the. chimney piece. Aunt Grizzy's
dress was of blue homespun flannel,
and she wore a worsted hood pulled |
over her ears, and little plaid shawl
folded over her breast, and she was adj
dicted to the use of snuff, and said
"Hey ?" whenever any one addressed
her.
"My cheeny?" said Aunt Grizzy.
well, I'm free to own that l think a
deal OF that cheney. But don't know, |
Niece Arabella, how you came to near
of it."
1T is an heirloom in our family, Aunt |
Grizzel," said Mrs. Symington, exert |
ing herself to speak loudly.
Hey" asked Aunt Grizzly, with her
hand placed sounding-board fashion be- |
hind her ear.
Every one must have heard of it,"
said Mrs. Symington, at the risk of
breaking blOod-vessel in her threat.
Aunt Grizzy's wrinkled face fairly I
beamed. swell, 1 calculate it amt alb
solutely ugly" said she. "But still, ii
you've really set your heart on it,
Niece Arabella.-But it amt unpacked.
| always put it away this time O. year
when there amt no tea parties given"
"Oh,never mind that" said Mrs. SYM
ington, her heart leaping within her
at this easy conquest of the fort. "It
will be all the more convenient for me
to carry it. People always keep such
treasures put away in secret places"
"Hey?" said Aunt Grizzly, and Mrs.
Symlngton repeated her words.
"Oh, there amt no secret about it ?"
said Aunt Grizzy, as she turned the hiss
ing sausages in the pan. "Only hain't |
had time to overhaul 1t since you've
| been here"
Naturally" interru pied Mrs. Sym
ington. 'But l suppose it is all in good
condition ?"
"Sartinly, sartinly." said Aunt Grizzly.
"You can look at it if you like, Niece
Arabella."
ooh, that is not necessary" said Mrs.
Symington. "But now as to the price,
Aunt Grizzy?"
~ amt one to haggle with my re-
lations," said Aunt Grizzly, giving the
| frying pan a shake over the blazing
sticks. "Set your own price, Arabella,
and if don't like it I'll make bold to
say So"
"Do you think, Aunt Grizzy," hesitat-
ed the city lady, ''that twenty-five dol
lars would be a reasonable compensa-
ton for it ?"
"Well, yes" said Aunt Grizzly. at
never cost me that, because"
''No, OF course not, hurriedly inter
posed Mrs. Symington, and she pro-
duced the twenty-five dollars, all in gold
half eagles, with the exultant feeling of
one who has picked a precious diamond
out of the dust. "Bnt should wish you
to feel that had dealt fairly with you
in matter like this"
"Well, / hain't no reason to COM
plain" said Aunt Grizzly. ''Some folks
fancies cheeny. l don't. A plates u
plate to me, and cups cup, and
you're kindly welcome to my set if
you've took a notion to it,"
Mrs. Symington went home the next
day, through a whirlwind of snow,
having been fed upon pork and saus-
ages, and sausages and pork, at every
meal since her arrival, and retaining
very vivid recollection of the March
winds and tempests.
al don't think I'd go back there a gain
even for set of old china" said Mrs.
Svmington, as she seated herself on
the velvet cushions Of the palace-car
and shrank shiveringly inside of her
seal dolman and fleece lined fur gloves.
"Aunt Griszel will never die natural
death she'll be blown away. like
Mother Hubbard"
But all these petty trihulations were
forgotten as thing out of mind on the
brilliant January morning on which, in
front of the sea coal ire in her own
coy drawing-room, she unpacked the
coarse wooden box wherein were con-
cealed the priceless treasures of Aunt
. Grizzly Grumpton's china.
a.IA--.ra A-....L. y Il