The Northern Pacific farmer., 1882-11-02
noon. Mr.. Stubbs was not hard IF hear

Ing, nor particularly dense of under
standing, but he liked to have things re
1lterated; so about ha.f an hour after VIC
had clearly expressed our wishes he
came into the room, looking for his hat
and remarked.
''Said ye wanted that waggan at 'bou
three o'clock, didn't ye?"
Yes, MIR. Stubbs,' said Dot and l..
Then he went away again, and didn't
come back for an hour, this time with
his hat Oh his head.
"Hullo, Mr.. Stubbs," said Cadwalader
one of the men, hopeless Invalid, come
for the sea air, with whom the rainy day
had made us acquainted. Found your
hat2 Lucky YOU came in jest when you
did~-jest thinkin' about advertisin' for il
in the Boston papers"
. lauWallader was a IMAM OF about tiftV,
u genuine Yankee, with none of the
Yankee culture, whose native humo1
had been driven out by years OF illness
"Wa'al, vase, I found it; 'twarn't gone
for long" Mr.: Stubbs was never quite at
'ase under Cadwallader's chaE: "Lessee
:ou said you wanted that hoss long
bout half past two, didn't ye"
EYES," said Dot, acridly.
"Iase, l calc'lated that was the time
ye said"
s'That's one ofyour hanl=working New
sEngland Farmers, upon which the at
;mosphere has no effect, I suppose, said
Dot, as he left the room.
Mr.. Stubs was splendid specimen OF
this race physically. He stood six foot
two believe, and looked strong enough
to plow an acre or Two before breakfast
and think nothing of it, after the man
ner OF the ordinary Centenariari who has
Never used tobacco in any form. But if
he did anything Of this he was very
still about livery still indeed. His
wife and daughter, Nuiet and intelligent
women, managed everything quietly
and intelligently, but Mr.. Stubbs seemed
to expend large quantity Of time thar
ncssin': up" We never quite learned
what he harnessed up for. e..
''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 hoss them ladies wanted: Ye
said ye wanted it tween two and three
didn't ye?"
" Dot didn't answer. She was to easily
put out with Mr.. Stubbs-much more
easily than I. I don't think it was 50
much because my temper was sweeter,
t>llt 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-nesrer three, Mr. Stubbs."
,,.z, Vase. Wa-al, Ltold him thought ye
=s'id / 5 somewhere, long thefe. He'll be
Said Dot: "lf he says anything more
about that wagon, | shall throw this
lux at him.
"Going' out to ride, amt ye?" said
gaC!wallxder. Thought. I~heard Mr.,
Stubbs say suthin' about it. s
After our one o'clock dinner we We're
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 OK
clamaton.
"see what it is Dot" said lazily. II
fancy he wants to know just w hat time
we want that carriage"
"Well?" said Dot, over the stair rail,
with such asperity that I wondered he
didn't quail; but Mr.. Stubs was not OF
the stuff that quails.
"Lessee-ye didn't want. that waggin
till long bout three, did ye?t Ye, didn't
want it right after dinner, did ye?'''
: l laughed taintly. "You might tell
him we'd like 1t about three, Dot'' / sug'
gested.
"No We didn't said she, with per-
haps unnecessary emphasis. II gave
you the hour
"Yase. Wa'al, 1 guess he'll be here
bout tt1e right tilae. Ae's pxstty sure
to be along sSss { ~
With grim Determination o &Dot sshut
the door and took u her book and we
read in silence for an hour. Then ]
looked at my watch.
Dot said I. 'is'nt that wagon com.
ing between half past two and three? ]
think"
Gals" said familiar voice, "it's pret.
ty nigh three o'clock and the waggin's
here. l told him I didn't b'lieve you
calc']ated to 20 much before three"
We drove up the quiet street, by the
post-ofice and village store combined
Withiits group ofidlers, who had listened
with such unanimous and hAtteripg in
forest Wnen we nau gwen our names or
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-
menbranee Of which now as I write
gives me feelingg of homesickness
rIhere was something charmingly move
ITO us both IN thus starting out to drive
we knew not where and 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 !ront door, the
same look Of utter seclusiOn.
"No wonder New Englanders are Ro,
man Catholics!'' said Dot. "What's the
use of convents?"
'At the next house with brass
knocker shall stop, knock, and walk
in if they'll let me, will see ifthe doors
are real or imitation"
It was some time before we came tc
such a place. We were about two miles
from the village now, and the houses
we're 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 I had succeeded
in ettertlng an entrance, tied the horse
and opened the gate. She followed me
Of course. The gate did not move easily
on it's hinges, and the old-fashioned
flowers that had been planted each side
Of the walk twined themselves across
il. and made green matted bed out Of
which was originally pebhled path. I
stepped~on large stone before the door,
and raised the heavy knocker. Clang!
clang! it rang through the silent air, and
reverbersted through what was perhars
an empty house.
"Dot," said I, "l'm scared"
"Of course you are," said Dot, severe
ly. "and I'd like to know what you will
say when they open the door. I've no
doubt it's an oftense equal to petty lar
ceny, or assault and battery at the very
least, to 60 to the front door when there's
a side one to be had."s
I turned quite pale at the thou hit.
You've no excuse to give" went on
Dot, nitilessly, ''and they'll fine you, and
it'll be a pretty thing to get into the
Maine papers, and be copied into the
Connecticut ones and come to the eyes
of your unsaspecting family"
This was a gloomy outlook, but there
seemed little danger Of it's Immediately
becoming actual experience. They didn't
seem to mind that knocker any more
than some people do an ear trumpet.
Emboldened by the unbrokcn silence:
gave Dot a 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 a-deaf-and-dum asylum, ,:
uggested Dot, in whisper. Why she
r I;J,3+ ,,,,,o H.