Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-08-18
A Stage Journey.

The old town where the children
were passing their vacation stood upon
breezy hill among the New England
mountains. From its long and wind
ing street they could see distant lakes
shining deep down in the wooded val
leys. and tieecy clouds creeping along
the deep blue sides of far-off cliffs.
The houses were clustered oddly about,
and over their gray old roofs the birds
sang all day long in the summer
silence. ~
OF course, the children were always
busy. Their pleasures never seemed
to wear out. What they threw aside
to-day they would take up again the
next day with new interest, if it SO
happened; and, if not. they invented
something better. They had peddled
sand for sugar, selling it at the low
price of five dollars pound; they had
broken croquet-mallet and mended it
three different ways; thew had sent an
arrow straight through the kitchen
Window-glass; they had played "wild
Indian" in which game Master john
ny. fiercely decorated and personating
Old-chief not-afraid- of Wolf" had
distinguished himself by scalping Ber-
tha's doll with table-knife This act
OF the great sachem so demoralized the
rest of the tribe that it was long
time before peace was restored to that
people.
Z In fact, Johnny exhausted all his elo-
quence in proving that if boy was go
ing to play Indian, why, he must play
Indian, and of course he couldn't scalp
Bertha, herself, could hep and anyway
he could fix the hair on again.
AS for Bertha, she said she wished
she could 60 to Barcelona, for she had
heard that there, ON the eve of the
Befana, every kind of doll, in every
possible phase of dollhood, from old men
and women down to babies in era
dies, could be bought, for the shop
windows, brilliantly lighted, were full
of them.
They were in the midst of heated
discussion whether it was best to play real
real or only make-believe, when the
sound of stage-wheels clacking at the
foot of the hill sounded upon the still
noon air.
II know what we'll do,'' shouted
Johnny, as he turned sudden somep-
OneAis upOA t1C grass, VIC IL play Stage,
and 60 somewheret'
In short time number of chairs
were arranged upon the lawn, and the
passengers comfortably seated therein.
Johnny pointed out the sights as they
drove off.
''see that big stone house over
.here?''
cover whereof said Bertha. ''Idon't
see any house,
why, that great very large house be.
side the sage-bushes.
"Oh, yes!''
'.Well. that's where John Bunyan
lives. There's Mister Bunyan out there
now selling shoe-stringsr'
$50 it is, indeed. Why, / hardly
knew him.. he has changed so. Do drive
over and buy some strings. They say
they are very nice"
'sOh no." said Johnny, eve shall,
never have time. Be dark before we
get there. Whoa! Where does your
uncle livep''
"He's-he's-he's gone out West.''
'What West?''
Out to Pekin, China; don't yor
know?"
" All right; We'll just peek in and sec
him. Get up along.''
In about minute the stage rolled Ia.
to the land of idols and tea with fins
flourish.
Ever seen an idol?' said Johnny.
Eyes," replied Bertha, 81 saw one
down at the vestry made out of wool"
g You just come along with me ana
I'll show you real one," said Johnny,
:. and it isn't any wooden image, either.
Its name is 'Goo-go.'
The idol Goo-go sat enthroned in
hammock. So intent was she in shak-
ing little rubber-rattle, that she gave
very small attention to her foreign
guests.
Indeed, she was so very Indifferent
that.the travellers Withdrew, and in an.
incredibly short time were back In
America.
There they were welcomed by speech
from Bridget, and banquet consisting
OF marmalade and cake. = Youths Com
p0ntO,a.