Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-02-08
RUNNING THE TOLL.


grandma will tell you story" said
Lily Weathcrbee, Gemure as little
Quaker ald sweet asa wild rose, look
ing up from her Kensington stitch
Grandma heard her, and answered
with smile that made her piercing
black eyes sparkle Ike diamonds.
81 don't think you Will ever run the
toll, Peace and Plenty she said.
That was the name she had given Lily
when she was a baby.
"No, indeed; one in the family Of
that sort is quite enough" laughed the
g;r;; "but here is Hattie waiting to be
amused; and you must tSn her about
it,
"Well, how shall 1 begin. chatter
box?"
why, tell her abont the old house
with the gray moss clinging to the
rafters, and the haunted window and
the great barn, first"
"The haunting was easily enough
accounted for" said grandma, rolling
up the stockings she had been mend
ing and taking off her spectacles;
"that was the tapping of the old horse
chestnut which the wind blew. but it
was long time before found out the
meaning of the three mysterious knocks
always three, and when I did, what
fun had at the expense of Miss ST.
lena Cross, our dressnlaker, who had
taken infinite pains to prove that 1
was favored with spiritual visits Poor
Miss Silenal l never saw creature
more disappointed. AS for the barn,
it had originally been built for a meet
ing-house, but never having been fin
isted on account of lack of funds my
grandfather took it for debt and
turned it to very good account. That
old barn was. great institution. and
was regularly farned out during win
ters for revival mcetings, dances,
husking frolics and sundry other
things. One night we let tramp
sleep there, and the consequence was
that by noon next day there was moth
ing left of the harn but smoke and
ashes. Poor fatheri 1t had been a
source of income. and nothing could
take its place. Everybody. mourned
the destruction of Uncle Hiram's
barn. but nobody offered to rebuild it.
I'VE were poor, not that we suffered
for the necessaries of life. The farm
kept our table, but my father worked
too hard for an old man, and his boys
were all girls The fact of our pow
erty never troubled me, however;
was too happy. Only give me plenty
of fun, plenty Of sunshine, and moth
ing seemed hard to me. My genius at
improyising all sorts Of amusements
made me a general fayorite in society.
Nobody looked down upon me because
wore calico and worked from morn
ing till night. In fact, Jack was al
ways in requisition; it was Jack who
took the lead at our merry gatherings,
who filed the gap with some audacious
gossip when nobody knew what to say.
who was afraid of nothing-who was.
am rather sorry to add, careless of
consequences, 50 that she had good
time.
But was happy; nobody can ever
fake that consolation from me. l
never sighed for what was unattain-
able. Fair weather or foul, washing
or baking, at home or at the country
side parties, l was always at peace
with ~ wor,j. though my best mus
IN gcsn had done duty for several
YEARS"
"Ob, grandmal what would you
nave thought..,sD Of pink satlT re-
ception dress. and everythj;:g 20 match.
like this sst J am I,.syinr madep' ex-
claimed Lily.
Shouldn't a. been d bit happier,
ny dear; couldn't a been" was the
calm response, "Besides, young sirla