Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-10-31

Ing 10 tile Olu ladleS' chlrp IN the next
room.
''Them Things is such nice folks ~
said Dame Thumb.
"Well, when all's said and done
they've got the curiousest name in the
world" sighed the Widow Manly.
Don't you know how that came
about?" asked Grandma BiXby.
Il did know, but it's kind of slipped
my mind, owing TO so much trouble. -
why, the gIeat-grandfather o. these
young Things, he was named Blizzard.
And he had sight o. trouble all on
account of his name. DO what he
would, the boys would call him Buz-
Zard am flap their arms like wings
when he came around, and vex him
real rough. So he went to the legisla-
ture prayin' for his name to he changed.
All right, says the legislature, what
name'll you have?'s oh! anything, ,
says he, anything "That'll do, says
the judge. Write that name down, ,
he says to the clerk-'AnythIng.'
sold Blizzard. he was so struck of a
heap that he couldn't say word.
And so in the snappin' of a birds eye,
he was written down by the name of
Anything. The nex' gineration they
dropped the Any, but Things they are
to this day."
"An' Thmgs'they will remain,' sol
emnly said the old lady with the
rheumatism, still the last day, when
they'll be called up to the proper name
o. Blizzard"
''Well, Thing is a good name," said
Dame Thumb. ''It's so handy like;
an forget it you can't"
Debby in the next room felt her
cheeks burn. The stove was so hot!
IN go down to the spring and wash
the rolling-pin,' she called, and catch
ing her sunbonnet, she walked off fam
ming herself with her apron.
The spring was shaded by willows,
and under one of them Jessy lay asleep.
Her crutch had fallen by her side, one
arm was rounded nnder her head, the
other, half bare, was flung out on the
grass.
II will not wake her," thought Deb;
poor child! how tired and warm she
looks!''
But at this instant Deb's eyes grew
wide with horror. Within foot of
Jessy'S bare arm was young adder.
It's head, spreading out little, was
reared to strike; white foam was at Its
mouth. How Deb did it she never
knew, but the next second she had
struck wildly at that evil head with the
rolling-pin, and was crying
Wake! Jessy! Wake!"
JesSy did wake, and to scene that
she never forgot. Deb had not dared
to raise the rolling-pin to strike again;
but pressed upon it with the energy of
despair, fastening the reptile to the
earth, though it squirmed and hisSed,
and twisted itself round the brave girls
wrist.
''Get to the house, Jessy, as fast as
you can, and bring knife.''
She hObbled OFF, and in time to be
counted iy seconds, was back again
with the whole party. The four old
ladies and Deb'S mother were unnerved.
But Widow Manly, for once in her life
rising to the occasion, cut off the adder's |
head in a mastery manner, just below
where Deb held it down with the roll
ing-pin.
They are used to snakes in this |
broad, beautiful West of ours, so no
one tainted. Not great deal was
said But Dame Thumb patted JeSsy
on the head, with,-''you had an eS-
cape, honey. That was a powerful
piZen snake"
Il know it," said the girl, with a
quick shudder.
The wool-pIcking went on; but JesSy
clung to Deb, and did not do much
more As the sun went down and the
party broke up, she said, ''If it hadn't
been for you, Debby, Dame Thumb
and the rest would have dressed me
for the grave by this time; and so
Hiram would a'founi me when he got
home"
''I'm glad 1 happened to have the
rollin'-pin," said Deb, practically.
Through the winter that followed, it
was observed that young Mr.. Things
horse stopped with tolerable regularity
at the Hornish gate; and there is
rumor that Deb will wear her white
dress early in the spring on a very i'm
poTtant occasion. Certainly the old
farm house has been painted and
and Dame Thumb says,
..Nothin' less than a weddin' will jes-
tify Hiram Thing in such foolish
spendin' of his wheat money"