The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-10-06

shall let you take her place until
Il beg your parden, maam," inter.
posed Leah. "I was just Ehinkin' OF
leaving myself. / don't like the looks
OF the place, ma'am-and no hoase in
sight, and burglars around asstlIiek IS
blackberries, and q ghost in the back
attic. as the gardeners boy has seen kis
self, when the moon was at the full. %
if you'd please to settle up my wage
ma'am, I'll go in thesame train as Brid-
get takes"
Mrs. Truax sat down and exieds She
had been brought up in sahiapable
boarding-school. in tQtal nee Of
economy. She didn't know o skillet
from a steamer.
eff it was in the city could send
around to restaurant for dinner" said
she; 'sbutlnow-oh, what shall I do?"
And the banging of the door behind
her departing hand -maidens was a
mournful echo to her thoughts.
She was still sitting and crying in the
musty dining-room, when ring at the
front door bell summoned her back to
the realities of life, and there stood half
adozen gayly-dressed ladies from the
city:
How are you, dear?.' said Mrs.
Tullius Markham. 1--WE come up
with the dear girls to get breath of the
hay fields. and eat strawberries and
cream with you. in this sweet old man
orial place.
And poor Mrs. Truax, aghast though
she was at this unexpected invasion, was
compelled to put on an aspect of well
coming smiles, and invite the guests into
the parlor. which had not been busted
and smelled good deal like receiving
vault in cemetery.
Please excuse me just a minute, while
you are taking off your things" said Mrs.
Truax.
And she hurried out into the garden,
with bowl in hand to gather straw
berries.
But, to her surprise, great, hulking
man was there before her, prying Under
the leaves.
"What are you doing in my straw.
berry patch, sir?" Indignantly demanded
the lady.
The man looked up with an insolent
grin.
"Im a-lookin' for strawberries" said
he, land precious few I finds. This
ere beds regular swindle."
''Leave my premisesl" cried Mrs.
Truax.
Don't get excited, ma'am," said the
man, advancing with a stealrhy footstep.
genuine article. My ticker's out of re-
pair. I'll trouble you for that"
And before Mrs. Truax realized the
81 ha okk alr hn kro
made good his retreat, with her little,
diamond studded Geneva watch and link.
chain.
AS she burst into tears, the ''handy
boy" who was never handy when he was
wanted, appeared from behind bush.
+ eyes, that's always the way, ma'am,
said he. ''Them tramps is awful. They
comes up from the railroad track under
the hill, and grabs just what they wants
That's the reason the other tenants left
They've stripped the fruit trees and gar
den stole all the fowls, and broke into
the house two or three times"
"Mercy on us!" gasped poor Mrs
Truax. "But why didn't you run fol
help, when you saw him snatch my
watch?"
"Where would I run to?" asked ths
boy. "And where would find help?"
"Pick some strawberries for me-" sale
Mrs. Truax, recovering the bowl she hat
dropped into the grass; 'and be quick
about il"
s"There amt none,' said the hand,
boy. .
aCan you get some milk or cream?'
said despairing Mrs. Truax.
"There amt none short of Deacon
Peabody's, up to Pine Hollow" said th'
boy.
Chow far is that?"
"Four miles and half"
sAre there any bakers here?"
mo-" said the handy boy, "ther'
amt"
| Mrs. Truax stood q minute or two
pondering. Then she went back to tn
house.
MRS. Markham" said she, with
courage born of despair, IL am with
out any servant, and there is nothing t.
eat in the house except few bottles O
champagne, q box of sardines, and tw
pounds of crackers. We will lunch o1
| these. and then will go back with yo1
, to the city-and stay there!"
Mr.. Truax was just preparing to sc
out for the o'clock way-train, when hi
wife appeared. pale and wearied.
.'Job," said she, "I'm eick of tn
country
my dear!'
s.And I'm not going back there!'
"But I've taken the house for the ses
son."
ST can't help that" said Mrs. Truaz
"a hundred dollars day wouldn't II
duce me to remain there!'
And she related the adventures of th
morning ending up with violent fit c
Mysteries.
Mr.. Truax turned slowly round an
laid down his parcels-a pound of car
dies, paper of carpet tacks, a tin coffee
pot, whose nose protruded itself oster
tatiously through its paper wrappings;
roll of blue ribbon, we'll saturated wit
the contents of leaky machine oil bo
tie; pair of vases, q box of stove-blacl
ing, and roll of canvas and worsted
"There!' said Mr.. Truax, "I'll be
travelling expressman no longer! We
go to the hotel tonight, and to-morro
I'll look out for house. Don't cry, N
dear! The country seat on the Hudso
has been a failure, but we'll hope fl
better luck the next experiment we try
And that was the inglorious termir
ton of Mr.. and Mrs. Truax's experien.
, in country life.
The Philadelphia Chronicle says Il
grammar used in the Mormon schoo
( don't recognize the first person sing
lar" which would upset their religio