The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-09-01

The cross typified to her the daily
martyrdom of private life" And now
looking at it, her heart grew light
The new hat would cost but trfle
Surely there were more straw berries
ripe in the garden, the canary would
lay more eggs, the jacket could be
mended, and old Speckle had proved
superior to the iishhook.
But what could the boys be scream
ing about?
1.-The bug-man the bug-man.' they
were shouting, trotting toward her with
all their might on their sandy little
feet. 1t was certainly strange. Why
should stranger call twice? That he
should call once was not surprising
but twice?
1--WE showed him your photograph"
said Popsey, land he said you didn't
look like an old maid q bit
"And he said. went on the other ter
rible infant without pause, wasn't
we proud to have such nice sister he
wished he had and he had such Il lot of
bugs he puts them to sleep with medi-
cine and sticks pins through 'em and he
has gold watch and he letus wind it
up and we told him to come some more
and here he isl
Charlotte was spcechless, but in some
way she found herself rising to her feet
to greet gentleman who was taking
off his to hat her and bowling with n grace
which even Grandfather brantUmc must
have approved.
miss Brantome, believe
She acquiesccd in silence.
81 am gathering materials for an his
torical work and was directed to you |
for information concerning the antiqui- |.
ties of this region. And might as well /
say now that | have references and all |
that sort of thing"
Then you are not She stopped;
he smiled
mo, am not exactly bug-man, as
these little fellows have called me, al
though | must plead guilty to a slight
leaning in that direction. Yet just now
l would joyfully part with the biggest
bugs of my collection if in exchange l
might examine your grandfather's pa
pers.
He was so gracefully genial that one
could no more be absurdly dignitied
with him than with the golden robin
singing on the Indian cross.
"Will you walk in?"
II will sit out here instead, if you
will permit me. ~
SO Popsey and Wopsey dragged a
chair and then stood motionless and
listening to the talk of
discovery and adventure: They did not
understand it very well until the con-
versation turned to Indian lore. Indi-
ans and bears they could comprehend. {
Then the mother, attracted by a strange
voice. drew near the door in her melan-
,holy, wavering way.
"The postmaster's wife thought that
"a Sale was an Indian Chief" Char ;
otte was saying, land she had heard of l
Gather Marquette, but supposed him the
PRIEST down at La Paz. Her opinion of
lin would not have made him vain.
She does not believe in Poppery, as
he calls it,
81 met a woman the other day who |
bought herbarium was a bug" re- 5
marked Mr.. Duncan. Then they laugh ;
ii. ,
But everything comes to an end. The |
'oys began n dumb show behind the 1
tranger's back to indicate to their sis y
cr that they were perishing of hunger; y
o she let the conversation lag in order \
D end the call.
"Come tomorrow and see the papers @
YOU like she said. at will be Sat 4,
rday, and | shall be home to answer +
uestions." n
He thanked her and Withdrew, Jump
10 over the rail fence which skirted n
ne field of rye in order to get near \
lew of the cross, on which not one, but II
dozen, golden robins were now hold h
lg II vesper conclavc. And the tea +
ettle was soon singing in the Bran is
)mc kitchen song rs gay as that of b
le robins, and Charlotte was not her h
sual careful self as she picked the b
irawberries for tea.
''Half of them green, said the dis h
listed Wopsey. aspect she's thinking if
the bug-man." d
1t certainlywas astonishing how much N
the Brantome manuscripts O,
neded. And, too, Mr.. Duncan re- o.,
nired so much assistance. 1t was Ii
Miss Brantome, will you kindly read Il
lis list while | copy it?' or "Miss m
harlotte, really can't make out m
neither this is an or an IT, all the G,
lille. Grandfather Brantome would es
I'VE begun to inquire as to marriage h,
ttlements and Scotch pedigrees had es
, been alive to see those chestnut h,
cks, innocent of bangs, and that dark
ustache in such dangerous proximity. hi
was the old story-two young heads &C
ending over the same page. No word he
love had passed. All was on the is
richly business basis, the correctness br
the History of the Missions of the m
orthwest the objective aim. il.
But at last there was no excuse for nc
lgering longer. The hills across the ne
airie were red and gold, the robins m
ID fled, and the grain around the lit To-
burying-ground cut and slowed is
way. oy
Charlotte was walking home rs usual. tn
II away in the road two moving dots an
'peared, which developed into twins ST.
they drew nearer. Tears were cut W.