The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-31
RUNNING THE TOLL.

and grandma will tell you a story,
said Lily Weatherbee, demure as
little Quaker, and sweet as a wild
rose. looking up from her Kensing-
ton stitch.
Grandma heard her, and answered
with smile that made her piercing
black eyes sparkle like diamonds.
II 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.
mo, indeed: one in the family Of
that sort is quite enough" laughed
the girl; but there is Hattie waiting
to be amused, and you must tell her
about it."
Well, howgsiaalI 7 .begins Chatter
box :'' -'''-s'
"Why, tell her about 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 when the wind blew, but it
was long time before | found out
the meaning of the three mysterious
knockS-alWays three-and when L
did what fun L had at the expense of
Miss Silena Cross, our dressmaker,
who had taken infinite pains to prove
that was favored with spiritual Wis
its Poor Miss Silena! never saw
creature more disappointed. AS for
the barn it had originally been built
for meeting house, but never having
been finished on account of lack of
funds my grandfather took it for debt,
and turned it to very good account.
The old barn was a g'eat institution
and was regularly farmed out during
winters for revival meetings, 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
nothing left of the barn but smoke
and ashes. Poor father 1t had been
source of income, and nothing could
take its place. Everybody mourned
the destruction of Uncle Hiram's
barn. hut nobody offered to rebuild
it. We were poor not that we suf-
fered 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 poverty never troubled me, how
eyer; l was too happy. Only give
me plenty of fun, plenty of sunshine
and nothing seemed hard to me. MY
genius for improvising all sorts of
amusements made me a general ia.
vorite in society. Nobody looked
down upon me because / wore calico
and worked from morning till night.
In fact. Jack was always in requisi-
tion it was Jack who took the lead
at our merry gatherings, who filled
the gap with some audacious gossip
when nobody knew what to say, who
was afraid of fnothing-who was, 1 am
sorry to add, careless of consequences,
so that she had good time. But
was happy; nobody can ever take
that consolation from me. 1 never
sighed for what was unattainable.
Fair weather of foul. washing or bak-
ing, at home or country side parties,
| was always at peace with the world,
though my best muslin gown had
done duty for several years."
"Oh, grandma! what would you
have thought then of pink satin re-
ception dress and everything to match
like the one l am having made ?" ex-
claimed Lily.
"Shouldn't o. been a bit happier,
my hear couldn't o. been," was the
calm response. "Besides, young girls
never wore satin in those days, bless
you! Plain white null was consid-
cred dressy enough, with flowers,
which to my taste. was prettier than
jewels any day. And now am COM
ing to how ran the toll. Ned Ham
ilton was considered one of the best
young men in town. He would a.
been handsome, but his nose was 100
thin and his eyes were too close to-
gether, though they were fine eyes.
At all events he was great favorite,
and the girl who secured him for
partner considered herself fortunate.
Nobody treated him just exactly rs l
did, for would tell him to his face
that he was conceited, though secretly
l did feel flattered by his attention. l
suppose the great Rosedale farm had
something to do with it, and the two
grays and the handsome carry all.
Perhaps l was ambitious and didn't
exactly know it ; for, to tell the truth,