Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-09-20

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 trifie. Surely
there were more Strawberries ripe in the
garden, the canary would lay more
eggs, the jacket could be mended, and
old Speckle had proved superior to the
fish-hoOk.
But what could the boys be scream
ing about?
E.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
a stranger call twice? That he should
come once was not surprising
twice?
1--WE showed him your photograph .
said Popsey, ''and he said you didn't
look like an old maid bit
''And he said, =" went on the terrible
infant, without a pause, ''wa Sn't we
proud to have such nice sister he
wished he had and he had such lot OF
bugs he puts them to sleep with medi-
cine and puts pins through 'em and he
has a gold watch and he let us wind it
up and we told him to come again some
more and here he ISL
Charlotte was speechlcss, but in some
way she found herself rising to her feet
to meet gentleman who was taking
OFF his hat to her and bowling with
grace which even Grandfather Bran
tome would have approved
''Miss BrantOme, I believe. :"
She acquiesced in silence.
81 am gathering materials for an
historical work and was directed to you
for information concerning the antiqui-
ties of this region. And I might as
we'll say now that l 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,
although must plead guilty to a slight
leaning in that direction. Yet just now
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 dignified
with him than with the golden robin
singing on the Indian cross.
''Will you walk imp
81 will sit out here instead, if you
will permit me. -
So Popsey and Wopsey dragged a
chair and then stood motionless and
wOnder-eyed, listening to the talk of
discovery and adventure. They did not
understand it very well until the con-
versation turned to Indian lore. In
dams and bears they could comprehend.
Then the mother, attracted by strange
voice, drew near the door in her
melancholy, wavering way.
"The POstmaster's wife thought that
La Sale was an Indian Chiet," Char
lOtte was saying, ''and she had heard
of Father Marquette, but supposed him
the priest down at La Paz. Her opin-
ion of him would not have made him
vain. She does not believe in Pop
perry as she calls it"
II met woman the other day who
thought a herbarium was bug re-
marked Mr.. Duncan. Then they
laughed.
But everything comes to an end.
The boys began a dumb show behind
the strangers back to indicate to their
sister that they were perishing of
hunger; so she let the conversation lag
in order to end the call.
"COme tomorrow and see the papers
if you like, she said. cit will be Sat
urday, and 1 shall be at home to answer
questions.
He thanked her and withdrew, Jump
ing over the rail fence which skirted
the field of rye in order to get near
view of the cross, on which not one, but
dozen, golden robins were now hold
ing Il Vesper cOnclave. And the tea
kettle was soon singing in the BrantOme
kitchen a song as gay as that of the
robins, and Charlotte was not her usual
careful self as she picked the straw
| berries for tea.
''Half of them green, said the dis
gusted Wopsey. aspect she's think
ing OF the bug-man."
1t certainly was astonishing how
much consulting the Brantome manu-
scripts needed. And, too, Mr.. Duncan
required so much assistance. 1t was
''Miss BrantOme, will you kindly read
this list while l copy it?'' or, ''Miss
Charlotte, really I can't make out
whether this is an e or an t." all the
while Grandfather Brantome would
| have begun to inquire as to marriage
settlements and Scotch pedigrees had
he been alive tOsee those chestnut locks,
innocent of bangs, and that dark mus
tache in such dangerous proximity. 1t
was the old stOry-twO young heads
bending over the same page. No word
of love had passed. All was on a strictly
business basis, the correctness of the
History of the Missions of the Northwest
the objective aim.