The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-12-13


longer searched every nook and corner,
every crevice and closet, before going
to bed; and we often left the house by
itself in the daytime, with doors and
windows wide open, and nothing but
the sunbeams, or perhaps a stray chick
en-, had ever ventured to stray within.
zone warm afternoon in July, mother
and the boys went berrying, leaving me
at home alone. Father was at work on
what we called the burnt land, three
quarters of mile away. had expected
to be one OF the berrying party; but as
| had been out of doors all the forenoon,
and was afflicted with headache,
11other thought it would not do at all
for me tie go out again under the hot sun.
You won't be afraid to stay in the
house alone, will you, MaryP' said she.
i don't know what could possibly
harm you. wish you would feed the
chickens about four o clock. Be sure to
take the gingerbread out of the oven in
about ten minutes, and don't let pussy
get her nose into the custard-pies which
are cooling in the window
II wasn't afraid the least bit in the
world. The sunshine was streaming in
at the open door; the birds were sing
ing in the bushes outside, and the
speckled kitten was chasing her tail
around the kitchen floor. Who would
think of being afraid, or even lonely,
when everything was so bright and
pleasant
II took the gingerbread out of the
oven. 1t was what folks called a tin
kitchen, an affair with several shelves,
which stood before the blaze in the fire.
place. Everybody used it in old times,
before stoves were plenty.
Then covered the fire with ashes,
that it might not go entirely out. When
it was time to boil the tea-kettle for sup
per, you could rake the ashes away, and
and there would still be hot Goals under
them.
"Then / sat down and rocked by the
cool window, where breeze blew in
through the morning glory vines, and
soon fell into sort of doze. But it was
not long before bumble-bee came in
and Weakened me, and, glancing out of
the window, beheld sight which fair
ly froze my blood with horror.
ut was a tall Indian, dressed precise
ly as had seen Indians dressed in pic
lures. making long, but leisurely strides
toward the house.
''He had sort of topknot feathers
ON his head, like that of one of our
cropple-crowned hens, and | could see
that his long, brown arms were quite
bare, and looked like copper in the sun
light.
"What should / do? where could |
hide MYSELF My heart was beating so
violently that | felt almost suffocated,
and l stood for moment in the middle
of the floor, unable to move or think.
''But there was no time to be lost. He
was coming so near that | could almost
see his face now, and what, oh! what il
he should find me when he got into the
house!
at did not once occur to me to bolt
the doors; but, if it had, there would
have been hardly time, for the bolts
were very heavy, and it was as much as
l could do to move them, and then the
windows were all open too, and though
they were very small, the Indian might
have squeezed through one of them at a
pinch.
81 ran wildly toward the bedroom,
and was about to creep under the bed.
But no, that would not do, | thought.
His long arms might reach me there.
Then rushed through the kitchen into
the shed, and looked about me in a
perfect frenzy.
Suddenly the huge brass kettle which
had been my grandmother caught my
eye, hanging from a beam overhead,
nd inH I ali haI
to fathers workbench, which stood
underneath, thus, obtaining a footing
on wooden peg which was driven into
the wall, managed to swing myself on
to the beam, and from thence let my
self down into the kettle, which was
large enough to hide me completely.
II had never accomplished such a
feat before; but was light and nimble
child, and in my fear and excitement it
seemed easy enough to perform.
1.-The kettle had not ceased moving
after my leap into its brassy depths,
when the Indian entered the door. ]
was sure that he would see it, and gave
myself up for lost. l was really para
lyzed with fear, and if | had tried to
scream, do not think / could have
done so.
''But he evidently did not look up in
that direction. He stood stockstill in
the middle of the floor for a moment or
two, uttering some indistinct words in
his cultural Indian tongue. Then ]
heard him stride into the kitchen, and
from thence into the bedroom, still talk
ing away as fast as he could talk. Then
heard him tramping about overhead.
He had climbed the ladder into the loft.
but in few moments he was back
again, Investigating the pantry. Mother
had been doing whole week. baking
that morning, and the shelves were filled
with nice brown loaves of bread, custard
and berry pies, a great milk-pan full OF
cookies, and the gingerbread which
had just taken out of the oven.
Judging by the sounds which heard
from that direction, l thought he must
be eating; and every once in while
there came deep grunt of satisfaction
as if he had found something that he
liked very much. Then, for little
then, to my great relief, he stole very
quietly and swiftly out of the house
and away, taking the same path by
which he came.
Il peeped out from my hiding place
and saw him disappear in the distance
Then mist came over my eyes and
lost consciousness. Ihad been expect.
ing every moment that he would espy
the kettle, which was SO huge that il
generally attracted attention, and pro.
coed to investigate; and now my re-
| lief was SO great that | was entirely
| overcome.
"When recovered my senses heard
my mothers voice calling me:
Mary, Mary, where. are you?'
40, mother screamed my brother
Cyrus, who always repaired to the
| pantry the minute he got into the house,