The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-02-16

Gnougn must pleau Sullty 20 SlgnJ
leaning in that direction Yet just now
I would ioyfu1ly part with the biggest
bugs of my collection if in exchange I
might examine your grandfather pa
pers."
Hewas so gracefully genial that one
could no more be absurdly dignifed
with him than with the golden robin
singing on the Indian cross.
"Wlll you walk imp"
81 VII sit out here instead if you viii
permit me"
So Popsey and Wopsey dragged .
chair and then stood motionless and
wonder-eyed, listeniny to the talk of
discovery and adventure They did net
understand it very we'll until the con-
versation turned to Indian lore In
dians AMI bears they could comprehend.
Then the mother, attracted by strange
voice, drew near the door In her melan-
choly, wavering way.
The postmaster's wife thought that
La Sale was an Indian chief, 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 net have made him
vain. She does not believe in pop
perry as she calls it.
"I met woman the other day who
thought herbarium was bug, re-
marked Mr.. Duncan. Then they
laughed.
But everything comes to an end, The
boys began dumb show behind the
strangers back to indicate to their sis
ter that they were perishing OF hunger
so she let the conversation lag in order
to end the call.
"Come, tomorrow aud see the pa
pers if You like she said. 1T will be
Saturday, and 1 shall be at home to
answer questions"
He thanked h:r and withdrew, jump
ing ever the rail fence which skirted
the field of rye in order to get near
dozen, golden rol,ins we're now holding
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
self as she picked the strawberries for
tea.
"Half of them green," said the dis
gusted Wopsey. "Spect she's thinking
of the bugman."
It certainly was astonishing how much
consulting the Brantome manuscripts
needed. And, too, Mr.. Duncan required
SO much assistance. It was "Miss
Brantome, will you kindly read this list
while I copy it?" or, Miss Charlotte
really [ can't make out whether this is
an or an all the while. Grandfather
Brantome would have begun to inquire
as to marriage settlements and Scotch
pedigrees had he been alive to see those
chestnut locks, innocent of bargs, ano
that dark mustache in such dangerous
proximity. 1t was the old story-twe
young heads bending over the same
page. oword of love had passed. Al
was on strictly business basis, the cor
rectness of the history of the mission.
of the northwest the objective aim.
But at last there was no excuse fol
lingering longer. The hills across ths
prairie were red and gold, the robins
had fled, and the grain around the little
burying-ground cut and slowed away
Charlotte was walking home as usual
Far away in the road two moving dot
appeared, which developed into th'
twins as they came nearer. Tears wer'
cutting briny burrows down their no
very clean cheeks. Hysterical sob
alone came from their mouths as the,
tried to speak, but finally sisterly intui
ton eminated these words from th
| chaos:
"Mother has runned away! She sal,
she would if We didn't stop pounding
and we didn't, and she has runned!"
That poor mother! She had mad
the same threat a hundred times before
but had been pacifed.
(which way? Tell me quickly,
thinking of the river, SO tireless and s
cruel.
/ "She ruined up the railroad track.
No more words were needed. Back c
the garden was the branch railway fror
La Paz. The evening train was nearl
due.
Leaving the twins to toddle after q
well as they could in their exhauste
state, she ran. Ran? She flew. Th
bright invalid shawl was a beaco1
Mrs. Brantome sat upon the track, idl
I playing with some yellow flowers. Char
lotte knew her patient we'll
Mother, she said, sit is late, and th
boys are calling, and you must feed th
chickens"
The mother shook her head. Persuas
ion was no persuader. Then Charlott
scolded Alike useless. Then, as
last resort, she used gentle force.
failure Sit there and pull those yello
flowers to pieces that the poor, Or
!, balanced woman would do, nothing els,
In heavens name what was to be done
Those who have had experience kno'
the strength of the insane. The trai
whistled for the crossing mile ava,
and just then, some guardian ang'
guiding him, James Duncan jumpe
the fence, a wet handkerchief in h
hand.
Blessings upon the medicine whic
subdued this poor woman in momen
and he had lifted her out of danger b
n fore the train rushed past.
Then he explained. He had bee
copying the inscription on the Indian
cross as the boys went screaming b
He gathered enough from their inc
herent words to learn what the matte
{ was. The chloroform idea was simpl
/. an inspiration.
! "How can I repay you?' asked we
! eyed Charlotte, as the party, boy
: mother, and all, were walking back.
"By making over to me Pierre Bra
. tones manuscripts-and his gran,
! daughter. I can never write the histo1
4 without her"
: "Well,' softly, ''in the cause of SC
! perhaps"
And this is how it came to pass th
the boys marched up the church ais
before the robins came again, wi
Charlotte and the bug-man.
As for the cross-it spreads It's viii