St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-01-17
Mounting Moses.
BY PENN SHIRLEY.

leaned over the dOor-yaTd fence. turn.
ing their treckled faces toward the east
like a row of suntlowers in the morn
ing.
Stages a-comin'! stages a-comin'r y
they shouted presently, in shrilI
chorus that brought father and mother
to the door.
a muddy, splintered, disreputable-
looking coach it, was which drew MP Il
moment later ut the gate, its nigh horse
bruised on the right fore foot, its of
horse lamed in the knee.
''llad a smaSh-up, Obed ? Anybody
hurt y cried Mr.. Kittredge, rushing
out without his hat.
''Critters SHE'D on Wharf's Hill at
answered the driver, limping down to
open the coach door. clipped the
whole concern whopside up Your sis.
ter went sprawlin'."
"Ies, Ephrlim and the wheel
crushed Noses" cried the lady in ques-
ton. graphing with her bundles.
'N"w now sorry for that. But
I'm thankful you amt killed yourself.
Glad to see you, LOvantia"
Extending his palm in cordial greet
ing, MIR. kittredge received, instead of
an answered hand-clasp, the handle of
"A carpet-bag. Not that his sister was
either cold-hearted or chary of showing
her affection. Far from it. She was
simply woman who could attend to
but one thing at time, and the bust
ness of the moment was to alight In
snutf-brOwn cashmere dappled with
clay, with her Paisley pinned askew,
and her bonnet crushed into an ag-
gressiVe poke, she presented so striking
an appearance that the little animate
sunfiowers nearly twisted their heads
off III watching her movements. She
deposited her big basket upon the door
step, drew from her glove her stage
fare, paid the driver, saw her trunk
safely landed in the hall, and then, and
not till then. did she greet her waiting
kinsfolk.
"POor old Moses | thought he and
the children would have fine times to-
gether ~ sighed she, pausing from an
exhaustive hugging of the last and
least Kittredge to lift the unfortunate
puss out of the basket. "Well, it's no
use crying. He couldn't have lasted
much longer anyway. He'd lost his
appetite and half of his teeth lived
mostly on milk porridge."
GLOW much father set by him :" re-
marked Mr.. Kittredge, retrOspectivelv.
stroking the animals silky black fur. |
Good old kitty. We'd Orter take YOU
over to BlOdgett's and have you
stuffed"
'DOes the man understand his trade ? |
Then III take him." cried Miss LO- |
vantia, with characteristic ambiguity |
of pronouns. "Its silly, suppose.
and Il needless expense but seeing
we've had Moses fourteen years, and |
he seems like part of father, can't |
bear to bury him.
''I'm going to the hlacksmith's after
dinner. I'll drive you and Susan over
to Blodgett's if You like" said Mr.. Kit
tredge, shouldering the trunk. "Now |
make yourself at home, Lovantia. |
hope you'll he cOntented."
Bnt i'll the afternoon fate in the guise |
of Il caller detained Mrs. kittredge, |
and Miss Lovantia went alone with her
brother.
"Never mind you'll get on well |
enough" said Mr.. KittIcdge. consol-
ingly, a. they stopped ut the taxider-
mist's. 81 only thought it would be
pleasanter for you to have Susan along.
Blodgett is used to her voice. He's
deaf as a haddock."
81 can make him hear | amt con-
cerned about that" replied his sister.
warrantably proud of her ample lungs.
''Pd introduce you, but the colt won't
stand in tiy-time. No USE to knock.
Walk right in
Miss Lovantia Obcycd, to find herself
in box of an entry with room on
either side. Uncertain which door to
open, she naturally chose the wrong
one, and stepped into Mr.. Blodgett's
private parlor-a severe apartment so
powdered with dust that she might
have written ''bachelorn over it, Its
most prominent articles of furniture
were a handsome old fashioned cabinet
filled with chronological specimens,
and Il mahogany centre table bearing
Il microscope, Il few dead beetles and
butterflies, and several books of natu-
raj history. After hasty survey Miss
Lovantia retreated precipitately, and
opening the door on the left, advanced
into the shop, where stood the taxider-
mist mounting gray owl. He was il
cheerful faced man, with pink com
pleXion, and a great deal of it, owing
to the badness that extended from
forehead to crown. Indeed, but for a
scanty valance of hair at the nape of
the neck, his head was as smooth as ii
globe.
''GoOd afternoon, SIR" began Miss
LOvantia. with an energy that might
almost have set this valance waving.
The gentleman hailed fitted a glass
eye into its socket, and deliberately
smOOthed a rutlled feather.
Good afternoon" reiterated Miss
LOvantia, even more Justify than be
fore
The unconscious taXidermist adjust
ed the second eye, holding the bird at
arm's-length to mark the effect.
Equal to the emergency, Miss Lo-
vantia pressed forward within the
crescent described by his extended
elbow, and nodded with the emphasis
his deafness appeared to demand.
Now Mr.. Blodgett was not man to be
scared by an owl, or by the hollow
semblance of one. His worst enemies
wOnld admit that but when in squint-
ing between his thumb and finger, the
better to see this owl, he surprised him
self squirting at 4 strange woman, he
was startled it is no discredit to him
to say it. In his confusion he over
threw the bird of Minerva, but. collect
ing himself, quickly caught up the tin
speaking tube beside him, and pre-
sented its mOuth-piece to the intruder.
GLOW this brings father before me ~
thought Miss LOvantia, her lips hover
ing over the tube like bees about a
morning glory blossom. "After talk
ing for years with deaf person, it
would be queer if couldn't make my
self heard
..Eve hrnnrht Mnses my cat can