Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-06-12
Written for The GRANr County HEnAID.l
LITTLE STORM.
BY COLBY.
CHAPTER VT


Dane with his dogs returned home. He
did not say that his Crow hunt had met
with success. In truth, he said nothing
about it, and no one ventured to ask
him any questions; but there was Just
visible IN his open eye look of smoth-
cred satisfaction, and the tone of voice
in which he told Bill to chain up the
dogs promised SO much that glow of
good nature threatened the whole house
Martha saw the wave of peace coming
and braced her feet against it.
"Well, jim she said, after he had
eaten his dinner, IL suppose you're
going to keep that little brat here for
ever. amt you?''
Il suppose | am. if feel like it, Jim
answered, half testify.
''Well, | suppose you amt going to do
any such thing. I've got enough work
to do without taking care of her. Jim
Dane, if you don't take her down to the
settlement and give her to some member
of the church-they profess to be so
good that its their business to take care
of SIGH homeless ciitters-I say if YOU
don't give her away, I'll do it myself,
do you hear, Jim Dane?' Martha
voice got up on the high notes and there
was not a fiat in it. ''And another
thing" she continued, ''yoa've got to
get me a new dress. You think | can
wear this old dud all my life. If you'd
do less gaddin' round the country and
more work you'd have more money to
spare. Bill cant do all the work, Jim
Dane, do you hear me?"
Now, Martha, don't cave round so.
Save some of that wind dig 'taters
with next week. Bless your dear soul,
I'd break every bone In your body if
you'd dare to give that kid away
After which gentle warning, Jim took
his hat and went out into the sunshine,
seating himself upon the door step.
| Jim's children, with Storm, were at
play on the green near by Jim sat
watching them for a long time. He
noticed that Storm was not like his own
childl en-, in this that she was slighter of
body and nimbler of limb, with clearly
cut, intellectual facial outline. The
other children were heavy and robust,
with large fat faces full of good humor
and health. but having no particular
marks of character or breeding about
them. Their clumsiness and inaptitude
was noticeable in their attempts at
making faces at Storm when put out
of humor at some slight mistake on her
part, and it made her fall upon the
grass with laughter to sec their awk-
ward and unsuccessful attempts at
facial contortion. Storm could make
face that would set them bowling
with rage in one moment
The children were playing with an old
blue kerosene barrel. And just here
would like to remark on the eagerness
of kerosene barrels TO inhabit the utter
most parts of the earth. Twenty-four
hours after somebody has discovered
the North Pole, empty blue barrels will
be found languishing around the great
axis, and if you roll them over, fish
worms and faded grass will be found
underneath The children had this
particular barrel laid upon its side. and
were having greet fun and some pain
by riding it. Storm would crawl on top
of the barrel and lay face down, while
several of the children would in like
manner pile upon her back, one on top
or the other; then they would start the
barrel slowly down hill At the start,
such screams of laughter you never
heard; but the riding operation was not
confined entirely to the laughing party,
and when the barrel got on top-O my
soul
Girl, come here; | want to talk to
you" 1t was Jim who spoke, and
Storm was the girl addressed. The
children stopped playing and Storm
came forward timidly and stood in front
of him. he looked at her n while and
finally asked:
whats your namep'
After hesitating some, she answered
. Title Storm.
Little Storm. Hump What's your
other name?" jim asked.
Storm made no answer.
"Where did you come from?" con-
tinued Jim.
Where did the Indians get you?"
Jim persisted
Again no answer. Storm stood
nervously chewing her fingers
"rll make you'talkin Jim said ener-
geticaly, and, grabbing the little girl,
he cuffed her ears and shook her vigor-
ously, until she screamed with all her
might.
Jim, you nasty old brute you just
let that child Alone Martha shouted,
and running out, she jerked Storm from
his arms and carried her into the house
Jim sauntered out to the shed and
quietly looked in On his knees upon
the ground, with his back to the door,
all unconscious of his fathers presence,
Bill Dane was occupied in examining
the dogs mouths, doubtless in search of
traces of departed Crows. Jim gave
the boy a vigorous and startling kick,
and ordered him to harness the team
and draw logs for q new barn. Bill
went to the pasture, where he found his
next younger brother Sam leaning on
the bars He hit Sam ''crack' in the
mouth with the fiat of his hand and
ordered him 90 grease the wagon. Sam
retaliated lively fight ensued, and
Sam got sOundly thrashed as usual.
Fall and winter passed away and no
one came to claim little Storm as their
own. She had many hard fight
against fearful odds and was often
badly beaten; but she was growing into
a fine, large girl, and Jim gave to her
the name of Fanny Dane. And the
name was about all he did give her,
too, for she went about nearly naked,
to say nothing of the regular meals of
victuals she did mt get; but childhood
is happy thing, and Storm, or Fanny
Dane, bore small burden in her heart
on account of it.
And Just here we must loosen our grip
on the rope of time and allow it to
slide through our hands unchecked for
a space. From Christmas until Christ
mas-what an unreasonable stretch of
time does it span in the mind of a child
| And when | say we are about to pass
over sixteen OF these spans in utter 81
! lence, do YOU comprehend its immensely?
Sixteen years The siege of Troy was
conSummqted in ten years; but that was
over thirty hundred years ago. Christ
was born in "A single night, less than
nineteen hundred years ago, and look
| at that nights fruits. America was
! discovered in an hour. What might
not occur in sixteen years?
Not but that there are plenty of incl
| dents of vital import occurring in every
life covering that period from two to
| eighteen years to make u number of
| chapters; but the average duration of
human life grows shorter, consequently
we of the thoughtful pencil must fly
over some spots where the old masters
/ sat and unused or crept and pictured.
As soon as age would allow, Storm
was put on ponyback and it became q