West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-07-11
SANS STORY.

Rob thinks had better tell this story.
/ suppose because he feels sort of bash
ful; and Uncle Rufe says a hero ne, err
ought TO tell his own story. Rob pre-
tends that it wasn't much of ANYTHING
that he did, but we all think il was
pretty smart Rob is smart. if he is my
brother. He can puzzle the school
master asking arithmetic questions, and
he ism afraid of the minister. III any
body IN this town ever gets to be Presi-
dent, l know pretty well who il will
be. But Bob says to go ON telling tho
story it m going to, and not put in so
many flour,hes.
We live ut White Oak Farm, with
Uncle Rufe and Aunt Penelope. and
Dolly. There are three of us-Rob and
Philly and !. am Sam. Rob is twelve
and Phllly is eight, and | am a great
deal Older than Philly, but not quite so
old rs Rob. We haven't any father or
mother, but Aunt Penelope and Uncle
huie thlnk Just as much of us as they
do OF Dolly; anyway none of us can see
any difference. Dolly is eight, but she
is girl, and she seems kind of small
and young. We take care of Dolly.
White Oak Farm is a splendid bio
farm. but Uncle Rufe has been GROWING
poor lately. A bad man cheated him
out of great deal of money, and then
1t was bad year for crops, and it costs
ever so much TO take care of us. Rob
thinks. He is in an awful hurry to GROW
up on that account, and he tries to learn
everything. He knows almost as much
about farming as Uncle Rufe does. and
he can handle tools like a carpenter
don't see of what use those things are
when he says he's going TO be a civil
engineer, or an architect, but he saws
ne wants to he ready for anything
Well, as | was saving, Uncle Rufe has
grown poor, so poor that he had IN
mortgage the farm, and then he couId
not pay the interest on the MORTGAGE
when IT came due. He felt pretty badly
i can tell you, that dav when he went
over to Easton TO tell the man that he
couldn pay him. He didn't know but
the man would fOreclose, and take the
farm right away. and then we should
be homeless. We loved every inch of
White Oak Fam, and TO think of its be-
longing TO anybody else was awful. fl
was a December day, and there was
snow In the air Aunt Penelope went
with Uncle Ruie because she wanted TO
sec her sister, Aunt Maria who lived i'm
baston, and they we're not coming home
until the next day Lsha, the hired
man, and Keziah, the hired girl. were
left u keep house and take care of rs.
Oi course we could take care of our-
selves, but Aunt Penelope used not TO
think So perhaps she thinks differently
now.
They went away in the forenoon. and
That afternoon Keziah got a message
That her sister, over at Oxford Mills
was very sick. and wanted her. OF
course Lisha had to harness old Pe0asts
and carry her over there. He made a
great fuss about leaving us alone. and
so did keziah, though She was awfuIlv
worried about her sister, but we were
not afraid
White Oak farm was a mile and a half
from the village, and in a pretty lone
some place, but tramps didn't often
come around 80 that time Of wear. and
we couldn't think Of anvthinv thar
could trouble as. Kcziah could. tbouob
She's awfulIy nervous. She said we
should Jet DOlly's apron get on fire md
she would be burned 10 death. or ,go
should tumble over Beelzebub. the old
black cat, who always would sit ON tho
stairs. and break our neeks. or ,,o ont
to The barn and drop a lighted match
ON the hay, and burn everything up. or
put kerosene on the stove. and blow
everything up. or choke ourselves. or
eat the rat poison on the top shelf ~
the closet can begin ~ tell YOU All
the things that Keziah prophesied wouid
happen 10 u.s., but she didn't once think
OF what did happen. That always tho
way with people that worry Rob saw.
IT'S never any use.
10 had begun TO snow in the middle Of
the afternoon, and it was a very bu4i-
ncs--like ow-.torm.
II cont know about getting back on
wheels tonight. said Lfsha. sbut I
shall have o. tryit, for can't get alone
or runners now
We told him not to trv 10 get back
that night, for we shouldn't BE- . bif
afraid fo stay alone all ni0ht but he
shook his head. When ] saw him do
that knew he'd come back if he had
70 walk. Lisha q, like that YOU can
aspend upon him.
hs hc was driving out of the ward he
called 20 Rob tO Boz sure not 90 let any
stranger into the house Tho BANK in