Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-02-08
Our Young Folks.
SOPHY,S LESSON.

SOPHY'S LESSON.
1t wa March in the wild Maine for
ests, but it might as well have been mid
winter for all the appearance of spring
That there was in those desolate re-
gions. The pines and sprnces were all
bowed down with their weight of snow,
the ''Sllent Lake. was frozen until it
shone like a sheet of blue steel, and the
sloping roof of the 'Sportsman's Re-
treat" was covered with pearly masses
OF wilderness. To Mrs. Fay, who had
come from a crowded city, it was very
lonesome, but the children jumped and
danced about in the snow, and declared
it was "lovely."
Aunt Hepsy Smith lived there, and
took winter care of the little tavern
for hotel it could scarcely be called
while her son John, a sturdy giant of
two-and-twcnty, was cutting down trees
on the mountain-side, and sometimes
did not come home for two or three days
at q time,
MI. Fay. who was Aunt Hepsy's
nephew, had gone into partnership with
John in the numbering business, and
had taken q fleet of RATS down the
river, while his wife had come to this
solitary spot, with her two little girls.
Sophy and Sissy, to stay with good
Aunt Hepsy until his return.
"But l never thought it was right out
in the Wilderness" said she, or l
wouldn't have come"
For Mrs. Fay had lived all her life in
q city, and the frozen solitudes of the
connsry were a new experience to her.
ooh. you'll get used to it," said
Aunt Hepsy. cts pretty gay in sum-
out here. La! you ought to see the
boats on the lake, and a little steamer
once q week."
"Where are the boats now, Aunt Hep
sy?" asked Sissy, a plump little lass of
four years old.
Cali locked up in the lighthouses,
half a mile off," Aunt Hepsy answered.
care there any Indians in these
woods?" said Sophy, who had just been
reading "The Last of the Mohicans,"
and whose little head was full of Gun
cas' and "Chingachgook."
LA, no, child!.' Said Aunt Hepsy.
''Once in a while the squaws come
through, selling baskets, in the sum-
mer-time, and old Pia, who begs cold
v%ictuals, was here once-a regular old
rascal, who would sell his soul for a pint
OF whisky. There isn't nobody here
now but lumbermen and trappers, and
that sort of people,"
"What do they set traps for?" said
Sissy--ssmice9n
'Furred creatures" explained Aunt
Hepsy; 4'martens and sables and minks,
and all them vermin."
But in a few days Mrs. Fay began to
be reconciled to the snow and the soil
tude. They kept great blazing fires in
the sitting-room, and Aunt Hepsy had
plenty of books in a homemade book
case, andthere came Story papers every
week from New York and Boston, for
John was a great reader when he was
at home. And John promised to make
Sissy a little ermine tippet the very next
erlnine that he caught in his traps, and
described to Sophy a fine bee-tree,
which he had already marked for his
OWL
Well go after the honey one o.
these days" said he. DO you like
biscuits and honey:?"
"oh. don't 1 though9' cried sophy,
clapr;ng her hands.
u. ny Il neighbor came to ask
Aunt ilc,' = to go half across the island
on his rude board sledgc, to see his lit
tie daughter, who was very i'll with
d%iphtheria.
"Of course I'll CO. said Aunt Hepsy,
"but l don't know much about the dis
case"
Mrs. Fay did, however. Sophy had
nee been very ill with it, and so she
volunteered to go also, and give what
aid she could.
Cant we go, too, mother?" said So
"Certainly not" said Mrs. Fay. "Do
you want to catch the diphtheria
again."
So while the two women got ready
for the long, cold ride, Mr.. Nuttall-
which was the neighbours name
amused the little girls by telling them
how he had seen a '%'painter' in the
woods as he came down.
ga regular roarer!!" said he. 1.-THE
size of a calf, 'mostn.'
"What is apainter?" said Sissy. "Is
it a tree?n
"No, it's a panther" said Mr.. Mutt
all. ga monster wild cat! They're
dreadful fierce creatures; but you don't
often see 'em this way unless they're
starved out Of the wilderness where
they prowl."
II should like to see a painter" said
Sophy.
"Well. I guess you wouldn't want to
see it the second time said Mr.. Mutt
all.
Just then the women came in, all
bundled up like Arctic explorers.
''Be sure you take good care of Sissy,
Sophy," said Mrs. Fay. ''Thc supper
is all ready on the stove, and you
can choose which ever kind of jam you
like, out of the cupboard. John will
be home tonight, and he will look after
you until we get back tomorrow morn
ing"
Sophy promised faithfully, and the
little girls kissed their mother and
Aunt Hepsy, and stood smiling at the
window until the sledge had driven
away.
Tha,o xyoc ~ doors 1ocL-ad or hollis