The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-09-13

That afternoon found Kate walking
up to the door of Deacon Hollis pleas
ant farmhouse. She found the Deacon
and his wife sitting in their shaded
porch, and met a hearty welcome.
Their own three daughters were settled
in homes of their own, and the old peo-
pie enjoyed call from Kate, and her
singing, greatly. She had togive them
Rock Of Ages now as soon as she recov-
cred breath. 1t was sometime before
she could get to business. Then she
asked:
deacon Hollis, have you disposed Of
your two seated rockaway, YETI"
"No."
"You don't use it?"
.Not often. Wife and have agreed
to ride on the same seat, so the little
carriage answers u.s."
Then Hates plan came out. She
wanted to hire the Deacon's staid horse
Roxy, and the roomy rockaway. and
take her father and mother, and the
children. with herself, on ride of ten
days or so out in the country.
''But where are you going?" asked
Mrs. Hollis, whose kind heart was in
terested at once. "Your mother does
look real peakedy," she said.
My plan is to 60 up to Lake George,
see that, and spend one night there
with friends that have visited us two or
three times. Then, about thirty-ive
miles farther. in among the mountains,
on stage road, lives an old aunt and
uncle of fathers, who write us about
once year, and always urge us so
heartily to come and visit. Now is that
too far?"
The Deacon reckoned the miles and
said. "Roxy could easily do it in four
days, and three back" he added; ''she's
q masterful hand to know when her
head is turned homeward."
1t was all settled at last. The Dea-
con liked to put generous bill in the
collection for foreign missions. and he
liked good bargain right well, and it
did come little hard to offer Roxy and
the rockaway for "a dollar q day and
her keep" but generosity compelled.
and he never regretted it.
That evening Kate unfolded her plan
at home. OF the surprise, the objec-
tons, the slow, because fearful, assent
of the stay-at-home elders, and the de-
light of the children we need not stop
to speak.
Suffice it, that the second week of
August proved as bright and bland as
could be desired, and at half-past five
Roxy and the carriage were in waiting
at the door of the Morgan home. Then
it took the family just one hour to pack
in the belongings necessary for the trip.
Not the clothes-they had each on a
good stout suit, and beside that carried
one poorer to wear in the woods. But
there was small boiled ham and three
loaves ofwheat bread, and pail of gin
ger-snaps and package of cheese, q bag
with salt and pepper for the eggs they
should buy, and tea and coffee and
sugar, and pain-killer, and liniment,
and a few other such motherly pro-
visions.
Husband, you haven't made mis-
take in the box, have youP That does
not look Just like the one / put the
sugar and things in"
It was opened and found to contain
hard soap and silver polish, and they
all enjoyed the laugh, and as for Kate,
one look in her fathers face was pay
ment enough for all her trouble.
At last they were off in the early
glory Of the morning, through the half.
awakened streets, down over the bridge
near the noisy factories, and then out
aud up into the fair countryside. past
beautiful farm-houses with their flowers
and fruit orchards, through bits of
woods where birds were chirping and
squirrels racing. by little singing brooks
and miniature falls, until at eleven
o'clock they had come fifteen miles and
were all agreed that convenient wood
with large fiat stones was Just the place
for a dining room; and here they
camped out. Roxy was embarrassed, q
little fire built by the brook, and over it
they boiled some potatoes and eggs,
and tea for two. they spread cloth
on a rock, and on it toad perched
himself as if quite at home. After
dinner papa and the boys went explor-
ing, while mamma and Alice took a
nap in a hammock, and Kate ambi-
tiously sketched tiny waterfall.
Toward night they drove five miles
farther and there put up at a small
country inn. where they found good
beds and small bills. The next day
they had three hours at Lake George
and time to reach their friends cordial
welcome.
But the third day they really had An
adventure. A thunder storm overlook
them on the lonely mountain road, and
they were obliged to seek shelter in q
barn, and finally to spend the night
there, finding beds in hay or hammock
or carriage as they best could, and
thankful when morning gave them .
bright sun again and chance to go on.
And that Sabbath among the Adiron-
dacks, in its deep quiet. its purple haze,
its majesty of rock and tree-will any
of them ever forget it? And every hour
of that piny, aromatic air seemed .
tonic to the worn father and mother,
the sickly Willis, and to Kate herself it
brought such sense of majesty and of
inexpressible rest, as gave to her prayer
q new and richer meaning.
But all vacations have their end, and
Wodu oo1 n " v,,orns n - formed a. M>~<.~-