Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-05-02

Oo uoHl III tilo DolIoiil Vi tnc NaSOIl
and slapped his hands across his chest
to keep them warm.
"Snowing? Oh, pshav !" said Mr..
Riggs, "what's an odd fake Or two?"
The electric man groaned. 81
can't see my hand before my face, >
said he
"Well, what ye want to see it for %
chuckled Mr.. Riggs. ''For my part,
I'd deal rather see the lights of
Squank Village"
And he laughed SO good-naturedly
that oven the melancholy artisans
were compelled to smile little IN
reply.
But the December night closed in,
dark and stormy-the "colts," sober
old stagers of ten and twelve years
old, continued to wander out of the
way, and even Mr. Riggs became
bewildered - and the first they
knew the wagon was tipped over on
the edge of glen. All scrambled up
without bodily harm, however.
'Shaft's broke, oh ?" said the boss
carpenter. "And harness split to
ribbons? Well, we air fixed, now!'
81 see light!'' said the electric
man, who had been staring helpless
ly around him, aud wondering per-
chance, if there were any bears left in
the Cherry Mountain woods.
at is willo' e-wisp," said the
master mason.
ga will-o'- -the-wisp! At this time
of the year? Nonsense said Mr..
Riggs. "1t's the Widow Puzzles
kitchen window"
GA kitchen window, eh ?" said the
head painter. "Come, that sounds
cheerful. Let us go for it."
'But we amt none of us acquaint-
ed with the lady," feebly objected the
electric man.
ooh hang ceremony" said the
master mason. "She can't very we'll
put us out, unless she is worse than
the Witch of Endor. And my nose
feels exactly as if the end was frozen" F."
Mrs. Puzzle was getting tea when
the little assemblage came up to her
door, leading the two colts which
had been set free from their har-
ness, and crept along in the rear af'
ter most detected fashion. Fried
chicken, buttered toast, honey in the
comb and-that was the bill of fare.
For Miss Jenkins, the school mis-
tress, boarded with Mrs. Puzzle, "just
for a bit of company" as the rosy
widow said, and Sarah Ann, the hired
girl, had fair idea of what was not.
The widow herself came to the door.
"Why, dear mel" said she, sit Is
Mr.. Sparkle, the electric battery
agent, aint't it! And Mr.. Kalsomer,
and Joel Hammer, and BIr. Bryce,
that painted the steeple of the new
meeting house! And Mr.. Riggs,
too, if my eyes don't deceive me
Well, 1 am took by surprise. Walk
in, gentlemen, walk in. And yon
are just in time for tea. And the
horses, too-Sa-ah Ann, you was al.
ways handy with a team-just lead
the horses into the barn, ard shake
them down bed of clean straw from
the loft"
Here was welcome worth having
of u winter night. The forlorn trav-
elers crowded around the fire, except
Joel Hammer, who elected to accom-
pany Sarah Ann and the colts out tc
the barn-and told their sad tale.
"Well, wasn't it lucky" said Mrs
| Puzzle, that it should have happen
| ed Just here? 1t does so remind me
of what my poor dear gran'ther used
to say-'There isn't anything SO bad
but that it might have been just as
bad again? Keep you all night
OF course l can keep You all night
| | and Sara h Ann and Miss Jenkins
will take the little end room where
there is an al r-tight wood-stove, and
you men folks shall have the big
chamber, where there is two double
bed-steads and a cot. And a big
Fireplace, where you can build Il fire
that will roast all creation. Deal
me! you don't suppose | would le
any human creature 60 out into tht
storm tonight"
And the Widow Puzzle immediate
ly set herself to work to get up sup
per which, as she said, "should b.
someways near fit to eat" Cold roas
pork-flaky baked potatoes, delicious
| Lo,,,o ,,,o1a brnnI and ooffaa brawof