The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-22
THE MYSTERY OF GREENFIELD,
Youths Companion. |


We came up into the country to pretty
Greenfield in the early spring,-three o.
us,-May and Lou and 1. thoroughly tired
out with the seasons excitements. W.
loneed to get entirely away from everybody
to creep into some nook, where. if possible
We should have nothing to do but to SEE thu
sunrise and sunset, with dinner between
where We could wear . wrapper all day If VI
chose without comment from anybody.
"Juss think" said Lou. one day, when w
had been discussing our wearinesl and wish
o., what an Elysium that would be, II there
were any such spot in reach OF the winds Of
earth"
II think yes. have It'll do know Just
such bit OF creation" slowly returned May.
"Not 90 far away either, but what we might
come back and right Things up IL our absenct
brought on an earthquake in either OF ouI
Where is the earthly paradise to be
foundr' exclaimed Lou and 1, eagerly.
II will tell you," said May. Long ago,
when was a child, my father had an stunt
AWAY back among the hills, In the sweetest,
coolest, quiesest place you can immagine
and he used to send me to her in the lone
vacations, to grow fat and scratch myself be-
yond all recognition among the blackberry
vines. Auntie is long since dead, but Ihavs
no doubt We could hide ourselves among
those quiet people. so that not one soul OF ell
this city could find US. I'll yet papa on the
track"
In tso weeks we were settled away back
among the hills" and OH how good it was
The last snow wreaths were hardly gone from
the corners, and the cold winds snapped
round Farmer Gray's comfortable house but
wood was plenty, and wherever Mrs. Gray
WAS there was sunshine.
We had three rooms, clean, cool and pref
tily furnished. There was . little girl OF
twelve or thirteen years to wait upon as and
do our errands, whose mother had died, leav
ing her destitute child to the tender sympa
thies of her neighbors; and can vouch fol
IL that little Alice Prescott never suffered
lack. for good Mrs. Gray took her particularly
to her home and heart
Msy's.easel soon found the favorable light
In her room, my crochet-work perched itsel
on the little rattan work table In mine
LOUIS deck and books came from their hiding
places, and we sat down for whole summer
full of clear comfort.
NAYS dainty little sketches were the ad
miration of all ner friends; and as 1t was toe
cold 20 work out OF doors. Alice undertook
the furnishing Of subjects to keep the brushed
buy. Nothing seemed to please her 30 mucc
- to watch Mays delicate cspving OF the
first spring blossoms that could be found, o.
the delic Gus sheen of the pussy Willows
would you like to do this work. saio
May to her, one day:
''Oh, ! would 1 think l conld, dom
your" :.
then" rejoined May. giving her drawing pa
Der and perc Gil. In q little til Alice CANT
quietly and bashfully to her side with YER.
fair copy. -,
"Why child, who taught you to drawn
II never learned: that is, she stammered
ssnobody ever told me how. but used to lik
to make pretty things that 1 saw on bircf
bark or any thing"
"Can you come to me every DAY for a
hour to drawn
"Yes'm, think 90. II I hurry"
So, day by day, Alice became Mays com
panien a. we'll as servant and before long
package came from the city that made bel
heart Jump, for it proved to be colors
brushes and everything for water color
painting. She and May grew to be
strong friends, but alas for the stability o
earthly thingsi into all content creeps trouol.
and grief So one lovely day Lou and
were surprised BY May rushing into my room
sxclaiming. in great indignation:
.sGirls! girls somebody has been In my
room Things are al scattered about, and
] cannot fnd my brushes"
"Nonsense, replied. THE wind blew
In your window and set them ahying
Look on the carpet"
Yet all the searching We could do did no
bring them to light. In less than . weel
came another alarm from May.
.'Pm sure somebody has been in ny room
to-day. for lett my best lace hsndkerchie
on the table when / went out, and now 1t il
gone"
We were sghast. Were there witches IL
our pleasant home? We felt obliged TO re
port the state of things to Mrs.. Gray, wht
was astonished, but stoutly declared 1t i'm
possible that any one could nave entered TIT
house without her knowing IL.
So We kept doors carefully locked ant
waited. Before many days May went on
for IN hour or two, and on returning stoot
trans6xed with Indignation. Her orderi,
little table was Q scene Of confusion, and INT
pretty wstsr-color painting . wreck. Z
large corner of it was torn on, there was
hole in the middle, and several little GAO
here aud there were pricked out, a. II WIZ
scisor points or something sharp.
NAYS wrath rose, and calling Mrs. Gray
abe showed her the devastation. Mn. Gray
vss ooreiy puzzled, but could give no expla
nation. The door was locked and the win
d,ws too high for entrance And besides
sns blinds were closed and fastened Just .
100, -x-:-xxA-- x~rtk nap> ~ IN