St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-08-20
Ing for the nearest doctor.


old-fashioned carryan with its clumsy
wheels.
! But 10! as she ran TO the barn she
| spied, already beyond call, Jacob, Rex
and earryall speeding out at the gate,
for Jacob decidedly preferred using
Rex's four feet instead of his own two,
Here was a pretty state of affairs.
| There was no time to be lost. Tire
train was due in fifteen minutes, and
| the village station was nearly mile
away. Kathleen, looking round in de-
spair, caught sight of n fine new dom
key which her father had brought
home only yesterday.
! ~ took him for debt from man
named John Robinson" Mr.. Reed had
explained. ''He warranted him to be
an accommodating little beast, and
thought he would do for the children
to drive in the phaeton. His name is
Pepper"
And very docile donkey he seem
ed, making no objection to Kathleen
leading him to the phaetOn, and stand
ing quiet while sue deity harnessed
him.
"Why, you're a beauty p cried Kath-
ieen. $50 on, now, good donkey J"
Pepper accepted the compliment,
aud let Do grass grow under his little
hOOfs. But. for all the hurry, they
| reached the station not n minute too
soon, for the train was rushing into the
depot, aud here was Great-aunt kath-
crime, graciously glad to see Kathleen,
condescendingly sympathetic on the
subject of Willie's cent, and ready to
pardon Kathleen and the donkey
coming for her instead of Mrs. Reed
and the horse. She stepped into the
low carriage, which immediately be-
came IA chariot, and Kathleen took up
the reins.
"Get up, Pepper! !" But Pepper only
whisked his tail.
"Get up !" Kathleen repeated, think
| ing her command might not have been
| understood.
This time Pepper tossed his head,
bnt never "a foot did he stir. Kathleen
gave him "A stroke with the whip. Pep
per retorted with what sounded amaz-
| ingly like IA chuckle.
All the other carriages had left the
station. Only one boy still stood on
the platform, and he was grinning from
ear to ear. cont him agin,' suggested
lie. give seen that donkey afore.
He's Robinson's donkey, I'll bet a dol
lar. Cut him agini ~
J Kathleen did "cut him agin." She
grew quite furious, but Pepper was
calm.
| just then "A man came round the cor
ner. He also smiled CHATS Robin
sons donkey, I'm thinking" said he,
taking hold of the bride with a jerk.
"Get along with you," he shouted.
And "get along Pepper did at such
pace that the wind whistled in kath-
leen's ears. Her hat blew back on
her shoulders. Great aunt Katherine
grasped the side of the phaeton, and
barely escaped heing tossed to the
ground rs they whirled round n corner
at break neck speed.
"Whoa whoa" cried Kathleen,
which order Pepper saw fit to obey,
rafting briskly up to the door of a low
drinking saloon, and there coming to a
dead halt.
"Lager- Beer, Wines, Liquors." read
Madam Stearns, in a voice which seem
ed to have the entire "Maine Liquor
Law" condensed in it's tones. "Lager-
beer, Wines, Liquors. My dear, this is
extremely shocking. Can you not pre-
vail on the animal to proceed ?"
Again Pepper chuckled. Again he
absolutely refused to budge. A wOm-
an, with frowzled hair, put her head
out of an upper window. "That's Rob
inson's donkey, amt it p said she.
"Folks drivin' him had ought to send
along their meals, in case o. deten-
ton"
At the end of much Ruthless whip
ping and cOaxing, once more the same
man who had befriended them ut the
station appeared and grasped the bri-
die.
"Get along with YOU" and this time a
good kick was bestowed on Peppers
fat launches.
OFF he started, down one street, up
another, wheresoever his evil desires
suggested. Never mind the reins
Never heed your streaming locks Kath-
leen Hold on to the phaetOD, great
other corner. Let us canter! let us
gallOpl All, Hotel Beresford! let liz
tarry herei
Kathleen nearly went over the dash
er, so abrupt was the pause. Madam
Stearns's bonnet was resting on the
bridge of her nose, and one of her
loOsened gray pnffs was waving in the
breeze.
Through the immense plate glass
windows of the hotel smokingrOom
gazed several astOnished gentleman.
"Was there ever such mortifica-
ton ~ groaued Great-aunt Katherine.
Kathleen, can we not leave this ami
NAL and find a coach ?"
81 don't believe he'll let us get ont"
said Kathleen. .....
Indeed, he would not. He kept the
light carriage in perpetual motion. A