Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-02-26
OLIVES ADVENTURE.

But don't believe any one would
take the trouble TO modest usW said
Mr.. Jaynesford, genially, as he threw
fresh log, moss -fringed and odorous
of the scented dead leaves, among
which it had lain all the autumn time,
upon the blazing fire. I'm the first
place, we've got nothing to steal-and
ia the second place, if we were all
murdered, | can't see any particular
good it would do anybody. So / cal
culate we may sleep quietly in our
beds
"Yes-but, father, said Mrs. Jaynes-
ford, with an anxious look (she was a
modern Martha, numbered with many
cares, this angular, hard-worklng,
yellow-faced farmers wife, 81 really
think you ought to get an extra bolt
on the back door, and | never did
think a hook and staple was safe
thing for the little hall door. If there
Is a gang of burglars and murderers
going through the country"
And Olive Morrison, the little lame
school mistress, who happened that
week to be boarding" at Farmer
Jaynesford's, moved her seat instinct
lively closer into the angle of the chin
ney corner, and lifting apair of large,
gray, startled eyes toward the good
humored face of Ger host.
"Fiddlestick !" ejaculatedMrJ aynes-
ford, 81 keep loaded rifle and old
Towser has throat like a trumpet
and / guess If they come here they'll
clear out again pretty lively quick.
Anyway, I'm not afeared Of 'em.
"There is such thing as foolhardi-
ness, lothian !" said his wife sentent-
iously, as she stirred the batter for
the mornings grddle cakes in a squat
stone jar with high-shouidered han
die on either side.
Olive Morrison went to her room
that night, in fear and trembling,
after having set up by the family fire
as long as she could possibly find any
excuse for so sitting up and lingering.
She was q soft-eyed, rosy complexion
ed little thing, with tender, tuneful
voice-a girl who would have been
very beautiful, were it not for the
paralysis of one limb, which made it
necessary for her to walk with
srutch, and somewhat dwarfed her
natural height Everybody liked
Olive.
The parsimonious opened their
hands to her simple needs chur
lish grew almost courteous-the hard
hearted instinctively softened, and
those who believed in the hopeless
depravity of auman nature, made an
exception in favor OF Olive Morrison
Even the riotous, rebellioHs young
horde of the district school were more
malleable, by far, under her gentle
rule than they had been under that
of the male teacher, who had just
resigned his position in despair.
AS she stood before the glass un-
bralding the brown, shining strands
of her long and luxUriant hair Mrs.
Jaynesford looked into the room.
ITS a sharp, frosty night, Miss
Olive she said; hadn't you better
have an extra comforter on your bed
to-nightw
Il don't think | need it, Mrs.
Jaynesford, said the girl. But do
do you really think there is any dan.
ger Of our being robbed and murder
ed2'
81 only know what ! We heard, there
bein' a gang o. lawess fellers in the
country Mrs. Jaynesford answered
with a sort of gloomy satisfaction IA
the prospect And / don't know
why they shouldn't come here, as well
as any place; 'Cain't likely they know
we haiu't got no silver, and lothian
keeps all his money in the county
bank. TowSers all very well, but |
have heard o. better dogs than he is,
bein' settled by dose of poison, and
I'd like 10 know what good lothian S
loaded rifles goin' 30 do us, srter nee
had his throat cut from ear TO ear in
his sleep!'
"Oh, Mrs. Jaynesford p shuidered
Olive, the brush railing from her nerv-
Gus fingers Il can't stay alone to-
night-will you send Bessie to sleep
with me9'
But in spite Of little Bessie Jaynes.
ford's peaceful breathing at her side,
Olive Morrison could not go to sleep
until midnight, and when at last
few suatcheS Of Capuclous slumber
visited her eyelids, 1t was embittered
by frightfEl dreams Of black-crape-
masked burglars standing at her bed
side, and pistols presented close to her
eyebrows.
"Pshawm said Olive to herself the
next morning, as she views her pale
face and swolled eyes. Il am a
goose-and I'll be one so longer.
What good could any one gain by
hunting poor lame girl like me. p
don't believe there are any burglars
around-and if there should be. 7
don't believe they will come to Farm
er Jaynesford's.
But the walk was long and lonely,
and when Olive reached the fallen
tree just beyond the rocky spring.
where the school children always
stopped to drink, she sat down on the
trunk OF a fallen tree, 10 rest a little.
ere pursuing the remainder of Ler
weary way
As She did so, the sound of human
voices reached her ear-the gruf, low
voices of two men talking about the
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