The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-09-24

blanketed girl, after she had list, ned a mo.
ment. "Papa. here I ami" she called at
at the top of her lungs.
eyes, l am coming" came an answering
voice.
1t was not long before the hastily built
raft was pushed out and brought beneath
the indow The man in the army coat
was then recognized and received with a
little shout. The father of the rescued
child looked up with eyes that were over
flowing. "Give me Kitty and I'll a k her
right home to her mother, who is nearly
crazy z: st Drop her right down." and m he held held
back for the double team, and we'll soon
have o all up to our house."
SO, Papa, PHI never, never, never,
neUer disobey o again!" exclaimed
Kitty, as they bundled her through the
window.
"No, 1 am sure you never will" said her
father. hen Kitty was carefully dropped
into the u~preaching arms, and the raft
pushed away.
out Mr.. Bum, cheerfully.
"Ah! l am SO thankful" said Mrs. Bum,
"to think that we're not only all safe, but
Pa has saved somebody else."
Then there was a great dressing and
brushing, and a great washing and polish
luS VI ldCtS duu uduuS, lOT plcuby VI
water could be dipped up with a pitcher
and the knotted sheets, and the family
were all in readiness when the raft arrived
under the window again.
But such a large family could not be
shipped all at once. Mrs. Bum let Kitty
and Baby Bum, and two other small boys,
go ashore first; then Annie and Tom, care
fully wrapped in ~d-blankets, were let
down for the next load; and finally Mrs.
Bum, with the remaining small boy and a
bundle of clothing, took leave of the house.
They filed the farm-wagon quite full;
and the horses, impatient at the long watt
ing, started off at a pace that made Baby
Bunn's cheeks shake like two bowls of
jelly, and turned the children's faces into
one broad smile. The sun now shone radi
antly: there was a smell of young leaves
and early violets in the air; from the hill
sides came the plaintive bleat of little
lambs; and, yes, there it was, the loud,
clear 'strillium- trillium-tree' of the robin
from his topmost twig.
"How queer it is" thought Mrs. Bum.
81 seemed to see and hear all this yester-
day."
At the farmhouse a great breakfast was
in waiting for them; and Kitty, had
been kissed and cried over, and given some
snugly tucked up in bed in a room opening
off the kitchen, and the door had been left
open, that she might enjoy tho view of the
big table and the big family that were to
gather around it.
Such a breakfast! Even Annie and Tom
were able to relish the fresh-boiled eggs
and the delicious cream toast, while Mr..
Bum and the little boys accepted every
thing, from the broiled ham and cold baked
beans to griddle-cakes and doughnuts.
As for Mrs. Bum, the dear old associa-
lions of early days SO crowded upon her
she could hardly taste anything.
"This is the way people can live in the
country" she whispered to Nelly, and
shuddered when she thought of going back
to the Flats.
But Mrs. Bum never went back to the
Flats. That afternoon she was seized with
a chill and before night was in a high
fever, from which she lay ill in the best
bedroom of the Thompson farmhouse for
two weeks. Mr.. Bum and Nelly and Mrs.
Thompson nursed her tenderly, and took
dren lived at large in the fields, the big
barn and the large kitchen-garret, and
grew well and happy.
As soon as Mrs. Bum became strong
enough to "take the air." she was lifted
into the easy single buggy, and Mr.;
not trust the horse to other hands than his
own, he said. He drove slowly along the
pleasant country way, now sweet and leafy
in it's fresh May robes, n at the end of a
mile he stopped before a small house,
neatly painted in two shades Of gray, and
shaded by two kingly elms. In the rear Of
the house some men were building a new.
large kitchen, Mr.. Thompson explained.
Down at the foot of the grassy slope ran
q sparkling, pebbled brook. The brook
crossed the road on which they were driv-
ing, and was spanned by a very new
bridge.
SIT is a right pretty place." said Mrs.
Bum, looking at the shady little porch and
up to the noble elms, and thinking how
heavenly it must be to live in such a place.
lETTTzn IT, ,1oI q, 1sIa kL1 o.k:z
because it's yours, you know" said Mr..
Thompson.
tMine?" said Mrs. Bum, her eyes grow
ing large with astonishment. Were the
fever-dreams still buzzing in her heads?
"Certainly, Mrs. Bum! Don't you rec.
ognize your own house? All we did to il
was to haul it up here from the river and
| give it a little paint and a little white.
wash, and so forth. Your man said you
was fond of trees, and SO we set the house
by these elms. Your mans around there
| at work on the kitchen now-itW be finished
in a day or two-and there's three acres Of
good grassland and three of maple and
beech; aud we've picked out a nice, gentle
COW for a present to you Nelly; and
| well, it's a small enough return for wha
your man did for us when our Kitty wa
carried off on the old bridge that used tt
stand yonder," and Mr.. Thompson drew
out his handkerchief and wiped his nost
with great vigor.
"All-the land-the cow-ours?" Poo
Mrs. Bum could not believe her senses.
"Yes, all yours, to ave and to hold
And 1 forgot to say that there's a first-rat'
school just over the hill there, for you
youngsters. But you mustn't talk much
Mrs. Bum, and you mustn't get fiustered-
just after a fever, SO. Well drive 'rounl
home now, and maybe you'll feel strong
enough to &c into the house tomorrow anc
look around"
Happiness is such a tonic that Mrs. Bum
was indeed able the next day to look tn,
house over. And she discovered what Mr.
Thompson's and SO forth" meant. 1
meant substantial new furniture for all tn
rooms, pretty shades for the windows,
big handsome new stove for the new
kitchen, and a whole pantry full of grocery
supplies and crockery.
40, it's all too much-too much! !" criet
Mrs. Bunn,. sinking down into the new
rocking chair.
so, no, no, indeed" chorused Mr.. anc
Mrs. Thompson, who had been smilingly
watching her surprised and happy face
W g value our Kitty's life at a great dea
more than this. Indeed we do!n-EmilI
II. Leland, in N. Y. Independent.