Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-05-14
THE sANDAL.wOOD NECKLACE.

THE SANDAL.WOOD NECKLACE.
"Put down that bundle, ye thafe,
and kim an I'll give We sich batln'
as We deserve" and Mrs. O'Lary set
her arms akimbo and shut her strong,
white teeth savagely together. But
Grit, the bound girl, resolute and dar-
ing, looked her angry mistress coolly
in the face and, in words as emphatic
as her own, declined More than this,
she managed to evade, by a sudden
dodge, the cruel outstretched hand
that woHld have grasped her shout
der, and darted into the street. Fix
perience had taught her that it would
not be safe to encounter Mrs O'Leary's
wrath for a whole day, at least, and,
darling into the street, she soon gained
the entrance TO an alley which was
conveniently near, and, by a series of
cautious windings aAd turnings, she
managed to elude pursuit, and soon
found herself on Market Square. Half
dozen huckster wagons stoon around,
their owners talking together; for
sales we've mostly over for the day,
and some Of them were preparing to
go home.
While Grit stood listening for her
pursuer and uncertain which way to
turn, she heard the voice of Mrs,
OIeary calling her, mingled with a
voliey of epithets and imprecations.
To spring to the wheel of one Of the
covered wagons. and climb in where
the white cover would screen her
from observation, was her first in
stinctive impulse; to curl herself up
like kitten in the soft, fragrant hay
with which the wagon bed was half
filled, was the next; and fearing to
move lest she should attract observa.
ton, the child closed her eyes and lay
perfectly quiet.
The day was warm, sthe hay was
soft, and this, added to Grits fatigue
for the child had been on her feet
all day since early m ming, going
here and there at the bidding of her
cruel taskmistress-soo produced a
sleepy feeling, TO which she yielded
unconsciously, and before many min
utes had elapsed she was fast asleep.
When she opened her eyes again she
could hear the roll of the wagon and
feel the steady Jolt of the waeels,
while Just in front oil her, distinctly
outline against the sky with its
thousand twinkliug stars, sat "a man
humming snatches of an old fashion
ed hymn and calling out to his team
occasionally to "ged ep' and "glang "
'Hello' called out Grit, saucily,
standing up in the hay behind, aud n
little dubious, in spite of her audicity,
as to the receptlonshc would probably
meet with.
AT the sound of that small voice in
the darkness the horses were checked
in their speed, and Farmer Cantwcll
turned half way around IN the seat
and CALCULATED in a surprised tone,
Good fathers! e.
Emboldeued by the tones Of that
honest voice, Grit spoke again:
What are you carrying me off
for2"
Mr., Cantwell laughed loudly by
way of reply.
''Wen, you're cool one, he an
swered; who are you and, what bust
ness have you in here ~
a very few minutes sufliced to pat
him in possession Of the few facts that
the little girl han been told regarding
herself
Taken from an orphan asylum
when a baby, and don't know who you
belong to3 And you've always been
beaten and abused by that old creetur,
eh Hal hal The ola woman won't
be very likely to find you here,
guess, and I'm glad of 1t. don't
know what I'm gOin to Go with a lit
tie gal like you. but | s'posa YOU can
find a good home somewhere. Come
to think there's the widow Dyes been
a lookin for 3 little girl
that would be handy to help
in her flower garden. | guess
that'll be just the place for Sc. She's
a dreadful good woman, is the widow;
lives all alone. neither chick or child
It'll be a nice home for a girl thatA
be good and industrious.
4 few weeks found Grit quite accus.
toned TO her new surroundings in the
pleasant home of Mrs Dye. Great
was her aston ishment 10 find that
widow Dye, as she was called in the
ueighborhood, was no venerable lady
ia cap and spectacles, but a young
and graceful woman, with large,
brown eyes and beautiful smile And
her hands-Grit had never felt eny-
thing like that soft and gentle touch,