The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-10-09

So much of the battle was won, and
much the harder half, for Vcsta, in her
novel undertaking. had not counted up.
ON the favor OF her ncighbors. The re-
maindcr of the task would be easy
enough. AZ first the company"
thought IL very old and rather unsafe
10 ride behind girl driver; but she
soon proved that She thoroughly under
stood her business, was always so will.
ing and cheerful that the innovation
after few wocks ceased TO be matter
10 he wondered Mt, and was accepted
along with the rest of the ''peculari-
ties" of the region --doughnuts clam
bakes, pic for breaksast, aud so forth.
Hardly day passed, clear or cloudy,
that the kallahan team was not seen
driving toward or coming from tho
Surf House with q merry load of ''rus-
ticstors'; indeed, so popular had Vesta
and her blackboard become that she
was rarely out OF the drivers seat.
And edward Everett and HANNIBAL
Hamlin," to their credit be 1t recorded,
never once failed in their endcavors to
do their utmost for the enterprising
little Amazon who handled the reins so
dcKterously.
September, the month of the hegira
for the guests at tho Cove, found Vesta
the proud and triumphant posscssor of
q snug sum OF money, almost double
that which she had hoped to earn. Now
she might safely reckon on Zemro's be-
coming the captain of the Fearnaught.
There was enough money to lay in q
supply of necessaries for the winter.
enough to buy all the doctors stuff"
granny would need for months, and
blissful thought 10 buy tho beau-
tiful wedding gown which would adorn
the happiest girl in all Maine before the
bluebirds and thrushes returned in the
early spring! Rosy meditations of this
sort filed the girls brain as she drove
toward the hotel to take her last load to
the wharf. No wonder she drove up be-
fore the door with an extra flourish, and
with happy chirrup that made her
horses prick up their ears. Her eyes
sparkled with hope and delight, her
cheeks glowed redder than ever beneath
their screen of freckles. as she tripped
lightly up the steps to the piazza where
heaps of luggage awaited transporta-
ton to the wharf.
Hello, vesta," called Irene Higgins
from the dining-room window. 81 was
to tell you to come right into the par
lor the minute you came. Guess you re
goin' to git your partin' gift like the rest
of u.s."
1--WE got all I want" murmured
Vesta, contentedly, thinking of the we'll.
stuffed stocking carefully hidden al
home in the unused stovepipe in the
sitting-room.
"Good morning Miss Vesta," saluted
the spokeswoman of the half-dozen OF
more travellers waiting in the parlor.
"We are so sorry that we heard only
: last night of your expected marriage
next autumn. Had we known it earlier
we should have insisted on having the
wedding before we returned to oul
, homes. We have concluded to give you
Il present, and you can send us all in.
J vitation when the affair comes off.
, Take this" giving the blusing girl Q
{ u small paper box"--and with it oul
sincercst wishes for your happiness ant
! success. You are good girl, and de
serve to prosper. Don't open the bo,
, until the steamer has left the wharf"
Good-byes were now exchanged. ant
, few minutes later the blackboard wa.
, rolling toward the wharf, the daint,
} white packet tucked safely in the driv
: er's Jacket pocket
"Whst d'y' s'pose it's, VestyP" ~his
: pefed Zemro. who had come with the
rest of the Hackmetack Covers to '.set
D the company off,"
"Jewelry. dessay; that's what thu
D city folks allus give for weddin' pres
: cnts," she replied in an undeltoae
. 1--WE allus wanted esr-rings-guess it..
, that"
: "Wish it was dozen pair, you dar
! linz warmly responded her lover.
"Then I'd hev to wear 'em on m,
!, nose an on my toes, you silly boy, '
she whispered back, in a laughing tone
A loud whistle proclaimed the ap
proach of the boat.
"Good-bve, Vesta; goodbye. good
bye," called the merry travellers from
4 the upper deck. The luggage wa.
quickly carted aboard, the VIII stlc blew
the caDle was cast off, and the RocklanG
backed out into the stream.
= Vesta waved her handkerchief wifi
the rest of the crowd until the boat wa
well under way; then she took the bo,
> from her pocket, z nyerly united tin,
ribbon, and lifted the lid
"Moncy!" gssped Zcmro; and "How
much? how muohp" clamored the euri
GUS throng, crowding around the pair
Vesta took the green roll from the box
smoothed it out in her hand, and, slow
~ turning over the corner of each note
: counted, the spectators eagerly repeat
ing her words-"One, two, three, four
five! Five twenty-dollar bills-a hun
, dred dollars! Again the surrounding
hills, as on the day when Vesta made
her first appearance in the character o
? blackboard driver, resoundcd with th'
! ! hearty cheers that rose from the crowt
on the wharf, and were echoed by thu
laughing group on the upper deck o
, the Rockland.
The last glimpse the generous 'rusti
Gators" had of Vesta, she had mounted
the railing OF the wharf, and, supported
!. by Zemro Dowling's sturdy arm, wa
\ vigorously waving with hat and hand
I kcrchief her thanks and her adieu. IS
: e. Boggs, IN Harper's Ba.ar.