Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-10-28
MOTHER AND Son.
BY EMMA MAUD PHELPS.
PART /.

1t was long, low house of rough gra,
stone, with only one story and higl
peaked roof.
1t was more than q hundred years old
and had been famous tavern away baci
in revolutionary nges. One of Washin :.
tons generals had passed a night under its
roof, il was said.
The old house was now occupied by &
widow, a self styled invalid, and her two
nieces.
Mrs. Atkinson had come to the mountains
OF this Southern Stae for her health, but
finding the noise and gayety of the fashion
able hotel too much for her nerves, and
seeing in one of her drives abou the coun-
try this old house standing empty, she had
instituted q search for its owner. found
him, taken the house for six months, and
removed from the hotel as soon as posSi-
be. with her two nieces and three servants.
The departure of these young ladies
from the hotel was secretly yet sincerely
deplored by every unmarried man in the
house, for they were, if not absolutely
beautiful, yet undeniably pretty, and though
rather reserved, perfectly amiable and WE'LL
bred.
The family had now been some six weeks
or more in its home among the mountains,
6 And tbh1nPh thfr t were fy ,';lrs s;....'
Wiz hOtCi3 anu ALlCO lIOul iut DOslOtICG,
the girls had not as yet shown any signs of
loneliness.
1t was September now. 1t had been
clear in the morning, but shower had
come up rather suddenly about an hour
ago; 1t had not cleared off, but settled
down into a driving storm of wind and
rain.
1t was very dreary out of doors, but
within 1T was pleasant enough.
On the broad, open hearth fire of pine
sticks was swapping cheerily; before the
FIRE was rug of white bear skin. The
round table, covered with a crimson en-
broidered CLOTH was fairly loaded down
with books, papers and magazines. There
was big deep lounge, screen artistically
painted, and any number of comfortable
easy chairs. Before the fire, bending over
an embroidery frame. a girl sat working
diligently. Another girl was seated on the
broad, cushioned W ndow seat, looking out
absently at the dripping, swaying, moaning
pine trees.
The worker at the fire looks up now,
suddenly puts down her work, and going
up to the watcher at the window, saws
affectionately:
Does the rain make you melancholy,
Nell? wish for your sake Aunt Kate
would have allowed us to stay on at the
hotel. 1t is such pity you should miss
all the hops, the bowling, the tennis, and"
with laugh-"the nice young men,.
The other turns lovely little mignoone
face up at her companion.
AS if cared for the dancing and the
men. have you, Conny, and that's all /
want. / never expected to be with YOU
ogain-you know your aunt never could en-
dure me-" Constance turns red up 10 tie
roots of her hair.
Aunt Kate is very peculiar in her likes
end dislikes, Nell, but she is your aunt,
Nell, as much as mine. And she will do
you justice one of these days, Nell, / am
sure. L don't understand how anybody
could dislike you.'
Aunt Kate dislikes me, Conny; always
has and always will. i think the reason
must be that my mother married a poor
man. A beggarly artist Aunt Kate once
called my father to my face, while she and
your mother made very grand matches.
Well, Conny, it is rather too bad; but the
sins of the faith r, and mother, too, in
this case, are visited upon the children,
you know" Then, tui ming her face to the
window ag in, she continued: Il wonderif.
while we have been talking, that tramp has
gone away again? But / don't think he
has; L kept one eye on the window all the
time we have been talking together"
What tramp, Nell? tramps never come
here"
This was n tramp. He came up to the
kitchen door about half an hour ago. H.
was all wet and completely coveIed-his
clothes were-with mud, and he stagger -d
as he walked as il he were drunk
Il hope" suddenly, "he hasn't murdered
Dinah; still think Dinah is match fot
two tramps ut least; don't your"
Suppose we 60 to the kitchen and look
after her; and, Nell, did you see the
mans face? did he look very wicked and
villainous? We are only women in the
house. Aunt sent Scipio to the post
Office over an hour ago."
IL couldn't see his face; it was hidden
by his hat. He was awfully tall, and came
staggering mp the garden walk like, as
they saw her., like he was drunk"
We'll, let's go and investigate the mys-
tery."
Aren't you afraid, Conny9 he may have I.
murdered Dinah, and we are TO be his next
victims. He is probably sharpening tho
axe, which has been blunted by coming i'm
contact with Dinah's skull. l am sure
Dinah's head is even harder than the
average head of the race. And how much
harder do they say regro's skull is than
ours, Conf"
81 thought you said Dinah was a match
for two tlamps at least. Don't be miser-
able coward, Nell, but follow, follow me-"
The girls go through the broad, long
hall, and Constance has her hand on the
door latch. As they stand there they hear
very plainly through the closed door the
sound of groaning. "Therel" exclaimed Nell.
"Dinah has fallen victim TO the blood