Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-05-13

ISas,SglS@S
Wake up, or I'll break every bone In your
skim"
The afternoon was still very warm, but q
gray mist, drifting from the Irish channel,
and sailing eastward over the lying Island
of Anglesea, was beginning to scatter thin,
penetrating drizzle ON the driver of the cara
van.
To right and left of the highway stretched
q bleak and bare prospect of marshland and
moorland, closed to the west by asky of ever
deepening redness, and relieved here aud there
by black clumps of stunted woodland. Here
and there peeped solitary farmhouse, with
outlying fields of swampy greenness where
lean and spectral cattle were lugubriously
grazing; and ever and anon came a glimpse
of some lonely lake or tarn, fringed llaround
with thick sedges, and dotted with water
lilies. The road was as desolate as the pros
pect, with not living soul upon it, far as
the eye could see. To all this, however, the
driver of the caravan paid little attention,
owing to the simple fact that he was fast
asleep.
He was reused by a sudden jolting and
swaying of the clumsy vehicle, combined with
a sound of splashing water: and, opening his
eyes sleepily, he perceived that the gray mare
had turned aside from the centre of the road,
and, having placidly entered stagnant pond
ON the roadside, was floundering and struggl-
ing in the mud thereof, with the caravan rock
ing behind her. AT the same moment head
was thrust round the back part of the vehicle,
and an angry voice exclaimed:
'Tim, you scoundrel, where the devil are
you driving tos Wake up or I'll break every
bone in your skim
Thus addressed, Tim woke himself with an
effort, and, looking round with an insinuating
smile, replied:
"Begorra, Master Charles, thought it was
an earthquake entirely Come out of that
nowl Isit wanting to drownd yourself you
area G-r-r-r. Shl Aisy now, aisy!'
The latter portion of the above sentence
was addressed to the mare, which was at last
persuaded to wade out of the cool mud and
return to the dusty track, where she stood
qrivering and painting. No sooner was the
return to terra firma accomplished than a
light, agile figure descended the steps at the
back of the caravan, and ran round to the
front. An excited colloquy, angry on the
one side and apologetic ON the other, ensued,
and did not cease even when the driver, with
a flick of his whip, put the caravan again in
motion, while the other strobe alongside on
foot.
1t was Just such a caravan as may be seen
any summer day forming part of the camp
on an English common, with the swart face
of q gypsy woman looking out at the door,
and half-a-dozen ragged imps and elves roll
ling on the grass beneath; as may be OBJ
served, smothered in wickerwork of all de-
scriptions, or glittering pots or pans, moving
from door to door in some sleepy country
town, guided by gloomy gentleman in a
yelyeteen coat and a hareskin cap, and at
tended by a brawny hussy, also Smothered in
wickerwork or pots and pans; as, further
more, may be deserted forming part of the
procession of travelling circus, and drawn
by piebald horse which, whenever a good
'pitch'' is found, will complete its days labor
by performances in the ring. A caravan of
the good old English kind; with small win
dows, ornamented by white muslin curtains,
with chimney atop for the smoke to come
through from the fire inside, with door be-
hind, ornamented with a knocker, and only
lacking door-plate to make tquite COM
plete; in short, a house on wheels.
The driver, though rough enough, and red
with the sun and wind, had nothing in COM
mon with the ordinary drivers ofsuch vehicles
lQ, Ssy
nor atraveling tinker, nor circus performer.
Though it was summer time, he wore a large
freize coat, descending almost to his heels,
and on his head a wideawake hat-underneath
which his lazy, beardless, and somewhat
sheepish face shone with INDECENT good bumor.
His companion, Master Charles, as he was
called, bore still less resemblance to the Bo-
hemians of English lanes and woodlands
He was a slight, handsome, fair-haired young
fellow, of two or three and twenty, in the
tweed attire of an ordinary summer tourist;
and every movement he made, every word
he spoke, implied the gentleman BORN
Presently, at signal from his master
(such he was), Tim drew rein again. By this
time the sun was setting fiery red, far away
to the west, and the thin drizzle was .becom-
ing more persistent.
elbow far did they say it was to PencroesT'
''Ten miles, sor."
s'The mare is tired out, I think. We shall
have to camp by the roadside"
t'All right, Master Charles. There's a
handy shelter beyant there where you see the
trees" Tim added, pointing up the road with
his whip The young man looked in that
direction, and saw, about quarter OF mile
away, that the highway entered a dark
clump of woodland. He nodded assent and
walked rapidly forward, while the caravan
followed slowly in his rear.
Reaching the point where the wood began
and entering the shadow of the trees, he soon
found q spot well fitted for his purpose. To
the left the road widened out into a grassy
patch of common, adorned with one or two
bushes of stunted brown, and stretched out @
dusty arm to touch large white gate, which
opened on gloomy, grass-grown avenue
The caravan, coming slowly up, was soor
placed in snug position not far from the
gate, the horse was taken out and suffered
to Craze, while Tim, searching about, found
some dry sticks and began to light fire
Diving into the caravan the young man re
emerged with a camp-stool, on which he sa
down, lighted ameerschaum pipe and began tx
smoke. They could hear the rain family pat
tering in the bcughs above them, but the spo
they had chosen was quite sheltered and dry
The fire soon blazed up. Entering the car
avian in his turn, Tim brought out a tin KEITH
full of water, and placed it on the fire, pre-
paratory to making tea. He was thus en-
gagged when the sound of horses hoofs wa
nearo aIong uno highway, and presently tn
figure of a horseman appeared, approach
ing at rapid trot. As it came near to tn
group on the wayside, the horse SHE'D vic
lently, springing from one side of the road t
the other, so that its rider, dark, middle
aged man, in an old-fashioned cloak, was al
most thrown from the saddle. Uttering ,
fierce oath, he recovered himself, and refining
in the frightened animal, looked angril,
around; then, seeing the cause of the mis-
chance, he forced his horse, with no SINAI
difficulty, to approach the figures by the fire
"Who are your he demanded, in harsh
| peremptory tones "Wnat are you dom;
| here!n
The young man, pipe in mouth, looked VI
at him with a smile, but made no reply.
What are your Vagrantsl Do you know
this place is privater
And he pointed with his riding-whip to
printed "Noticel" fixed close to the gate upol
the stem of large fir tree.
Il beg your pardon" said the young man
with the utmost sang .froid; 1--WE are,
imagine, on the queens highway, and there
with your permission, we purpose to remain
for the night"
Struck by the superior manner of tn
| speaker, the newcomer looked at him in som
surprise, but with no abatement of hi
naughty manner He then glanced at Tim
| who was busy with the kettle, from Tim I.
the gray mare, and from the gray mare t
the house on wheels. The scowl on his darl
face deepened, and he turned his fierce eye
again on the young man.
"Let me warn you that these grounds ar
private. l suffer no wandering vagabonds t
pass that gaten
MAY ask your name" said the younI