Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-09-10
'eThere's Ruth Bowne nov-she-

j
meant"
"Old Mrs. Bowne?''
"No, the other one"
"There wasn't any other grandmoth.
er you could know! Mrs. Bowne's own
mother died when she was year old"
"Well, guess on the whole, it was
Ruth's greataunt meant"
"What allied herr" asked Ike.
"Why -she-she -she-had-
the-rheumatism, and
When he recovered himself, Miller
the miller said, "You keep your neck
out Of the moose; and remember, Ike,
I've got this mill to give away to
somebody"
'There's good luck ahead for him
that gets it," said Ike, as he passed
out, and up the "gang plank" towards
the road
Miller the miller was greatly ezer.
| cised after this, and fancieu he saw
1ke's heart stolen from him, and his
home made desolate by some flower
OF a girl who would turn into a scold.
Ing woman.
Alas, alas, for Miller the miller! This
hour was coming on, and tate was
even at his very heels.
One night, thinking singing school
must have been out long time, he
| concluded to drop in at Deacon
! BOwne's to ask what made his horses
crupper gall his neck.
The horse didn't know it did! The
miller thought by so doing he would
SUI prise Ike there; and then he would
he would he didn't know what he
would Or wouldn't do
When he went in, there was com.
pany, and that was more than he ha0
imagined.
The first one to Jump up and offer
him a chair was Ike, who exclaimed
''Well, this is a treat, to see uncle
out visiting! Here's welcome 70,
You"
The bravery OF this took the spirit
all out Of Miller the miller. He laugh
ed reluctantly, sat down after beins
introduced to the deacon's cousins, q
stalwart man and q pretty little WON
All by the name of Craig, from Pine
Falls, some twenty miles away.
The miller actually stayed and ate
apples and nuts, and talked and
laughed with the rest Of the company.
He didn't go home till Ike said,-
"Come, uncle, this is pretty late fol
you and me to be out! W. must &C
home now"
On their way home the miller re-
Marked
every nice folks those Craigs are"
eyes, uncle, l agree with you."
So they were agreed.
| Next morning at breakfast the visit
Was alluded to, and Miller the miller &C,
tually said, "That Craig wasn't such a
fool as most men archie didn't marry
until he found a woman worth having
did he? Where do you suppose he
found this one, Ike?"
Found her? Why, l suppose he
found her at home!"
few days after this the miller ask.
ed Ike how long "Mr. Craig and his
wife, were going to stay at the Bow
nes'.
Ellis wifos at home. Miss Craig is
his sister," said Ike.
"Oh, yes! Well, I was thinking, Ike
that all the years I've lived in the
mill I've never had any one here to q
meal, excepting beggars and tramps
The Bownes are good neighbours, and
I've half q mind to ask them over to
tea while they're here"
"Whew!' cried Ike, in jovial surprise
"But who would make the cake and
the fol.de-rols they always have for
company" he added.
"Id yido over to Beaver Pond, and
buy up lot OF stuff Of the baker, and
some peaches and pineapples and
such things in cans, and other knick.
knacks. It's only nine miles, you know
I'd have the table all set before they
came. Have we dishes enough fol
six?"
"W'ho are your six" asked Ike.
"Why, Mr. and Mrs. Bovine, Mr.
and Mrs. Craig, and''-
Miss Craig interrupted Ike, with
q quizzical look.
"Yes, and you and me-isn't that
six?'
Miller had indeed bought "a lot O
stuff enough to feast a dozen fami
lies. He had bread and biscuit anG
rolls, and crackers Of every shape an6
name. He had fruit-cake and frosted
cake, sponge. cake and brides-cake
nut-cake, currant-cake, doughnuts
sugar cookies, molasses cookies, ani
hearts and rounds. All these wert
piled up on as many large blue-edgee
plates, looking like a chain OF tiny
} mountains.
Then there was canned salmon anc
} pressed beef and smoked beef, chess
and three kinds Of p,es--such as they
were-and to crown then, all, thers
were two peach cans, with the exagger
ated pictures still on them, filed with
long sticks OF candy ofevery name anc
hue, and there were nuts and ralsins
aud apples!
The miller looked very sad as they
; all rose from the table, saying, ther'
was as much @stutf'' now as whel
they sat down. There was now story
telling, guessing OF conundrums ant
singing. The guests admired every
!; thing, from the corn-rcom and tn
hopper, down to the stuffed birds an(
pressed flowers; and on going away
, Miss Craig told the miller it had beer
, one OF the pleasantest visits she ha<
ever made, and added, merrily,-
, "There's an old deserted mill nea!
us. I believe III buy it. and live in j
, myself"
Miller the miller wanted to say
You needn't do that; one mil! voul<
: hold three OF u.s.
, But he was too cautious.
: Before long the DUSTY Miller wen
: away on business.
) Ike had to keep house two or thre
E days alone.
Il When the miller came back he said
"Ike, am gong to be married"
r married? When? TO whom?"
"Well, any one who saw Mr.. Craig
| ~