Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-20

and Deacon Little are going up Their
this week..
care they?" said the young man. H
was listening to the girls voice with
sort of rapturons attention, but he ha;
little idea as TO what she was saying. A.
they walked they faced the mountain.
II vas only the next day when tn,
minister and Deacon Little made tn,
visit. They started up flock of spar
rows that we're feeding by Jenny's door
bat the birds did not fly very far, they
settled into tree and watched. Jenny.
house was hardly more than weather
beaten hut, but there was grape vine
| trained over one end, and the front YARD
was tidy. Just before the house stood {
tall pine tree. At the rear, and on the
right stretched the remains OF Jenny's
last summers garden, full of plough
ridges and glistening corn stubble.
Jenny was moi al home. The minister
knocked and got no response. Finally
he lifted the latch, ard the two men walk
ed in. The room seemed gloomy after
the brilliant light outside. they could not
see anything at first, but they could hear
loud and demonstrative squeaking and
chirping and twittering that their en-
trance appeared to excite,
At length small pink and white face
cleared oat of the gloom in the chimney
corner. 1t surveyed the visitors with no
fear nor surprise, but seemingly with az
innocent amiabili6y.
"That's the little deaf and dumb boy
said the minister, in subdued voice. The
minister was an old man, narrow-shoul-
| nd nl in tod =
crinkly black. Deacon Little reared
himself in his sinewy leaness until his
head nearly touched the low csiling. His
face was sallow and severely corrugated,
but the features were handsome.
Both stood staring remorselessly at the
little deaf and dumb boy, who looked up
in their faces with an expression of deli
| cate wonder and amusement. The little
boy was dressed like girl, in long blre
gingham pinafore. He sat IN the midst
of a heap of evergreens, which he had
been twining into wreashs his pretty,
soft, fair hair was damp, and lay in very
fiat and smooth scallop over his full white
forehead.
''He looks as if he was well cared for
said Deacon Little. Both men spoke in
hushed tones-it was hard for them to
realize that the boy could not hear, the
more SO because every time their lips
moved bis smile deepened. He was not
III the least afraid.
They moved around the room half
guiltily, and surveyed everything. It
was unlike any apartment that they had
ever entered. 1t had curious sylvan
air; there were heaps of evergreens here
| and there, and some small green trees
leaned IN one corner. Ali around the
room-hung on the walls, standing on
rude shetves-were little rough cages or
hutches, from which the twittering and
chipping sounded. They contained for
lorn little birds and rabbits ard field
mice. The birds had rough feathers and
small, detected heads, one rabbit had an
injured leg, one fieldmouse seemed
nearly dead. The men eyed them sharp
ly. The minister drew sigh; the dea-
cons handsome face looked harder. But
they did not say what they thought. on
account of the little deaf and dumb DO +.
whose pleasant blue eyes never left their
faces. When they had made the circuit
OF the room, and stood again by the fire.
place, ne suddenly set up cry. It was
wild and inarticulate, still not wholly dis
sonant, and it seemed to have meaning
OF It's OWL. 1t united with the cries of
the little Gagged wild creatures, and it was
all like soft clamor of eloquent appeal
to the two visitors, but they could not
understand it.
They stood solemn and perplexed by
the fire place. Had We better wait till
she comes?" asked the ministe'.
81 don't know" said Deacon Little.
Back Of them arose the tall mantle
shelf. On it were clock and a candle
stick, and regularly laid punches of bril-
liant dried flowers, all ready for Jenny
to put IN her basket and sell.
Suddenly there was quick scrape on
the crusty snow outside, the door few
open, and Jonas Carey's wife camo in.
She had her shawl over her head and she
was painting for breath,
She stood before the two men, and a
sudden crust of shy formality seemed to
form over her. "Good AFTERNOON" she
said, in response to their salutation.
She looked at them for a moment, and
frightened her shawl pin; then the re-
strainJ left her. 81 knowed you was
here" she cried In her weak, vehement
voice; "t knowed it. I've heered the talk
knowed somebody was goin' to come up
here an spy her out. [ was in Mis-
Gregg's the other day, an her husband
came home; he'd been down to the store,
an he said they were talkin' bout Jenny,
an sayin' she didn't treat Willy and the
birds well, an the town was goin' TO look
1sto 1t. | knowed you was comiu' up
here when seed you go by. [ told Jonas
SO. An | krowed she want to home an
there want nothln' here that could speak
an told Jonas I was comm. l couldn't
stan it nohow.
Its dreadful slippery | he'd to go on
my hands an knees IN some places, an
I've sot down twice, but 1 don't keer.
amt goin' TO have you comm up here to
spy on Jenny, an nobody to home that's
Cos any tongue 10 speak fer her."
Mrs. Carey. stood before them like a
ruffie3 and defiant bird that was frighten-
ing herself as well as them with her
temerity. She palpitated all over, but
there was a fierce look in her dim blue
eyes.
The minister began deprecating MUIR
muir which the deacon drowned. "You
can speak fOv her all you want TO, Mrs.
Carey" said he. "We amt got any OBJ
iections to hearin' it. An we didn't
know but what she was home. Do you
know what she does with these birds and
things?"
"Does with 'em? Well, I'll tell you
what she does with 'em. She picks 'em
up in the woods when they're starvin' an
freezin' an half dead, an she brings 'em
IN here, an takes care of 'em an feeds
'em till they git well, an then she lets 'em
go again. That's what she does. You
see that rabbit there? Well, he's been in
a trap. Somebody wanted to kill the
poor little cretur. You see that robin