The Republican., 1888-10-06
CAUGHT IN A STORM.

we might just as well have been
sanding behind the counter in New
York all these ten days." sighed Bar
nara Hale. "for all the out of-the- way
auventures we've had ~
Who wants out-of-the-way sd
ventures ?" said Dorcas Dunn, scorn.
fully.
behind the counter, indeed ~
cnlmed in Mary Vannecker. "Can
you breathe in clover-scented air like
lnls behind the counter? Can you
get mountain view like this from
Slxth avenue? What more would
ne girl want, L should like to
how"
Barbara sighed once more. and
: tok her bead.
y vt is all so tame," said she. s"It
lsA AAwhat L expected at ALL"
te three glrls-Barbara, Dorcas
anu faly-were sitting on a side hill,
uhuethtshade of a grand old cedar
'ree' Sarara, who had once taken
quarer's iesson's in drawing, had
sAe'cboan in her lap, and was
lrying-withbut ill success, it must
oe oWnel-to reproduce the lovely,
rlobon-li,e crves of the river that
wound it way through the valley
below.
Mary mac her needleWork in her
lap, and Dorcas with her hands
cIasped under he head, had long
given up all attempt to read the
paper covered novel that she had
brought with her.
1.-The sky and the sunshine are So
much tetter ~ she sai,.
They were three shopgirls-bright,
ambitious. spirited young things. full
OF life and aspirations, even though
they were kept down by tue force ol
circumstances; and they had club.
bed together their slender resources
in order to enjoy their vacation tc
better advantage.
Dorcas, the business member of the
firm, had bought an excursion ticket
first, and travelled out to Schepp',
Valley to see what could be done
But 1t is needless to say that the
hotel and clearinghouse prices were
far beyond their simple means.
us there no place." said she
where we could obtain one room
and the very simplest fare, for les.
e0ney?"
You might try ora Man Mor
ris'S." said the portly dame who KEEP
the Valley House. "It's a quie
place, and Mrs. Morris she amt ne
great of cook, but there's them as
has boarded there, Pm told"
"Where is it ?" eagerly asked Dor
cas-.
And the lanlandY went to the dool
to point out slender blue thread o
smoke that was curling up heaven
ward from mass of woods on dis
tant hill, and once more Dorcas Sc
forth on her pilgrimage, this time
with undoubted success.
She engaged one room. The board
to be sure, was plain, the bed coarse
husk mattress, with a blanket spreaC
on the floor for Dorcas herself, thu
furniture homemade ard unpainted
But there was a grove of pine woods
in the rear; the blackbirds pipeC
their silver flutes all day long, anC
the bees darted in and out of the ret
lilies by the garden wall, and oul
three heroines believed themselves
to be in Paradise.
But even as Barbara Hale thus be
walled herself, pOrtentOus shadow
crept across the sun, and looking
around, they saw that mass of liyiC
purple thunder cloud had pileC
themselves up along the western sky
while distant mutterings. and now
and then a sudden flash, announced
the coming of storm.
norcas sprang to her feet, Barbars
began hurriedly to fold up her sketch
ing apparatus. Mary put her thimblC
and scissors in her pocket.
I'VE must get home as quickly a
possible !" cried all three.
But in avaIling themselves of {
"short cut" across a patch of woods
they got hopelessly lost. The SUI
set behind the purple battlement o
clouds, the dusk fell rapidly in thes
dense woods, and the rain began t,
patter down in huge drops.
Barbara, the aspirant after adyen
ture, began to cry.
I'VE are lost said she.
Lost Nonsense !" said brave Dor
cas-. "When l can see the railwa.
track shining down below. VIII
ever got lost close to a railway line
Let's make for the track,
"And get run over" lamente,
Barbara,
mot likely, when there's only on