Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1889-09-07
"Oh. thirty miles at least. answer.

shell yc know the place when ye
come u II interrogatcd Joanna.
"Of course shall"
Never seen il, hev youi"
mo. but Uncle Selden has described
stone house, with odd battlements.
and grounds terraced down To the
lake."
Its got queer name. hasn't III"
"Oh. yesi but that don't signify"
eagerly cried Harriet Originally,
you sec. il was 'Griswold Grange
Uncle Scldcns grandmother was q
Griswold and when the old place be-
came deserted and fell 10 ruins, the
ncighbors called il Grisly Grange.
just for a joke. But it's a very big
house. and dare say We can accom-.
mediate twenty or thirty summer
boartlers. I've ordered car load OF
furniture scnt as far as Hoodville, and
there the stage will meet IL; and
plenty of canned provisions and gro
cerics: and the lake is full of black
bass and pickcrel. and the forest Of
game"
Where's the folks comm fromi-
Quericd Joanna.
1--WE leil my mamc and address nj
the Bmr,lcrs' Exchange" said Harry.
exultantly. "and the gentleman in
charge therc--a very nice man with o
white crsvat and bluo spectacles-de
clarcd that the very name of the Adj.
rondacks would insure plenty OF
bOartlcrs.
"Humph!" snorted Joanna. 1T
seems 10 me sort Of a crazy scheme
arter ALL
But. Joanna. il was necessary to
do something" pleaded Harry, pit
cously. Il couldn't stand by and see
Aunt Tabby and Uncle Seltlen starve. "
why didn't they go into the bust
ness tl,ei,selvesi"
"You don't understand them. 10.
anna. Uncle Scl,lcn has had college
education. and is writing very
learned book. And Aunt Tabitha al
ways kept her own maid while the
money lasted. They don't understand
how Ia make money; do. And I'm
very certain they wouldn't have lei
me undertake this enterprise had they
known Of it7
"llunrph gain muttcrcd Joanna.
but there was u whole volume Of
meaning in the one word.
She stared at Harry with compass
sioiiate eyes
I "lsnr dear" she muttcrcd. between
her teeth. SHE dunno what hor.
nets nest she stickin' her head into.
But I'm glad I'm goin' To sort o pro
tcct her. ! never would hcv como il
Id knowc,l all the circumstances in
the case; but now I'm here. ri be
game Ia the backbone!"
The stage rocked and heavcd over
the rough roads. the hinges crcakcd,
the windows ratified The driver bawl.
cd in Volapuk to his horses; Joanna
groaucd; Harry laughed; and at sun.
set they drew up close to ruinous
stone wall
Here ye bel" shouted the driver
"Grisly Grange!"
But there isn't any house here. y
said Joanna. staring this way and that
Nor any lake" faltcrrd Harriet
Wal. it's the nearest "a hoss can git
to il. said the driver. Go through
them there bars and keep straigh,
ahead quarter Of mile. and you'll
come to the house and the lake both.
Git them trunks oil. Tim! Git up,
Blackey --go long. Dexter"
The sunset had burned i,S"'' 90 q
dull purple when ut las' o
men found themselves II
ancient pile Of stone. :. .ose y.
slit like windows reelected the last
faint light Of the dying day.
Below. through dense walls Of ever
green. they caught the steely glitter
Of the lake. An owl hooted sorrow
fully in the wood; whippoorwill
chaiited its melancholy lay from q
stone wall near by.
"GWd land a. GoslIcn!" said 10
anna. naturally reverting 10 tho
catch words Of her youth. there's folk.
hecl The windows is open and So,
faces at them.
"Nonsci,sr. : "r,na!" said Harry,
who was u In lind. "How caf
you, you know Ihc house has stood
vacant for II quarter Of century"
WELL" snid Joanna. slowly, I'll
may be ghosts. never seen none
out don't calculate they're this sort
Of folks. Look for yourself. Harriet
| Sciucn,
Harry gave u little shrek, Us sh,
saw little easements, with muslin dra
pcries iluttcring from them. light,
lifting 10 and fro-all tho signs o
habit;ition.
surely. joanna" she faltered, in
n sort Of panic, I'VE must have made 4
mistake. Here's some one coming.
Let us inquire. II you please. ma'am,
to "a tall. muscular. female who hat
just then come down the path will
long. swinging strides. lis this Grisly
Granger
Ia second she felt herself claspct
tightly from behind by some one sh'
had not seen before.
"Yes. my dear" said the woman
with cliuckle. ''thisis Grisly Grange
and you ar Betsy Pierreponl. aud Tn
LOUSY Ann. And you've been smar
enough to get out once, but you won
manage IL again.
How dare you touch me!" criet
Harry. I" the short. stout woman who
had pininn'l her from behind. lie
me alone ann Miss Sclden. Joan
na. JmInma! where are youf
But Julnna also was hurried up the
path IN tie same direction by tho tai
lcn,alr. VIII" had graspcd her firmly
by the arm. and whose strength WA,
proof even against the New England
er's efforts at release.
''lemrc go!" screamed Joanna
"Wlla, nils YET Be 80 all cr,zyi"
Every omr of us." said tho woman
grlmly. laughing. Mad as Marcl
barsl Now. look here. il you dom
stop struggling it'll be the worse fo'
you VIII you come on peaccablc
or won't you.'
That depends on where you're tax
in me. said Joanna. painting ant
brrntlilcsS.
Hack I" the rooms you've dodge,
out of "
But we've just come from Hood
villc," cried Joanna I'VE amt beer
in no rH'nis
"Ol,. 4 guess so." ieered the woman