Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21

NO! Yes! That old man came M here TO
cut some Of those provisions down and about
1 went of again before he got through she
answered, as she got out Of bed and began to
dress very quickly, for the loft was bitterly
| cold
Well!,H But it would take whole line of
| exclamation points to express my amazement,
Had been an idiot after all? Had allowed
my imagination to deceive me2 To distort
| everything had seen and heard? l did not
| hnger long over my toilet. can tell youi As
| soon as we were dressed we went down stairs
In the light Of day and of reason how differ
erent all things looked from what they APP
] peared on the night before! That rude hut with
its walls of messy logs; its floor of beaten earth;
Its broad chimney place with the biggest wood
hre had ever seen in my life; its little clear
! window and its open door showing the
| bright morning sky and the snow-laden trees
| and snow-covered ground, had a picturesque,
| wild wood charm of its own
The room had been fixed up for company"
| TOO! The bed In one corner was covered with q
| nice clean patchwork quilt Of red and white
The shelves In the opposite corner, with their
| vessels OF copper and tin, shone as with silver
| and gold. The earthen floor was as clean as q
| steamers deck. In the midst of IL stood the
table covered with a clean crash cloth and
| adorned with white stone crockery ware. The
| breakfast was ready, being kept hot ever the
| tire or on the earthen hearth before it.
There was no one in the room but our host
! in homemade suit of dark brown cloth and q
clean white shirt she in a nice dark blue calico
gown, white apron. and white handkerchief
pinned around her neck.
What seurvy tricks had imagination, inspired
| by suspicion and terror, played me? The old
mans face was deeply sunburned and his eyes
| were weak. But where were the dark, wicked
sinister looks of last night?
Our host and hostess greeted US cheerfully.
| Il hope as didn't 'sturb YOU when went
| ha
old man politely.
WELL" said truthful Aunt Sukey, reluct-
antly, you did half wake me. but went to
sleep again while you were cutting them down. "
Sorry" said the old man. but you see,
marin, had to go and get suthin down for the
boys supper, let alone your own breakfast, but
| did try to be as quiet l could. Come!
Draw up" he added, as his wife placed the last
| dish on the table.
We sat down accordingly to an excellent
breakfast of coffee, cream, hot rolls buckwneat
cakes, fresh butter honey, fried ham and eggs.
where Is Mr.. Sparks? / haven't seen him
this morning.! anxiously inquired Aunt Sukey.
| when! Oh, you mean the young youth as
come long o you? Bless you! He were up
bright and early this morning to tend to the
! creetur. And now he's gone long O. the boys
to the blacksmith shop to get her rough shod
Tor the slippery roads for they harness of her
up. They'll be along soon. Come, try to make
! out a breakfast. Do! SO sorry We haint got
nuthin better for SIGH quality you, but the
| boys hadn't no luck last night. or else you'd a
had coon or possum or suthin o'fresh meat"
| Aunt Sukey assured our host that the break
fast was most satisfactory, but forbore to add
that we would as soon have feasted on rats and
| mice as on raccoons or opossums.
Tommy Sparks came In at this moment and
! explained that Mr.. jim, Mr.. Bill, Mr. Jack and
! Mr.. Sam (Tommy was the soul of politeness)
were busy out doors, but would be in after .
| while.
'Them's my boysI" exclaimed the old man.
| laughing. They are that shy OF the --latest
Draw up, young gentleman"
Thus hidden, Tommy Sparks sat down to the
table, and soon demolished all tnat was left on
the board. Then he wiped his mouth, rose and
| said:
Now, Aunt Drake, the mare is put to the
| carry-ali and the trunk is strapped on behind
and all is ready. Mr.. Jack and Mr.. Sam helped
me to back the carry-ali down the thicket until
we got to where we could turn 1t round The
road is good, too. The snow is frozen hard
] and there il no wind. We shall have spank
| ing drive TO Spring Hill"
Are far from the New Cut road? Mr.
-, really don't know your name" said
| Aunt Sukey.
''Edards marin! Luke Edards! And YOU
| must a took the wrong turn at the fork, bout
| three mile up the road from where we found
your carry-aii. III go long O you and put you
IN the right road. I've got airrant up that
way and had as lief go as not"
You are very kind, Mr.. Edwards, and we
thank You very much. Now let US have a SET
! tlement, said Aunt Suhey, taking out her
pocket book. what have We to pay you?"
The old man hesitated. rubbed his red crown
| until it was redder than ever, and said:
! Why, marin, 1t goes to my heart TO charge
| ladies! Specially such ladies'! 1t do. indeed!
! But you know you come in the dead O. night
and made me rouse up my po' ole oman to git
| supper for you and she gone to bed with q dose
| O laudamy for her toothache."
II am very sorry, began nv aunt
'Oh! don't mention op it! IL had to be
done! And then had to turn out in the snow
| storm to help the young youth TO tote In the
| trunk and lead the creetur and tend to her and
| rub her down and all
Il am very sorry you had so much trouble"
! said aunt.
oh thar warnt no help for that! And then
three on you had supper, let alone the creetur
what had warm mash. And then you two
ladies had the boys own loft, and that the on
hest room they had. And you all had break
fast this morning and feeding O. the creetur.
And jim, he's the blacksmith, rough shod the
creetur, and the -
Never mind the items, Mr. Edwardsr i'm
patiently exclaimed aunt, naturally suspecting
our host OF ''pillnS up the aSonies" in the ac-
commodations We had received for the sake of
raising the bill. We greatly indebted to
you, bnt pray let us know to what extent?"
He looked at her deprecatingly, rubbed his
head and said
"You see, it's because have to charge ladies!
Let me see. Well-now really-would YOU
think as how-well-say ten 'leven penny bits
was too mucn?"
Aunt Sukey gasped! She thought that the
man might reasonably charge 50. She had
been prepared by his talk to hear him charge
SIX. But ten leven penny bits-Sl25 of the
old currency! 1t shamed her into generosity.
Tommy Sparks" she cried sharply, hand
ing him her pocket book, there, pay Mr.. Ed
wards So bill! Our entertainment was worth
every dollar of it!'
1t was now old Edwards turn to gasp
NO! no! no. he cried with feeble demur.
But when Tommy Sparks forced the note
upon him, he took it with a chiid's frank, broad
grin Of delight and turning to his old wife said
in triumph:
..There didn't tell the BOYS so? As how
these ladies 'ould make it up to them fer all
their bad luck last night, eh! knowed the
quality"
We took leave of our hostess and, accom-
panied by the old man, left the hut and en-
tered the thicket by a narrow path which had
escaped our sight in the darkness of the pre-
vious night A short walk brought US to the
road and q few hundred yards farther to our
carry-all. When We reached it we found Kitty
with her head in a nose-bag and tall. stalwart
red haired, freckled-faced young man watching
her. He immediately ducked his head anu
left
That's Jim! Don't mind him! Never did
see young Teller so shy O. ladies, marm," gig
gled the old man.
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