Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-12-12
there. I'm told"
where is it?" eagerly asked Dor

1
to point out a slender blue thread OF
smoke that was curling up heaven
ward from a mass of woods on a dis
tant hill, and once more Dorcas set
forth on her pilgrimage, this time with
undoubted success.
She engaged enc room. The board
to be sure, was plain, the beds coarse
husk mattress, with blanket spread
on the floor for Dorcas herself, the
furniture homemade and implanted.
But there was grove Of pine woods
in the rear; the blackbirds piped their
silver flutes all day long. and the bees
darted in and out of the red lilies by
the garden wall, and our three hero
Ines believed themselves to be in par
adise.
But even as Barbara thus bewailed
herself, a portentous shadow swept
across the sun, and looking around
they saw that a mass Of livid purple
thunder clouds had piled themselves
up along the western sky, while distant
mutterings, and now and then a sud
den flash, announced the coming Of 4
storm.
Dorcas sprang to her feet, Barbara
began hurriedly to fold up her sketch
ing apparatus, Mary put her thimble
and scissors in her pocket
1--WE must get home as quickly as
| possibler' cried all three.
But in availing themselves Of a short
cut across a patch OF woods they got
hopelessly lost. The sun set behind
the purple battlement of clouds, the
dusk fell quickly in these dense woods,
and the rain began to patter down in
huge drops.
Barbara, the aspirant after advent.
ure, began to cry.
1--WE are lost!'' she said.
Lost? Nonsenser' said brave Dor
:as. When | can see the railway track
shining down below. Who ever got
lost close to railway lineP Let's make
for the track"
"And get run over" lamented Bar
bara.
mot likely when there's only ono
train day, and that at noon" laughed
Dorcas. IF we walk along the rail.
way line we must come out somewhere,
don't you see?"
"And BESIDES" added Mary, there's
little ruined cabin not far from here
whore the railroad fagman used to
live before they changed the location
of the station. rem ember Mrs. Nor
ris showing it to me once"
"Oh! OH" shrieked Barbara II
could not go there. The flagman was
killed on the track There's a g-ghost
there.
"Would you rather stay here and be
drenched through with rain?" severe
ly demanded Mary.
"Or struck with lightning?" added
Dorcas.
And the upshot OF it was that the
three fugitives took refuge in miser-
able old shanty close alongside Of the
railroad track, where weeds were
growing up through the cracks of the
floor, and a plentiful portion of the
rain came pattering through the leaks
in the roof, while the old stone Chin
ney, all settling TO one side, looked as
if no stroke of lightning could harm
it very much.
'But it's some shelter" said Mary,
cheerfully Wen stay here until the
shower is over, and then make the
best Of our way home
The shower, however. showed no
indication OF abating in its yigor The
rain still poured down in sheets; the
thunder still beloved through the
rocky gorge whore the cabin had been
built; the lightning still lit up every
thing with sudden spurts of blue flame,
like pantomime effects.
ooh, dear! oh. dear!n said Barbara.
wringing her hands; lit must be mid
nightr'
1T can't be nine o'clock yet" said
Mary.
"And I'm so hungry! Oh, how l wish
hadn't eaten the last of those sand
witches! Oh, OH what is that?' fut-
lcFtu DdfDdfd.
An unusually vivid electrical flash
had revealed something white and
spectral at the window All three girls
jumped at once.
''The ghost!" shrieked Barbara. stop
ping her ears and shutting her eyes as
tight as was practicable.
"A stray white cow" suggested
Mary.
"A young man in a flannel tennis
suit said Dorcas the closest observer
of all.
Don't let him come in, said Bar
bara. I'VE shall be robbed and MUIR
deredn
"Not while we are three to one, " said
composed Dorcas.
And at the same moment a voice
sounded hurriedly at the door.
please. may / come in? | know it
seems intrusion. but it's raining del
uge and I'm wet through.
Come in by all means, said Mary.
And the ghost entered, dripping like
fountain.
"All in the dark2n said he, cropping
his way.
There are no gas jets here, said
Dorcas ironically.
but we might have a little blaze Of
sticks" hazarded the new arrival,
shaking himself like a Newfoundland
dog Il saw by that last glare Of
lightning that there was heap in the
corner and I've got my match box
intact
ooh, that would be splendidr' cried
Dorcas, who was wet and shivering
"And I've got some fish on a string
outside, and we could have some sup
per-" suggested the ghost. cheerfully.
Tin 5000 hungryT walled Bar
hara.
The stranger was evidently used to
mountain camping. He had a fire
kindled in no time. and the fish,
cleaned by aid Of his pocket-knife and
washed ia one Of the pools outside,
were presently broiling over the Goals,
emitting a most savory smell.
you must be a good geniusr' cried
Mary.
I'm only tramp said the ghost,
land I'm ever so much obliged 70 you
young ladies for letting me in.
1--WE couldn't have kept you out II
we had tried. said Dorcas, frankly.