Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-11-07
Caught in a Storm.

awe might just as well have been
standing behind the counter in New
York all these ten days." sighed Bar
bara Hale. 'sfor all the out-of-the-way
adventures we've had !"
"Who wants out-of-the-way adven-
tures?" said Dorcus Dunn, scornfully.
"Behind the counter, indeed!
chimed in Mary Vannecker. Can you
breath in cloyer-scented air like this
behind the counter? Can you get the
mountain view from Sixth Ayenuef
What more would the girl want,
should like to known"
Barbara sighed and shook her head.
at is all SO tame," she said. at
isn't what / expected at ALL"
The three girs-Barbara, Dorcas
and Mary-were sitting on side hill
under the shade of grand old cedar
tree.
Barbara, who had once taken a quar-
ter's lessons in drawing, had a sketch
board on her lap, and was trying, with
but little success, it must be owned,
70 reproduce the lovely ribbon-like
curves of the river that wound its way
through the valley below.
Mary had her needlework in her lap,
and Dorcas, with her hands clasped
under her head, had long given up all
attempt to read the paper-covered novel
that she had brought with her.
"The sky and the sunshine are SO
much BETTER" she said.
rIrve rrftslc-h rfOrhf
ambitious, spirited young things, full
of life and aspirations, even though
they were kept down by the force of
circumstances; and they dubbed to-
Rether their slender resources in order
to enjoy their vacation to better advan-
age.
Dorcas, the business member of the
firm, had bought an excursion ticket
first, and travelled out to Schepp's
valley to see what could be done. But
it is needless TO say that the hotel and
clearinghouse prices were far beyond
their simple means.
ais there no place." said she "where
we could obtain one room and the very
simplest fare for less moneyY
"You might try old man Norris"
said the portly dame who kept the
Valley House. ats quiet place, and
Mrs. Morris she amt no great of
a cook, but there's them as has boarded
there, I'm told"
"Where is it?" eagerly asked Dor
cas-.
The landlady went to the door to
point out slender blue thread of
smoke that was curling up heaven
ward from mass of woods on dis
tant hill, and once more Dorcas set
forth on her pilgrimage, this time
with undoubted success.
She engaged one room. The board
TO be sure, was plain, the bed, coarse
busk mattress, with blanket spread
on the floor for Dorcas herself, the
furniture, homemade and implanted.
But there was a grove of pine woods in
the rear; the black-birds 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 para
disc.
But even as Barbara thus bewailed
herself, a portentOus shadow swept
across the sun, and looking around
they saw that 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
storm.
Dorcas sprang TO her feet, Barbara
began to fold up her sketching appar-
atus, Mary put her thimble and scis-
sors in her pocket.
owe must get home as quickly as
possiblel" cried all three.
But in availing themselves Of a
short cut across a patch of woods they
got hopelessly lost. The sunset 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 adyen-
ture, began to cry.
awe are lost!" she said.
sLost? Nonsensei" exclaimed brave
Dorcas. ssWhen / can see the railway
track shining down below. Who ever
got lost close to a railway liner Let's
make COR the track"
"And perhaps get run overl" Ia
mented poor Barbara.
.sNot likely, when there's one train