Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-16
EDNA WITH THE RED CLOAK.

perhaps
the shop will burn down and my Jacot
will be killed. Then | shall die of grief
and my little Edna will be left alone in
the world, with no one to care for her, OF
see that she gets a good husband. How
sad it is p And she cried till the tears
ran down her face, while the apple-pie in
the oven turned black as COAL So there
was another misfortune.
Now the grapes had just been gathered
and Edna went that afternoon to carry
some of the finest punches to her good
friend, the doctor.
Ronald, the doctors son, with his mill
tary cap and bundle of books in a long
strap, stood at the house-door throwing
nutshells at the pigeons. s'This is a fine
day" said he, gayly, "and tonight is Hal
loween. when whoever goes through the
woods to the great rock by the withered
pine, and stays till the clock strikes II,
will hear her sweetheart coming after herr
His dark eyes danced with mirth, but Edna
listened quite soberly.
That would be good thing to do"
she thought to herself as she trudged off
homeward "Then the next time the
bread would not rise, and my mother be-
gan to cry, l should say to her: "Have
no care about me, mother; shall do very
well with" And here she tried to think
| of a name to call him, but could not find
one to suit her; so she thought: Never
| mind if he has not good one, and is not
in every way kind and agreeable, l will
not have one word to say to him. On
that am quite determined There is no
time like the present. says the copy book.
| will at once set on my journey"
1t was now near shutdown and the air
was cool and chilly. She pulled her
warm red cloak close about her as she
walked along, and pushed back the pretty
yellow locks that fell upon her shoulders.
As she went by Brian, the butchers, the
yellow sheep-dog, Guard, came down the
lane and stood looking wisely up and
down the road. When the little girl APP
preached he thought: "She is all alone /;
| will take care of her." So he crossed the
lane and walked along by her side.
"This is quite as it should be-" said
Edna to herself. "Now l am like Una and
her lion." And she spoke kindly to the
old dog, who wagged his tail and looked
proudly at her with his honest eyes.
The road grew lonely as they went on,
and they met but few travellers by the way.
! First caEe rough boy hurrying his
COWS home. He had spent too much time
hunting for nuts, and now feared beating
from his master. "Come, Guard" he
shouted to the old dog, who paid no heed
to him, but marched by Edna's side. So
the boy with the COWS passed on.
| Next came dirty tramp with bundle
slung over his shoulder by stout stick
He had an evil face, and leering at Edna
with an evil smile, he started to cross the
road toward her; but Guard bristled up
his hair, and opening his mouth wide,
| showed his wol6sh teeth, snarling at the
| same time in so frightful manner that the
tramp skunk back to his own side of the
road, and went on muttering with rage
and deeply scowling.
Then came a great rafting of wheels
as an empty market-wagon came rolling
on. The farmer had sold his apples and
squashes for good round sum that day in
the city market, and was going home with
store of big silver dollars in the little
canvas bag so carefully buttoned inside his
coat He was shouting some words of a
song, for he could sing no more than a
crow, but he reared:
'sHurrah hurrah ring out the jubileei
Hurrah hurrahi It's the flag that sets you
! free!"
The wagon ratified, the horses plunged
awkwardly forward, and the driver, red
faced, good-natured fellow, smiled and
nodded at the pretty little girl walking by
the way, and Guard growled softly under
his breath as they swept rapidly by and
were lost to view.
In the narrow wood road it was dusky
| l,i, al 4 i
their feet as they passed. A partridge
perched upon low branch flew up with a
startled whirr at the approach of those
strange travellers.
As they went farther into the wood il
grew darker, the path grew steep, and she
stumbled every moment over the project
ing roots that lay in her way.
"No pains, no gains" thought Edna
Il will not go back now at any rate"
At the top Of a cliff, by huge, rough
bowlder, stands the withered pine 1t is q
landmark for all the country round. Close
by the great rock, with Guard by her side
sat Edna among the drifted leaves. She
leaned her head against the shaggy ruff
upon his shoulder, while he licked her
hand once or twice, as if to say, Never
fear; I'll take care of you"
Before them the face of the cliff opened
seward, where lay the black sea-marshes
miles on miles, while far away, where the
dark ocean stretched to meet the sky
flashed the red CLEANS of the great re.
volving light. Guard sat up very straight
like soldier on duty, but Edna soon
slipped down into her nest of soft leaves
and fell asleep as if she were in her little
bed at home.
The shoemaker's wife had a great loa
of brown bread and pot of beans for sup
per that night.
"Where is Edna ?" said Father Jacob
as he looked at the blue plate and shining
mug and the empty chair beside his own.
"The doctor will bring her home in his
carriage" said the wife. "They have KEEP
her to tea, no doubt. How glad am she
wore her blue dressw
1t was far into the night when Ronald
was awakened by his mothers shaking
him and holding bright light in his face
as she said "The shoemaker's Edna i.
lost, and no one can find her"
Down stairs he could hear Jacob.
questioning voice, his father answering
) and the sobs and cries of the mother, who
never stopped exclaiming There is now
nothing more to live for Ny Edna il
dead-drowned in the river, with hel
beautiful new dress and gold chain Wher
, the looking.glass fell knew something
was coming" And she screamed ant
cried, and beat her hands wildly about, 81
, that they had to hold her.
q Then Ronald thought of the witheret
pine. Had she gone in all the darkness
, So many times has mother had said " A
liar must be punished" And he ha.
been sorry, and said: /" / only said it il
fun; didn't mean it." He dared not tel
!, his father, or anyone, and his teeth chat
tered with cold and fright as he stol
? softly out seized the stable lantern, an,
!, set off on his dismal journey.
All the lights were out in the village
: and as he went by Brian, the butchers
! the dogs set up most dreadful baying, S
j that he ran as fast as he could into tn
wood beyond. There the darkness wa
still more lonely. Every rustic of tn
5 dead leaves by the side Of the road mad
!. his heart throb hard and chokingly. II
5 heard his own loud. painting breath as h
t climbed the steep path, but he saw, by tn
t light of his lantern, a little ball of re
S wool that had fallen from her poke
Edna Edna," he cried, as he reache