Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-08-23

luttL utt> 40 ttlulA4-
\ turn in the lesurcly driving came
then very unexpectedly An unsteady
scareerow in neighboriug field yielded
suddenly To the light breeze. and fell over
the fence into the road, and in an instant
the Doctors usually staid horse was bound
ing away with fright. l.auEee could not
discern the cause of the trouble; lac only
felt the swift motion, heard Miss Barbara $
halfsmothered exclamation, and knew
that the Doctors efforts to check the terri
fled animal were uaavailing
shall jump" asked the bcwildered
Miss Barbara.
Not till tell you, but be ready" was
the short decided answer. and neither
spoke again.
For poor Launce there was no jumping
no chance for him, he thought, and he
pressed his lips together and eluEg tightly
To the back of the carriage Jolted and
tumbled about, he was unable 10 see any
thing but feeling in his cramped. darken
ed corner the fearful speed at which they
were going, and momenterily expecting
that a terrible crash would end the mad
race and his existence together. Some
strange lancies forced their way through
his brain just then. not Of gold and gems,
but odds and ends from out the old despise-
ed work-common, neglected things, that
it seemed to him would have been worth
counting after all, it they had been but
well and truly done.
Now" said the doctor suddenly, exert
ing all his strength upon the reins. And
Miss Barbara, ready at the word of com
mand, sprang from her seat aud landed by
the roadside in safety. The horse dashed
forward, and in an instant the carriage
struck against the corner of the old build
ing. Launce felt the shock. and the sud
dan stopping and then fitting of to one
side of the whole vehicle that made it
very difficult for him to retain his position.
lie stroye hard to do Il, however. for yoic-
es assured him that two or three men
had gathered about. He had heard them
discussing the accident-what a narrow
escape it had been for the two occupants,
and wondering that the carriage had sus-
tanned no greater injury than damaged
shaft and one wheel Knocked Off Then
he overheard Mss Barbara's voice, still "A
little tremulous from excitement, soy:
.Ohl don't be troubled about that 1t is
such little way now, | can walk very
well I'll do what | can for her; and, af-
ter all | don't know but it's about as much
the way we do, as what We do that tells
Then the carriage was drawn of to Il
shop not far distant, and the dizzy, excited,
halfSmothered boy grew nearly wild at
hearing the doctor cooly remark that he
supposed he should have to leave it there
until the next day.
"Well, | guess that | can sorter fix it up
SO it'll do for you to go on with, if you've
a mind to wait bit" answered the man
who had examined it, and to this its own
er finally consented.
lie walked up and down. looked out of
doors and windows, and thought it very
tiresome waiting, but he never dreamed
that there was another to whose anxious
impotence his own was as nothing; who
was far more glad when they We're once
more on their way, albeit it was to him an
other stage of blind journey, he knew
not whittier.
At last-and oh! long the interval had
seemed to Launce while they travelled on
and on without even word To break the
monotonous silence-at last they stopped.
gate was thrown open, a familiar voice
spoke, and the boy comprehended that the
drcary roundabout trip had terminated at
the doctors home. He was half inclined
then to believe they had made Il circle of
the earth. The horse was led away, the
carriage drawn to its place and he heard
the faithful Mike locking the door But
that did not trouble him much. lie crept
from his hiding place, stood upon the
ground and walked slowly to aud fro for a
few minutes to restore circulation to his
cramped and stifTened limbs. Then he be
gan to look around for means of escape,
and found it in small sliding window
that opened upon a sloping meadow lot.
How fair and sweet the sunlight seemed
when he stood in the open air once more
for the day was not yet done long as he
free breath, and planted his feet firmly in
the soft grass.
Say, what makes You ride under the
seats for stead of on top of 'em' question
81 I'll h..
ubiquitous Hetty, looking solemnIy at
him with her great dark eyes.
lie took step forward, then turned, and
said in II voice as nearly coaXing as it was
in his boy nature to make it:
"Hetty, I'll show you where there's a
prime lot of blackbcrrics, to morrow
'Yes,' said Hetty mderstandingly, and
he turned homeward. Someway, home
looked very pleasant that evening-out-
side, where the golden light fell around it;
inside, where the tempting supper was
preparing. Launce turned for second
look at it, as he walked awsy down the
lane 20 drive up the cows.
lie did not tell any one Of his days ex-
perience-it did not seem to him there was
very much to tell, and what there was he
infinitely preferred to keep to himself
neither did he write down any long and
high sounding resolutions; but that even
ing, in an old memorandum book, between
a rambling account of how many eggs his
hens had laid and terrific picture of an
Indian in feathers and tomahawk, he wrote
carefully, in a round, legible hand;