Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-29
ICopsr1oht Secured an Rioi.ls Reserped.l
Driven From Sea to Sea,
Or, JUST A CAMPIN'.
HY O. q 1o0T.

lovingly they carried her in their arms
to the nearest house.
Before reaching there she had re-
vived, and insisted on be ng carried
back to the cottage whence her beloved
ones had been taken, and only the late
ness of the hour, and the dangerous
condition of the roads after night-falI,
induced her to relinquish her design.
Even this would not have deferred her
had they not made her feel that she
would risk other lives than her own,
since they would not permit her to go
alone if nothing could induce her to re-
main. Thus urged. she consented to
remain until morning, but nothing that
could be said could induce her to stay
longer. No offer of any one to make
their house her home until she heard
from Erastus and Lucy would she ac-
cePt
Erast1s would come as soon as they
got her letter, she knew. and she would
wait for him at the old place on the
mountain side. So they took her there,
and two of the neighbors remained
through the first day and night, and
when they went away, they sent an
elderly woman of the neighborhood,
noted for her kindness in sickness and
n death, to remain with her until
Erastus should come. This, she told
EN-, was unnecessary; she did not fear
being alone. and was quite able 70 do
what little there was to be done in tax
ing care of the stock and poultry.
But they would not listen to it, and
so the woman staid. and every day 9TH
ers came to see if there was anyth ng
that the two needed. but there was sell
dom ANYTHING that they could do.
Mrs Parsons had learned from others
the full extent of the misfortune regard
ing the mortga re. and knew that the
place must go, but this did not worry
her: If she sill possessed it. Erastus
and Lucy could have come and lived
would go to them, that was all the diff
leave their own ranch, why, they would
Ind shelter somewhere else; it did not
greatly matter where. A part had gone
on ahead to the country beyond the
grave, and the rest would follow before
very long. All her thoughts were CEN
tered there now, and it mattered little
what became of earthly interests.
1t was full week before Erastus
came. Tho letter had been delayed few
days on Account Of the hood, and then
had remained another day uncalled
for in the Office, for while the dead were
being laid away upon the mountain
de. a new life was being ushered in at
the Slough
The same day on which the letter
was received saw Erastus start; Lucy
and the baby, both of whom were doing
well, being left in the care of Mrs. john
son and another neehboring woman.
He reached PHI ppsburg by the morning
boat and had no dill Guilty in nd n
means of getting out to the cottage, tor
the calamity which had befallen the
Parsons family was in every mouth,
and there were numbers who were
ready to offer assistance to one who
came to care for the lonely woman W ho
had endured such suffering.
Mrs. Parsons saw him coming up the
lane and met him in the yard in from OF
the cottage. Up to this m, ment she
had not shed tear, and not sob had
choked her utterance, but great black
rings about the sunken eyes, and a
STOPPING of the form as she went about
the house and yard. told palmer t an
tears could do how heavy was the grief
at her heart. She had herself won
dered that she could not cry, but she
could not; and when she would have
done so, her eyes grew hot, but no
tears ever came to quench the flames
that seemed to consume them. Eut
when Erastus came. and, putting his
arms about her, kissed her cheek and
brow, and smoothe1 her hair. in which
the gray had grown suddenly proml-
nent, she put her head upon his shoul-
der and wept as it she never would
cease.
And SO. with his arm about her, and
his own tears falling fast he led her
gently into tne cottage, and when S
grew calm, told her of the birth of her
grandchild. Then they talked of what
it was best to do, and as Erastus " as
determined not to yield up his place at
the Slous'' without first exhaustine
every effort in defense of his rights, it
was decided to l ave everything which
Mrs. Parsons did not wis | to take with
her. in care of a neighbor to be sold,
while she returned with Erastus to the
Slough. and to Lucy and the baby.
Accordingly. the wearing apparel and
few household goods. Including the
little wheeled cot in which JOHNNY had
lain so long. and which Mrs. Parsons
could not bear to have go into other
hands, was packed amt loaded. and the
pext afternoon a neighbor drove than
W UAe AdHuiuSs hEu tne coGLaSe upon
the m ountain side was left desolate.
CHAPTER XVII
CoNsUMMATE vILLAINY.
When Erastus and Mrs. Parsons
reached the Slough. they found Lucy
very sick; the shock received at learn,
Ing OF the death Of her father and
Johnny. while in her feeble condition.
having still further Frustrated her and
brought on low fever, from which
her recovery was slow.
From the hour of her arrival. Lucy's
mother became her nurse. wait ng upon
and watching her with all mothers
solicitude, and the new demands thus
made upon her affections and sympa-
thes forced her in a measure to with
draw her thoughts from the dead and