Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-17
[Copmt0ht Secured Au Rights Reserped.l Driven From Sea to Sea-:
 Or, JUST A CAMPIN'.
AT o. 0. POST.

I nested and raised their young; the rose bush over the cottage porch; the vege- table garden at the side; the fields for pas urage and grain stretching away on every side.
 He thought of Mir. Annelsey only in connection with the mine whose wash ings might flood his ranch and destroy all that Martha and he had labored so hard to accumulate and leave them in their old age to begin all over again. And what use to begin again if this place. too. should be wrested from them? He would have no heart, no faith to go farther or do more He should feel that God was out of the uni verse; that the sun had set in eternal night. if forced again to take his loved ones and flee into the wilderness.
 Not the faintest intimation of the meaning of the neighbours words reached his mind. Had it done so, had he known that the kindly words of his friend implied 8 stain upon the charac- ter of his daughter, he would have re- sented 1t in manner to prevent its repetition, at least in his presence; but he saw only suggestion that he should go personally to the mines, see with his own eyes how great the cause for alarm really was, take advantage of his ac- quaintance with MT. Annelsey in the work of securing information, and in case he found the danger imminent. to induce the young man to use his influ- ence to avert it.
 The neighbours allusion to Annelsey as ''wild" he did not notice; or, if he did, supposed that the speaker intended pany might not be inclined to give much weight, in matters of business, to the advice of so young a man; regard ing him as inexper enced, and conse- quently wild in his judgment But the suggestion of visiting the mines and seeing for himself the whole situation struck him as good one, and he re- solved at once to go.
 The next morning at breakfast he an- nounced his intention of going to Gravel Hill. He made no mention of his pur- pose in going, and neither his wife nor Erastus had any need to ask; they understood without asking, and raised no objections. Possibly they hoped he might learn something which would re- lieve his anxiety and bring back his old time cheerfulness. Martha Parsons felt that the house was terribly gloomy of late. The girls absent, her husband silent and moody, even Erastus seemed
 
 mosphere of the household was changed, and but for Johnny, who was too young to feel anxiety about any thing pertaining to the future. the circle which gathered about their daily board would have been silent one indeed.
 Johnny was, as was but natural, the pet of the family. Being the baby, and with a goodly number of years between himselt and the next older. he he'd been allowed his own way until there had grown up doubt in his mind as to who was head of the family, and entitled to have their orders obeyed.
 Of sunny temperament, he was sell dom actually bad, but was full of Lie, active but sensitive, and easily hurt bv a hard word or a refusal on the part of any one to accept any favor which ne might fancy himself to be conferring. When not asleep or, attending to his ducks and chickens he was constantly with his father. playing in the dirt. while John, Sen., tied up the grape vines, helping to carry away the limbs when the orchard was trimmed, aiding in bringing in the fruit and vegetables when they were gathered. sitting astride his fathers shoulders as he went to and from the barn, or by his side in the spring wagon as he drove about the place or to town.
 Sometimes he would hitch Bose to a little wagon his father had made for him, and climbing into it, would drive about the place; but. to his sorrow, he had found that the dog was entirely too active for his own comfort; in fact, the last time he had tried to play horse in this way it came so near end ng in serious accident that it put stop to all such experiments.
 The dog had started off on a rapid run. and on making a sudden turn as he passed little tree that stood in the yard, had caught one of the front wheels upon it in such a way as to vio- lently throw the boy out and badly wreck the wagon. Poor Johnny pre- sented a sorry picture as his little boots were seen hiu her than his head, whiie the old dog stood half turned around trying to take in the situation, and looking more troubled. if possible, than the chld.
 No sooner did his father say he was going to Gravel Hill than Johnny an- nounced his intentions of accom- oany- ing him.
 do you, father?' said Mrs. Parsons to her husband; tits long ride over the hills, ana you Will be forced to stay over night, besides which Johnny will be bother to you in getting about to see the mines. 1 guess he had better stay at home with Erastus and me, and help us to take care of the ducks and chickens this time."
 But Johnny persisted. He ''wanted to soc Gravel Hill;" wanted to see the mines;" ''wanted to see 'em throw the waterh and finally clinched his arpu- ment by asserting that his father would be lonesome without him. And so he had his way and went with his father.
 The road over the ..hills,' which were really mountains, was rocky and often precipitous, but the horses were used to such, and with only MT. Par sons and Jonnny in the spring buck board, they made pretty good me, ar irving at their destination just as the