Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-06-26

This Is your destinations! he said IN
terrogatiYely
Yes she answered, rising as the train
stood STILL
I'VE will go out this way and unlock
ing the other door, he led the way from
the car without passing the Growers
When he Te-entered alone, small white
object on the seat caught his eye. His
late passenger he'd lost her handkerchief as
well as her purse. Her name was writ
ten in good, black ink in one corner
Lola Waite He held it in his hands
uncertainty minute, then with half
laugh, tucked it in his pocket.
Hello LoIa.' exclaimed the lively voice
of her 12-year-old brother, as she
lanterns were whisking about like will
o-the- wisps. Where your traps?'' She
was at once relieved of her satchel, and
escorted over the tracks at a GREATNESS
pace.
Il think, Hal, that we'll have to mod
crate our speed, Lola said. as she near
iy stubbed her toe, and coilided with
truck
''AIl right, " responded Hal obIigingly,
falling into what he considered a leisurely
pace They soon reached home, where
Lola was received with jubilant welcomes
from little twin sisters. and quietly glad
one from her mother. Presently Guy came
home from the store where he clerked, and
they all gathered round the supper
table. Supper on Friday night was sort
of weekly festival among them, for Lola
came home from her school on Fridays to
remain till the next afternoon, when she
rode back with some family of the district
who CHANGED to be in town.
Mamma, don't like it, exclaimed
Jeanne, suddenly pushing away her sauce
plate, lit makes my mouth all curly"
Everybody laughed and Jeanne was pro-
vided with some jelly, which she found
satisfactory substitute.
Its such a shame, Lola, you re mewed
up out in the country, with only this little
peek at home once week" said Guy, as
he helped her to an egg.
Il wish the board of Education in Mill
berg were properly impressed with that
fact answered Lola But | haven t
told you about the imposing way | boarded
the freight tonight She gave them
lively account of the whole occurrence
that convulsed them, for they were we'll
a lua:nted with both Dolly and Mr.. Kane.
IIiC JOhC CAl LULA, IOO, GtOOuU UllC lcllC, "oo
not the least of the fun
Its quite agreeable to have been
dead beat-for the sake of my family!'
Lola concluded, with an expression, win
ningly compounded of merriment and dis
comfture.
The winter passed slowly away, I'M
but it taught Lola some hard lessons in
nat1anan Golf oon4rol ohoorf,,1
ton, leaving her nearer than it had found
her to the calm of self-reliance.
Two years later Miss Waite was enrolled
in the corps of teachers in a Southern
town, which happened to be the county
seat. She boarded with the Sheriff and
his wife-a young married couple-and
consequently found herself where she never
expected to be-in jail
TIE family seldom saw the prisoners
unless they elected to do so; but Lola
could not help a shiver sometimes, toward
night, when she reflected that she was to
be locked up in the same building with
thieves and murderers She never spoke
of the feeling, but the Sheriff OWNED it,
and one morning invited her to make the
rounds with him She really quite enjoyed
it, for there were no violent or sullen ones
among the prisoners, and in the empty
cells the Sheriff showed her how all the
heavy bolts and locks, and bars worked.
Any kind of machinery was interesting to
Lola, and her quick apprehension of his
combination locks raised her several de-
grees in the Sheriffs estimation Nov,
you see, he said. in conclusion, you re
as safe from the rest of my boarders as if
they inhabited the next continent. Can't
expect you to like the other toarders, of
course, but | hope you're convinced now
that they can't promenade through the
house at their own sweet will and may be
murder you some night.
Lola smiled back
IN try and not let my night thoughts
be SO young any more" she said.
She did try, and in time succeeded.
Through the good offices of the Sheriff and
Mrs. Hyatt. Lola was ushered into the soci-
ETY. of the town, where she soon won a well
come.
Parties and concerts, sleigh rides and
theaters made the winter gay and pleas
ant, In school and out, everything went
satisfactorily, on the whole, and Lola en-
ioyed life with the zest that is due to
twenty years of duty we'll done.
One Friday night toward the last of
April she found herself unexpectedly left
with only Classy, the mulatto woman in the
kitchen, for company. Mrs. Hyatt had
driven in the morning some miles out of
town to visit a friend, and hal been de-
tanned for the night by sudden storm
that had, after all, proyed'greater in threat
than performance. And at 5 o'clock the
Sheriff received a telegram that hurried
him off to neighboring town. As Lola
went down to the kitchen on some er rand
about half an hour after Mr. Hyatt de-
parture. Nettleson the jailor, came in.
You heard of the new arrival, suppose, ;:
he said There's been a shooting affair
on one of the Central freights-some row
over a darky that was aboard. don t be-
lieve this young fellow was much to blame,
if he was any. but he's got a blue eye like
steel. and wouldn't stand blufing. He
makes one more for supper, Classy. |
wonder if you can get supper pretty quick.
Doe Arson S sent word that my mo her
BAG again. and I'd better come home. |
must see the supper over and everything
fixed for the night before leave.
Classy prepared the meal with the ut
most dispatch, and in an hour Nettleson
was ready to start. Il shall be back by
midnight, Sam'll go down with HE and
bring the mail up he said 1t seemed to
Lola that the spirit of dreariness was
abroad in the world, as she stood gazing
from the deep window. Night was clos
ing in; the leahess trees, dark with damp
ness, shook in the gusts of rising wind
The clock began to strike, aad she count
ed Eight o'clock. 1t won't be time to
go to bed for an hour and a half! I'll
solace my soul with music
She turned from the window, but before
she could cross the room the door was
fnng in and Classy burst in. She drop-