Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-03-28

Win, an no OtneE.
The gill and the dog ran away together
and the man turned again to speak to
Mrs. Fromer.
81 don't want my gal to be intrudin'
an won't low her to be intrudin', he
said, with a kind of rude dignity.
"She wasn't intruding. But l will
say this, Peter PETER, you ought to stay
home more and keep her in some sort Of
order It's too bad, the way she goes
on. Why, she's the wors' child on Hio
Mountain"
"There hain't no man would say that
to me bout my gall" the father said,
roughly. Then he softened his tone, re-
Numbering it was woman he spoke to.
"Yere wrong bout Rilly,' he con-
tinued. She amt the wust child. Shes
the best child, the lovin est, generousest,
bravest, best child that's goin'. It's her
way that makes We think different. an
ways depends on p'ints an view. Rilly
amt so bad, bein' rough, as some is beln'
smooth. Eff her mother wus Twin
wall, she showed what she'd ave done
when she gave her that purity name,
Amarillo. She'd ave made her the pur-
test behaved child on the mountain. But
no other woman dent bother"
Mr.. Pelter made an awkward bow and
walked off toward his cabin, and Mrs.
Fromer went into the house to think it
over, leaving little Jerry outside. She
was very glad that he had so soon for
gotten Billy's invitation and his own dis
appointment.
No child on the mountain-or off the
mountain, for that matter-was quite so
good as little Jerry Fromer. His father
believed it and his mother knew it. He
made no trouble at all, but amused him
self in all sorts of pretty little ways, leav
ing his busy mother free to attend to the
-reat amount of work which every
housekeeper-even in a mountain cabin
in California-always finds to do.
Almost always the weather permitted
him to play out of doors, so that he was
far happier, as we'll as far healthier, than
if he were shut up in the house. And as
he never thought of running away, this
was all very satisfactory to the mother
Sometimes she did not have to look after
him from noon until supper time.
This afternoon was one Of those fortu-
nate times. All through the long, pleas
ant time of sunshine the careful house
wife was left undisturbed to work and
think. She thought most of her own
child, of course, but she thought good
deal about Pete Peters child also Per-
haps people were little too hard On
Rilly, after all. Perhaps if the neigh
Dor women would only take little more
friendly interest in her she would not be
such a rude little ruffian. Really she
never knew of the child doing anything
actually wicked. But she was such
rowdy.
At length she noticed that the sun
shine had grown dim. Evening was
coming and Jerrys father would soon be
home, and she must bring the little fell
low in and make him neat, as she always
did for the fathers home coming.
She went to the door, but Jerry was
not where she had left him. She looked
quickly about, but her child was no.
where in sight. She called; no answer
came. In panic she ran all about the
house and up and down the road, calling
as she went; neither sight nor sound of
her child could she gain. Little Jerry
was lost
''That girl. That dreadful grill" Mrs.
Fromer moaned, as she realized that her
baby was gone. But, then I would
have heard her If she had come about"
Desperate and heartbroken she con-
tinued her truitless search, growing
more and more excited with every
minute. When Mr.. Fromer came home
he found his wife SO nearly frantic that
he could hardly learn from her what had
happened.
1t was a terrible thing when he did |
learn and realize it. There was no know
ing how long the child had been gone,
but with darkness coming swiftly on he |
would have time before he could be !
found to get hopeIessly lost in the forest !
that was not so very far away. He might |
be wandering there even now; and it was
no safe place for little child to wan |
der. To say nothing of the dangers OF !
starvation or exhaustion, wild beasts were
not unknown there. More than once or
twice mountain lions had been seen or |
heard not very far from the little scat
tered settlement.
Very quickly Mr.. Fromer satisfied him |
self that his child was indeed gone, and |
he was about starting away to summon .
the neighbors to help him in the search, |
when Pete Pelter appeared. There was /
trouble in his face and anxiety in his
voice.
Twas Rilly here ag'in after left ye?" |
he asked of Mrs Fromer.
"No."
''She amt to hum, an amt been