The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-13


might easily get lost there. How it wao
that | ever forgot my old woman in the
blanket so entirely don't remember, but
one day ran after poor little
rabbit that was lame and that couldn't
go very fast, and as wasn't thinking of
anything but the little limping creature,
whose home was so anxious to see,
suddenly found myself in the midst of
the forbidden woods.
| must have been running for long
time, for found myself in place that
had not known before, and had made
SO many turns along the paths that !
looked around bewildered, because ]
couldn't tell in what direction home lay.
sob, dear mew I cried to myself, very
much frightened. 81 didn't mean to b.
disobedient. l didn't mean to come into
the woods at all"
Indeed, had not meant to come.
was seldom naughty deliberately, and
most of the mischief got into was the
result or thoughtlessness and careless
ness.
But anyway here was in the woods,
and | must get out of them. 1 looked
and looked, and finally started out brave
ly to the left, as the way looked a little
familiar. But though walked on and
on, and sometimes ran little, it all
grew more and more strange about me,
and finally stopped in dismay.
Il must be going the wrong way"
almost cried aloud, "and ohr' q held my
breath in terror "what is that?'
A long, low rumble, and then the trees
began to moan and shake their heavy
branches, as if they, too, were trembling
in fear.
Plash! Plash! A great drop fell upon
my bare head Suddenly there was a
dreadful crash. In moment every
thing grew dark, and then the thunder
and the lightning and the furious rain
all seemed to come together, and l was
alone, all alone, lost in the woods, and
night was coming on. Then 1 cried out
as loud as could in my terror.
''Oh, what bad, naughty girl have
been!" sobbed. And then thought OF
the old woman in the blanket, and my
tears dried in very fear, and / looked
about trembling Ihad made it upin my
mind just what she would look like. She
would be shriveled up and very old and
all bent over, and the great blanket
would cover her up from her head to hel
feet, and oh! this would be such dread.
full place to meet her! / almost believed
that could see her coming along through
the trees. threw myself on the ground
and covered my face with my apron,
and oh! what was that?
felt touch on my shoulder. was
almost dead with fright, when / heard a
gruff but kindly voice say:
"Wall, sakes alivel If it amt little
gal! Look up, sissy! What ails yer
My heart gave great bound of joy, and
looking up saw big, bearded face
bending over me. The man had dog
with him and gun. I couldn't speak.
Another great crack of thunder came.
I could only cling to him and cry.
"Lost, s'poseT he asked, taking me
up in his strong arms.
eyes, yes, sir!" finally stammered.
"Umph!" exclaimed my deliverer.
"Wall, reckon I'd better take We to the
cabin and dry ye off, and then we'll see
where ye belong"
Inc dog bounded ahead, and the big,
kind faced man carried me easily on one
arm, and, shouldering his gun, made
great, bold strides through the woods.
He must have known them well, for
black night was coming on and the rain
was binding. We had gone only lit
tie way when bright and rudy light
appeared. Here we were at the "cabin."
The door opened into a cheerful
kitchen, and at the threshold stood
young girl holding lantern.
"Here ye are, popr' she cried in well
come. "Look out, jack" to the dog.
who, covered with mud, made leap at
her.
"why, pop! what on earth have You
got thereY'
"Gal," was the only reply of the big
man.
"Gall Lost? Oh, the poor little thing!"
cried the girl, and then was put in
chair by the kitchen fire, and my wet
shoes and stockings were pulled off and
30 was my dripping gown, and was
wrapped in a big. warm shawl and
given cup Of hot milk to drink.
They were very kind and gentle TO me,
rough people though they were, and
neither papa nor l ever forgot their good
ness to poor little stranger.
When could speak without shivering
told them my name and where I lived.
81 shouldn't have come into the
woods" ended. Give been told not to,
but was running after the rabbit to see
where he lived, and ran on and on and
forgot"
"Why, pop" exclaimed the girl, "its
Mr.. Harvey's little girl"
"Oh, yes" said the man, 81 know
squire Harvey"
"Please, sir" l asked, "are you the
hunter"
"Aye, Is'pose so, answered the man,
"leastways, l hunt most of the time"
"Then," said, beginning to cry again.
"then I'm far from home, way at the
other side of the woods" had heard
of the hunters cabin. "Ob," went on,
"what will they say athome? They will
be SO frightened! What shall dor"
The man went to the window and
looked out.
"The storm is ragin'," he said, and in
deed we could hear it.
81 tell ye, little gal, you'll have to
wait till mornin'. No one could ever git
through them woods tonight"
felt dreadfully, careless as ! was. /
knew how they would suffer at home,
and yet there was no help for it.
/ cried and sobbed, and after a while
the girl carried me up the little rickety
pair of stairs to her own tiny room.
There were only two rooms up stairs
the girls where / was taken, and her
fathers. 1t was poor little room. but
quite clean, and the bed was very, very
narrow.
There" said the kind hearted girl,
tucking up my little body under the
warm quilt. II reckon I'll have to sleep
on the floor; I've got some bedclothes
down stairs put away, so I'll git 'em
out. Now, I'll just leave you the candle,
and I'll be up in an hour or two."
Then shew away, and left me alone
in the strange little room. looked
about me as lay. 1t all seemed so odd
and my head felt SO queer, and now and
then cold shiver would run up and
down my body.
Icouldn't sleep; my eyes were wide
open.
There was an old rag carpet ON the
moor, ana over In the corner funny old
fashioned chest of drawers and a moor
little table on which the candle stood.