Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-08-28

about "up our way until 1t had seemed
to her imagination a paradise; and she
had come back with him, his wife.
But cup cur way Bill had scel her
harden until the black eyes had no
laughter in them; had seen the rel
cheeks deeper dyed with anger aud in-
dignation and jealousy; had seen her
grow into sharp, quick, graspiug little
woman, whom the Turnpike Company
was glad to have at the toll-gate.
"Ef Bill warn't sickly, we might buy
yon0er corner OF John Lawrence's field,
and build house with red trimmin S, "
ran Pegs thoughts again. al reckon like
as not some other body'll be along and
snap it up before our eyes, and Bill not
a-keerin' pin. Eff them Browns buys
the lot and puts up their fancy buildin's
on t, I'm a-goin' to leave. the shop
won't be much trouble for to carry
away"
Then she started up and said "Oh!'
and claspcd her hands together and
laughed, as she might have done when
she was down on the "Esste'n Sho'. "
She tiptoed softly out through the mar
row passageway and up the steep little
steps to where the bad little boy lay
asleep in his Sunday shoes; for he would
not take them off for all his mother
begging,
She knelt beside him, and began to un-
tie the strings. She had forgotten that
she felt "slck and tired and most worn
out" Her black eyes were laughing
still, rs she stopped over and kissed her
pet.
But when she kissed him, the laugh
ter died out OF her eyes, aud there came
an anxious look instead. She put her
little, hard brown hand on his forehead,
and then on his cheek, and then on his
chubby wrist; and as she listened to
the irregular breathing, John Wynn
drove past, and wriggled with delight
to think that he had cheated the toll for
the second time.
The drivers were not kept waiting the
next day. Dan Toomey's fast mare was
obliged to pause an instant. John Wynn
tried it again, was trapped; but Pegs pet
did not sit on the doorstep that sunny
Tuesday and swing his Sabbath shod
feet as if there were nothing in the world
so fine.
"Has Walsh's children stopped a-goin'
to school altogether'' inquired Mrs.
Coon, as Mary and Belle came bouncing
in with their satchels.
"Some ms sick, s'pose,' said Belle:
II seen the doctors horse tied 10 the
tree PAWN like he'd been there long
time"
"'Hum Now wonder if GU; tards aud
gelatiues wouldn't come into accountW
said the rival blacksmith's vile, with q
shrug of her shoulders.
"They's sick at the toll-gate." The
news spread swiftly. "Down with the
measels or somethin'." Very soon the
word came, "They's down with the scar
let fever
Then Mrs. Coon forgot and forgave,
and sent Mary over with dish Of jelly,
covered with her finest napkin; but the
napkin and the dish both returned with
Mary, and the jelly, too.
A little white coffin was carried out
from the dollhouse one day, and old Mrs.
Lisle fell to crying and sobbing as the
burden was carried past the store. "An'
neyerso much as a cracker, " she moaned,
IAN no milk nor nothin'"
"The proudest woman in these parts, "
cried Josh Bernet, thrusting his hands
deep into bis trousers pockets, and We
hemently pacing the floor.
"By George" exclaimed Colonel
Green, putting and blowing. "Bill
Walsh is down himself; taken in the
night, and raving like loon. l say
something must be done"
There was light in the toll house
now; it seemed rs If it had been there
long time-a steady, mellow light, that
fell across the road and lost itself in the
grassy field.
But the door flew open as usual when
Will Smiths wagon drove up, and Peg
caue out for the toll.
Thinking of the unhappiness and pow
erty within, Will timidly held out sill
yer quarter.
"Tbree cents said Peg, sharply, and
handed him back the change.
The humming- birds whizzed away sud
denly from the great clustering honey
suckle at the end OF Col. Green's front
porch. They had dipped their bills un-
disturbed into the sweetness of its h)ney,
though the Colonel's voice came big and
clustering out through the open sitting
room window.
But this disturbance was more than
voice; 1t was a girl who came rushing to
the bench under the vine and threw her
arms on the railing, with her head in her
arms, and began to weep.
First she sobbed vehemently, as if she
mad been keeping back the tears aad
could do so no longer. Then she wept
more softly, and at last stopped alto
gether, aud fell to wondering little in
dignantIy why her grandfather and the
rest of the people did not stop talking and