Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-12-04
And then, there's Stephen

"N hat OF Stephenson 81! L cried
eagerly. "Who is Stephenson, anyway?
Do tell me, Mrs. Gludge."
"Well, declarel' said Mrs. Gludge.
'Is it possible, now, that they hain't
told you?"
"They have told me nothing, said l.
"Well, it's likely they didn't want to
scare you or make you nervous said
Mrs. Gludge. "But, all the same,
think you'd oughter know
"AIrs. Gludge," cried l, seizing her
arm, "what is it3 Do tell me-"
SITS a private home," said Mrs,
Gludge, lowering her voice to whisper,
as though the rain drops and the rustling
fir boughs could overhear.
ga what9" 1 gasped.
"For people of feeble mind ex-
planned the woman, "and lunies, tap
ping her forehead, as she spoke.
l stared at her.
"Then," cried l, "that'S what Peter
meant when he said that-that-"
Zone of the poor creatures has some
how given 'em the Slip said Mrs.
Gludge-"an English gentleman from
Montreal, as has only been there few
days. Nobody knows just how it hap
peued, but happen it did. My mans
gone over with a lantern to help hunt
for him; so has Peter. "
"He might have told me!' cried in'
dignantly.
Anyway, I don't think he ought to
have left you here alone" said Mrs.
Gludge, severely.
but you've come to stay with me,
Mrs. Gludge3"
"Bless your heart, Miss Ruth, no!
I'm on my way to carry letter to Mr.,
Romneys, up the road-a very important
letter. with 'in haste writ on it." (FOr
in addition to her duties as farmers
wife, and mother of large family OF
little children, Mrs. Gludge helped her
husband in the care of the obscure little
country postofice mile down the rOad)
"And-by the way I'd nearly forgot it
I've got letter for you, too That's
what brought me here"
"For me, Mrs. Gludgel"
Instiuctively 1 put out my hand to
grasp the treasure, while the woman
fumbled first in one and then in another
of her pockets.
,Its very strange" said she, 81
made sure had it. did have it when
started away from home; but now
remember. Just at the foot Of Gibbs S
Cliff took out my Handkerchief to tie
around my neck, the wind came so keen
around the rocks, and l must a-pulled it
out with that, and everything too pitch
dark around me to see. On, Miss Ruth,
I'm so sorry! Please doa't report me,
there's a good young lady, or l shall
lose my place"
swallowed down a great lump of dis
comatuIe in my throat and tried to
laugh.
"RepOrt you, Mrs. Gludgci" said I.
:'Of course not. 1t wasn't your fault.
If you hadn't kindly thought of me,
aud started to bring it on your way tC
Romney's, you never would have lost
it,"
"Aud quite true, said Mrs. Gludse,
ruefully, "but, all the same, | wish
hadn't been SO thouyhless. I'll send
the boys out to look for it just as"
"Oh, never mind the letter." inter.
rupted, ~ dare say it's only from JACK.
To. morrow morning will do very well
for that. But Mrs. G.udge you'll come
back and stay with me till Peter gets
back1 Jean is away you know, and
"Yes, my dear, I'll do that, assented
the woman, evidently relieved, to be let
off so easily on the score of the letter.
"And it won't be long first. It's only {
short half mile to Romneys il the vino
didn't blow so like all possessed"
With a good-humored nod she disap'
peared into the rain and darkness, and
| ran back to pile fresh logs on thu
waning fire. Bank burglars, extraditeC
wanderers, lunatic at large-wlth all
these possibilities whirling in my brain
it not strange that l lighted second
lamp in order effectually to Danish al
lurking shadows from the angles of The
room, and started nervously when {
sudden blast Of wind shook the window
shutters as if with some imperious hand.
"I'll 90 up to the garret aud bring
down some butter nuts, " thought !. "It
viii! be fun to crack the butter-nuts aud
watch the shells blaze in the fire, aud
Mrs. Gudge will like a drink of cider
when she comes back all wet and chill.
Cheered by this happy thought,
caught up lamp and flew to the garre'
of the roomy old house where my father
had bestowed all the nutty treasures OF
the autumn woods. Somehow Priscilla,
the cat, had got locked into the garret,
and / had to release her from durance
vile, aud replace box or two which she
had knocked off from the window SILL
before came down, driving her catshiI
before me, with the lamp in one hant
and an apronful Of butternuts in tn
other. Through the open keeping-roon