Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-02-13
1Yl7T'

"Oh, Car'line's r.tl away again. 1
tied her uy just $ strong as knew how
to the fsV1t gate with piece of clothes
line, AID gave her two cookies and her
doll, 30 keep her amused while l made
the grape jelly, don't see how in the
world she united that knot. Davy's got
to 60 an hunt her up"
"Hell CO." said Mrs. Whitman. "He
most cried cause you tied her up the
other day. He told me he thought Sarah
was too bad. He jest sets his eyes by
Car'line. Davy, Davyw
Mrs. Whitman stood in the door and
called loudly, but she had to call several
times before Davy heard. He was very
busy, indeed, gathering in his winter
store of butternuts. He had been work
ing hard all the forenoon, and had
gathered two bushels, and was well on
towards third. His brown eyes cleaned
with steady radiance under his old
straw hat; his fingers flew. The provi-
dent instinct of the squirrel and bee
were upon him; he was laying in his lit
tie winter store like them, and took a
genuine thrifty delight in it. Then, too,
he had another object in working fast;
he wanted to get the butternuts all gath
cred by o'clock, because he was GO
ing to party that evening. 1t was his
first evening party, and he was full of
delightful, vague anticipations. He was
going to wear his best clothes, and he
meditated asking his mother for little
of her hair oil with bergamot in it to put
on his hair; he was also going to blackeD
his shoes very particularly. Davy had
planned to go in the house about 5 o'clock
and commence his preparations, and it
was about quarter before o'clock
when he heard his mothers voice calling
him.
He obeyed rather hesitatIngly. 81
shan't get the but nuts pic led before it S
time to black my shoes, he thought, as
he went over the dry October grass to
the house. Davy was only twelve years
Old, and small for his age, although he
was an uncle.
His mother and his married sister,
Sarah, little Caroline's mother, were
waiting for him in the door. "You
must go right off and hunt up Car'line;
she's run away" his mother called out,
as he came in sight. Don't stop min
utc.' Sarah WAS almost crying. "Here
It's almost o'clock" she exclaimed,
IAN that little bit of a thing! Gorigat
off, Davy.
Davy looked startled, then inquired
(Which way do you s'pose she went7"
sob, dear, don't knowl was out
in the kitchen making grape jelly.
didn't see her. didn't know how long
she's been gone. Oh, deal
"I'll tell you what to do" said Mrs.
Whitman with the air of managing
general. She was not very old woman,
although her hair was gray aud she COW
cred it with 1t high blsckcap and a
severe black front piece. She always
wore large, stiffiy-starch apron.
"Sarah and l will go up the road, " said
she, 'an' you, Ddvy, go down. An
don't you take Towser, because that last
time Car'line run away, an you took
him to track her, he tracked wood
chuck instead, an you wenta wild goose
chase for two hours. That dog amt the
kind that tracks folks, an l don't want
you to lose any time foolin' with him.
It's gettin' dark. You shut Towser up
IN the barn; then you start. You stop
at Mis- Briggs when you get there and
ask if they've seen anything of Car'line,
an you stop at Mis- Smiths an Mis-
Wheelocks an if they have you keep on
till you find her, no matter how far you
have to go. Don't you come back with
out her.
az can't see how she united that
knot, said Sarah. Her pretty face was
all streaked with tears and grape juice.
Her mother took corner OF her apron
and wiped it forcibly as they started up
the road. "You keep calm, she said.
''She'll be found.
Uncle Davy shut Towser in the barn.
Then he walked briskly down the road.
There was not a house for some distance,
but he peered carefully over tue stone
walls across the fields. Caroline was five
years old. She was very fair and chubby,
with carefully brushed reddish curls and
a little blue ribbon to keep them out of
her eyes. She always wore a nice little
white tire in the afternoon. Davy
strained his eyes for glimpse of that
white tire and those shining curls among
the bright October underground. The
road was very dusty. lie kicked up
white cloud as he walked. ''Shan't
cave any time to black my shoes" he
thought, woefully. Uncle Davy was a
very particular boy, and needed great
deal of time for everything.
When he reached the Briggs house
there was still no sign of Caroline He
vent around to the side door aud found
open and Mrs. Briggs sitting there
neniing coat. She was large woman
and seemed to quite I'LL up the doorway.
"Have you seen anything of Car 'line3"
asked Davy, standing before her.
"Car'line, repeated Mrs. Briggs.
eyes, Car'line, Sarah's little girl.
She's run away, and Pm tryin' to find
ler."
when did she go2'
81 don't know-a little while ago."
swell, declare" said Mrs. Briggs
81 dun know but did see her. There