Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-05-12

parting pat, then started slowly down
the hill toward the bridge. Four ways
met there-the lane leading to
Cynthy's. the road into the woods, the
Faxon driveway and the road to the
fair
Susy looked up the road for Eben,
but for glaring half mile there was
no moving thing. The green ribbon
road through the woods to Capt.
Banks was deserted, too; so was the
Ordway lane.
But some one was moving up near
the liIacs. Susy shaded her eyes
"Oh! it's Grandma Ordway!"
This was gentle old woman, deaf
and partly blind, and fond of wander
ing about in the sunshine.
''Yes, that is her little red shawl;
how hot it looks to-day" Susy was in
4 glow, even in her cool gingham.
What if this heat should make the
lily droop! Better draw it little way
up the lane into the shade of the
naples. There How welcome the
coolness'
"Hark! Old Babel againr' thought
Susy. How near it sounds, He must
have broken into the lower pasture.
What a dreadful angry roar-begiu-
ming so growly and ending so shrill''
She was glad she had not to stay at
home alone and listen to it. How it
echoed against the old saphouse be-
hind herl
This was rude board shanty where
the men boiled the maple sap in
spring and kept their pals and kettle.
1t had chimney, square hole for
window and door facing the bridge
IF Babel should get out--if it's
water he's after-he'n como tearing
down here to the brook" thought
Susy She shuddered and looked al
the saphouse door. 1t was hooked on
the outside, but above her reach.
Better climb into the apple tree by
the wall" thought Susy. But my
lilyi Old Babel would be sure to see
that and trample it all to pieces, it is so
red"
Another roar! There was no doubt
now; old Zerubba bel was out-he was
coming right down the hill behind the
barn! He made nothing of the gate;
one blow of his great, square head,
one lift of his short, cruel horns-it
was tossed from it's hinges and he was
in the yard and at the watering trough.
But alasl there was nothing but mud
and green scum in it. Eben had been
taking the cows to the brook for a week
past. Babel did not stay long at the
trough, but started down the road
toward Susy.
81 must get out of his way" she
thought There's time to run up to
the Ordways'-but not with my cart
and lily. I must put them in the sap
house"
She found stick and pushed at the
rusty hook of the saphouse door with
all her might.
Another bellowl Babel was comingl
The hook gave way, the door fell in.
Susy scrambled after with the cart.
She shut the door and piled bricks,
stones, blocks, all the loose rubbish she
could find against it, in frantic haste.
A terrible trampling, sound of fly
ing pebbles, and roar that chilled her
blood, told her that Babel had reached
the brook, with only few yards and
that frail door between them.
]. = teeth were chattering with fear,
but she felt that she must look out.
The window was on the wrong side,
bst there was crack in the door
Yes-there was Babel, knee-deep in
the brook, drinking with fierce eager
ness, and rolling the stream with his
pawings.
But what would he do next, and why
did not Eben co1neP sbestt,rnoI 60 Tic
window. On joyful sight! A cloud of
dust at last 1t must be Eoen's wagon.
But what was that sound?
Out of the dust came, rearing and
paving, another dreadful bull, straight
toward the bridge! With cry of
disnay Susy recognized it as Lord Cor
wallis--thc famous bull that she had
seen Capt Banks driving toward the
fair an hour ago. Lord Cornwallis had
escaped, and was wandering home
ward. Hearing Babel, he bore down
upon him with challenge in every
motion
Splashing, snorting, exulting in the
stveam, old Babel did not perceive his
rival until he had reached the bridge.
Then he raised his head with a glance
of inquiry, and stood proudly defiant,
awaiting the onset.
In another instant poor Susy at her
crack saw Lord CORVALLIS plunge
down the pebbly bank with shrek of
fury, to be met with equal but cooler
hatred by his big foe.
The animals were we'll matched in
size and strength. Now in the stream,
amid splashing, foaming water and fly
ing pebbles, now in the road, con-
cealed by clouds of dust torn up by
their pawings, they crowded each
other forward and back, roaring and
believing - with clashing horns and
dripping blood-till Susy was wild with
excitement.
Her hands were clenched, her breath
came in sobs, and she kept uncon-
sciously repeating: "Oh dear! oh dear!
what shall ! do? Come, Eben, Eben,
Ebeny"
Meantime, poor deaf Grandma Ord
way, in her red shawl, was coming
nearer and nearer to the unseen battle
field
Somewhat later Eben, who had been
detained by the difficulty of getting his
cattle into their proper places at the
fair, came to the top of the slope above
the creek where Babel had met the
enemy. There Eben looked down upon
the bridge. Something was moving in
the hollow-making great dust-or
was it smoke? "But nobody d start
fire such dry time" thought Eben.
He shaded his eyes, he rubbed them
Susy couldn't make such n dust with
her little cart.
1T must be horse rolling" thought
Eben, "or the calves have got ont and
are frolicking down there, or -"
A terrible fear contracted Eben's
heart. He ran forward now, leaving
his wagon by the roadside, for he had
heard hoarse sound that he knew
well.
''Oh Heaven, have mercy!'' thought
Eben. "Old Babel is out, and Susy-
little tender Susy-was to wait just
there!''
The bushes were in the way but he
sped on, one hand clutching his stout
pocketknife.
Soon he could see again-and what
sight Susy's little cart flew through
the airl Susy's cherished lily was
trampled and ground to atoms beneath
those cruel feetl And where was his
| little sister?
For one agonized instant Eben stood,
his eyes searching the road, the trees,
! the brookside for that innocent face,
that active little figure, never so dear,
SO sweet before.
rTban - ,,aIa old face apneare6 a+ tba