Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-11-24
"A FOOL PROJlCK."a

ut will bc so lovely tosurprise Aunt
Ma'thy by walking in uncxpect-
cdly-"
Molly Nolan's eyes were blue and
clear, her face pretty AMI expressive.
She sat upon The stout broad arm of
Mr.. Jared Nulan's big arm chair.
81 am not sure, daughter, that it
is quite safe. Montana is a long dis.
tance from New York.
''Oh, you dear prudent papa. You
forget these are commonplace days
days of convenienccs and tclcgraphs.
Surprises are so delightful. Why
need we telegraph Aunt Martha We
are coming." urged Molly, lightly
stroking the gray hair which framed
the dear face beginning to show
wrinkles that could not be rubbed or
caressed away.
professionally the would-be sur
priscr is d%isagrecably surprised, as I
once CHANGED to learn by actual ex-
periencc. l."
"You. papa? Did you"
"Yes, Il did, Molly. In my
younger days 1 tried "a fool projick.'
My plans went 'aglcy,' and I was
treated to a series of surprises in one
night not included inmy carefully ar
rangel program.
''Whcn a young student. l was in
vitcd to spend Il winter with a friend
living in a thiuly settled portion of
Mississippi.
".l suppose mother said to tic,
when We waited at II depot for the
south-bound train, there arc convey
ances TO he hired in Plum Creek.
You will have no difficulty in getting
a carriage. III the Bourkcs were not
a family always prepared to enter.
tain guests, l should not consent to
your plan of dropping in Unexpectedly
upon Ned
81 uring i.y three days of travel,
failures to make the proper connec-
tion, and lack Of amusement, l
planned to reach Plum Creek by sum
rise on the fourth morning of my
journey, hire Il stylish livery team
there and breakfast with Ned.
"Alas for my plant
s.The brakeman called plum Creek
at IL p III. on my third night out.
The trainmerely sluwedu up Igrabhcd
my baggage, made a flying leap,
landing upon soft soil face downward.
No lights were visible save the
lantern carried by the station agent.
".1 reckon yer haint much ON the
jun p. stranger. Pick ycrsclf up IN
yer'll find thar's no homes bruk', said
Mr.. Doothan Skimmcrhofn, flashing
his light in my face.
".llor on until L run into the de-
pot a mint. IN then Ill talk to ycr.'
mir. silnmerhorn was tall, gaunt.
stopped and active. ilis long. pale
face covered with thick coarse black
beard, was a kindly one. lie speedily
returned carrying Il ligltcd fat pine
torch.
"'Yer want Il livery team r IL
nights lodgin'. hey?' he replied i'm an
swer to my anxious inquiries.
Sonny, ycr'vc acted plum silly
this fool proiick's led yer inter IL per-
dicament. Now yer ortcr We writ
Lawyer Bourkc ycr's comm. No.
body's 'spectin' yer m yerc yer air.
JOB Dancy's Rest is the highest house
whar they'll sleep m eat yer, III that's
four mile thru the woods. Yer carn't
hire a team to night. Folks mostly
hoofs it in this part of Missip. 'cept
them as has mcwl teams. Hits pitch
dark N yer don't know the way, but
yer carn't miss hit. jest bile straight
ahead onJil yer git ter Job Dancy's.
I've tiX'd yer Il torch. Hitll stir up
the owls-the woods air full of EN-.
Don't let their h0oJin' addle yer.
Now strike the woods N bile ahead
due south. Yer mout whistle ter
keep Vii yer spunk, sonny
~ struck the woods. / waved my
torch, which burned checrily and
brightly. L succeeded in stirring ul
the owls in every direction, which
Z hooted dismally. h%oarsely, shrilly,
Weirdly, mournfully, and in%ccssantly.
I walked, so it seemed to me, AT in
teFminably long distance, when l met
a mar going six miles after a doctor
for his little .AQuilla lIenry'. He
stopped a moment. i%nstructing me tt
bile ahead ontil 1 come ter a double
!. lighthouse. Jam up ac'in the road in
the aholler.' He called after me-
Thars dawgs. job Dancy keeps q
passed. OF dawgs. dun no as they'd
RELY bite yer, but I'd wise yer tel
whoop right pcart afore yer git tel
the house. Job'll sleep IN eat yer
hut yer'll halter mosey on o spell
furder dfore yer'll git thar
81 moseyed on a spell 'furder
when 1 espied just under the hill the
half way house, Job Dancy's 'Rest.
"The 'dawgs' were yelping loudly.
They greeted me with louder yelps
The colder hounds advanced peril
ously near to me. I whooped loudly,
. whoop which brought to my relief
BIr. Dancy, lightly clothed il y yel,
iyv cotton night gown, who lt:ked