Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-08-15
Uncle Absalom had occasionally bee

Iruc, tine one tralu q uay WHICH StoppeS
at the station was not due until seven ir
the morning. The telegram office was
closed, and there was absolutely no care
for her to assume except to put another
log of wood ON the air tight stove and
60 quietly to bed.
But the very sense Of solitude appalled,
her. She shivered at the very click oi
the snow flakes against the wiadow, the
crack of the boards in the floor, the slow
drip of the water into the kitchen sink,
| where Uncle Absalom had recently in
troduced the modern improvement of a
water tap. connected by pipes with the
spring in the spruce glen above.
"Why couldn't Miriam have stopped
Mt one of the neighbors' houses and sent
some one to keep me companya" she re-
pined. s:Andrew says there are some
; nice girls at Almondsley, down the
mountain, and he said he'd like to intro.
ducc me to Marietta Mix, who teaches
! Sunday-school in the South Cieating,
and does type writing for the company
on week days. I'm sorry, now that !
tossed my head, and put on airs, and
said did not care to mingle in the so.
, ciety hereabouts. must have appeared
hateful enough. Gracious, what W..
thatl"
It was the clock striking nine, and
then Emily reme:n' c-ei that she had no
supper. Nervously glaucing around her,
she tip.toed to the cupboard, and to Ok
glass Of milk and little bread-and-
| cheese. As she replaced the tumbler on
~ L. ha
frozen ground outside.
ats my Imagination" she said, after
listening for second. "But won't be
frightened so. will be brave" She
took hatchet, and sallying forth,
opened the cellar-door. eff anyone
comes he'll sail down there before he can
get to the door," said she.
Aud with two prodigious slashes Of
the hatchet she cut away the board Gath
which led across series of rugged bould.
ers to the railway platform.
There" she cried, hurrying back to
the inside warmth and brightness, as if
whole brigade of pursuers were at her
heels, "that's donel feel safer now.
But must hang the lantern out before
Uncle Absalom comes back. I don't
want him to fall down AMI break his
| dear old neck!"
She had just seated herself with sigh
of relief when something like big fire.
fly blszed on her vision-for brief Sec
ord only; then it was gone.
"a dark lantern" she said to herself.
| ~ am sure now that hear the sound Of
ieet on the platform. There arc two or
three people perhaps more. They
bave learned that l am alone with all
tlat moneyl' She clasped her hands
over her eyes, and shivered as she heard
a crash, a smothered exclamation, sup
| pressed buzz of voices, "Some one has
fallen down the cellar! Oh, how for.
| tunate it was I thought of that!'
And now low whisper came uF
through the care!essly- joined boards oi
the floor. She could distinguish the
words, "Hold on! Be careful! The
front door is fastened, for I tried it.
You can all of SOU get down cellar, ant
come UP that way"
Emily's heart gave an exultant jump.
The cellar door, a mass of timber in
which she had the fullest confidence, was
securely bolted. She peared out into
the stormy darkness. BY the occasion.
ally displayed CLEAN OF the lantern she
| could see huddled mass of figures
creeping dowa the cellar steps.
Last of all disappeared the lantern it.
self, one leisurely step at time; and
then, consummating plan which she
had long been concocting in her mind.
Emily made dash out into the night,
c!esed the two divisions OF the cellar
door with bang, barred them, and fled
painting into the house.
By this time there was brisk knock.
ing at the cellar door, a crying out o.,
'.Open the door! Let us inl''
; But to these calls Emily Elkton paid
no heed, and it was only when hand
was suddenly laid on her shoulder from
! behind that she uttered piercing
scream and lost all her presence OF mind.
"Why, Emmyw exclaimed familiar
voice. "Why, child, what's the matterl"
| "Oh, Uncle Absalom, how you fright
enel me! Oh, dear, the cellar is full oil
burglars and robbers! Reach down your
| gun! Get the hot-water kettle"
burglars, eha" said Uncle Absalom.
''Robbersa Why, whar on yarth did
they come from2 Sure ye amt mistooh,
sissy9 Anyhow, I'll be ready for EN-"
He advanced toward the cellar door
: with his loaded revolver in his hand.
! "Whoever ye be-" he shouted, "teli
us what your business is or take thisl
| Don't hold my arm, sissy! There can t
no more'n one at time come up these
sere cellar stairs, and 1 reckon Pm E
match for that much, if I be old an
| stiff"
| To Emiiy's infinite alarm he unbolted
! tle cellar door and flung it wide open.
| There, crowding on the narrow wood
en- steps, stood Andrew Markham, the
I Miss AlmonnsIeys, Leonidas Mix AMI
Sister Marietta, and DR.. Cliffe's two club
| by daughters.
I'VE came,' said Markham. rather
shamefacedly, "to give Miss Elkton a
birthday surprise. We'r, sorry that"
"Waill in-walll in!' cried Uncle A.
| ea'c.,,. his eooc o-" fu'i raoo1 of by. !
Smiles 'No need Of bein' sorry for
nothin'. You're all welcome! How on
earth did yc know it was Emmys TWEEN.
tieth birthday2" e-,-,
"Marietta has baked cake" SAID
Leonidas, "and the Cliffc girls brought
jug of lemonade, aai it was broken
when tumbled down cellar, and"
Goa, that don't matter none!" beamea
Uncie Absalom, "We'rc awful pleased
to see you-ain't we, Emily9"
In this auspicious manner began En-
lily Elkton's fist acquaintance with the
young people who were destined to ba
her lifelong neighbors.
"But really" said she, half crying,
half laughing, 81 thought you were all
banditti."
"It's all my fault" acknowledged
honest Marietta Mix. s'f was deter
mined that you should have surprise.
Andrew wasn't half wiiiinp but 7 in.