The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-02-15


the top burned with sullen splendor
against climbing settlement of little
pointed cedars.
The old Medley Cow and Crumple
Horn had come to the bars in search Of
Elsie and were bawling now in the
quiet air, lifting up their voices against
her long delay. A red calf, with a
white star in the forehead, was rubbing
against her mothers baggy side and
occasionally emitting little plant to
remind Elsie that she had forgotten to
bring the warm mash that was to serve
for her supper Elsie put her arm over
the bar and laid it round Crumble
Horn neck, while she told the cows
and the calf Buttercup that Uncle 81
was dead. Uncle ST had been fond of
his old COWS and of all the animals ON
the farm, and she could but believe that
these dumb creatures would grieve to
know their friend had gone away never
to return.
A little flock of sheep was feeding at
the top of the green slope, and among
them q cosset lamb Elsie had brought
up by hand, getting out of bed at i'll
the morning to feed the hungry little
creature that looked to her for life be-
cause its own mother had cast it off.
The lamb Topsey was now as fat and
round as butter ball, with fine fleece,
like fur, and beautiful black stockings
and shoes. She came now and thrust
her moist black nose through the bars
to be petted by her mistress, and all the
little flock raced down the hill after
Topsey and surrounded the young girl,
creeping through the bars to come close
and rub their nozzles against her apron
in the hope of getting handful of salt.
She made q picture as she stood there,
with the sheep and cattle around her,
the wind in her hair and the evening
light just touching the side Of her
brown cheek.
Paul Raynor had driven up to the
barn door. Elsie heard the grating of
wheels on the gravel, and stepping out
Of the barnyard she helped him to un-
tackle the old chaise and loosen the
straps of the harness. Then she led old
Whitefoot into the stall and gave him
his portion of oats, while Paul dragged
the chaise under cover. Elsie had the
deftness of boy in all such work, and
her companion accepted her services as
If long used to them. When the little
chores were done, he opened the door of
Uncle Sis old shop, now turned into
kind of Noah's ark by the boys passion
for natural history study. Some white
and gray pigeons roasted on the beams
overhead, and big swapping turtle lay
torpid in an old horse trough. Two
pairs of bright eyes peeped out of rab-
bit hutch at the boy and girl, for they
were little more in fact, though Paul
Raynor lowered nearly feet high and
had the country lads strength and hard
ihood. Paul kept pair of gray squir-
rels in revolving cage and some land
crabs penned up in one corner with
boards, besides little tank with num-
ber of fishes swimming about in it and
a raccoon tied up by rope, A rude
cage overhead held bobolink, and the
skin of an immense henhawk was
nailed to the shop door. This was Paul's
collection he had made from the neigh
boring woods streams and swamps, and
it was Elsie's delight to watch him at
his studies and experiments. Every
moment of Paul's leisure was spent in
spying out the habits of animals, fishes,
birds and insects.
Look here, Elsie" said he now,
pulling small cardboard box out Of his
pocket, with perforations in the cover,
GIVE bagged a new kind of beetle, and
a rare fellow think he is He has nip
pers that would almost crack nut"
"How could you?" said Elsie re-
proachfully, ''when you were making
arrangements for Uncle Sis funeral"
A flush of shame came over Paul's
handsome face. "Why, I didn't think
it was any harm, Elsie.'' he said, with
the simple frankness native to him and
looking at her with his honest blue eyes
that reflected every thought of his soul.
Nobody can miss poor old Uncle ST
more than | do. | hadn't mite of
CLAIM on him moro than common hu-
manity. Father was his old friend, to
be sure, and after he died there in that
house in the woods Uncle ST came with
his horse and wagon and brought me
what cost him in food and clothes. 1
guess poor Uncle ST wouldn't mind if
he knew picked up beetle the day
after he died. He always said it was a
good thing for boys to study the habits
of creatures that live in the fields and
woods, for it keeps them out of mischief
He bought me all the books of natural
history l have, my fish book, book of
birds and one on hard winged insects.
''I guess, Elsie, have reason to mourn
for Uncle 81 if any one has. Don't l re-
member how | lived alone in that house
i'll the woods with father when he
scarcely spoke to me a whole week to-
gether? was a little chap then, too
young to understand, but / know now
he was a broken spirited, discouraged
man. After mother died and he lost his
property he wanted to hide himself like
some wounded animal that creeps away
to die alone. l had no playmates, no
human being to speak to. So l talked to
the crows sitting in among the pines
ON a stump ami believed they knew
what / said to them. It was at that
time kind of invented boy to be my
friend and to go with me on tramps. 1
called him Melchisedec, u name l pick
ed out of father . big Bible, and we had
a dog that we owned between us called
Darkness. Mel was rather a sullen boy
most times, but he was q good hand to
find birds nests and to hunt out moles
and field mice, and Darkness was good