The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-10-27

we came home and he askad me about the
grazing and the water, l (intent on COM
fortng HIM told him it wasn't so very
nice after all but he looked doubtful. and
now when | tell him anything he asks
someone else about it.
But Oracle thought 1T worth another
effort, and so on Saturday before the
Wednesday on which we started for the
nuts she and Clara started on a final
round to see what could beNdone. So l
gave them my blessing and they drove
away at p. nj. IN the best ofspirlts and
freshest of lawns, seeking whom they
might find signing for fresh air and fun.
About O'Clock | heard Pat coming in
Not with that reckless scattering step,
that would indicate success. but with
measured tread as if he were cavalry
horse on his way to an Indian camp
Oracle came in, sat down in the kitchen
and gracefully but surely kicked a hole in
the kitchen floor. | told the mother l
had better 60 down and interview the ad
vance agent. She didn't encourage. but
| went-and came away. In my brief
stay. however, | learned that we we're
three or none. | thought it over and de-
cided (though l didn't say SOY that it
would ne tiresome tramp, and l didn't
care to go anyway.
Monday while the day was yet young
she left the protection of the paternal
shelter, likewise the burden of the morn
ing dish wash, and came to us on her
wheel. resolved To go to Mount Wilson
Wednesday. am. and-take US with her.
So with many douD as to the wisdom Of
the undertaking without man or even
a new woman in the crowd we COM
mencsd preparations. l made one last
appeal to stony-hearted Dixie to make one
OF us, but with an extra curl of her patri
clan nose she gently refused. 1t required
great deal of self sacrifice on my part
to urge her to go, for her boomers were
Mt NV inta dod To aoty
them out and wear them n case;she didn't
go. But she slept on the matter, ana
swept into my room Tuesday morning
like bird on forage bound, for list of
things needed and train time. She got
all this, and the bloomers. Before night
Gracies face wore a regular last day of
school grin. For word came by telephone
of others going. which shows we should
never say die in any enterprise. That
day proved the saying Promise Jack a
plum and he will find the sugar" When
bed time came We laid our weary but
happy heads on our pillows, safe in the
knowledge that all was ready, and slept
one ear open for the 5-oclock alarm.
Oh, the delightful hurry and scurry of
that morning. The anticipations of fun
we packed away among our fourteen bun
dies of clothes, bacon and other goodies.
BY We | mean an entire family of seven,
for it took the combined efforts of every
one awake near the premises as yell as
rat, to get us away at $40, inter being all
ready the night before, too. At Second
and Spring we changed cars ami left
my bundle of blankets behind, but dear
old lady rich in the experience of looking
after outing parties. called to me. which
was we'll. as it was one fthe regular du-
ties OF the party to overhaul my bed
every night in camp to see If there was
any possib ility of reducing my allowance
of cover, and they generality decided
there was. just as our car came over the
hill Arthur came by with our baggage
also the dampening intelligence that he
could not find Dixies houss.
What should be dcns? Up to this time
/ had some faint hope she might lend
me the ploomers, but when pictule ed her
sitting on her front steps, hemm ed in by
bundles, waiting for Arthur until past
tram time. I grew chilly and decided 1
didn't care for bloomers. l looked across
the street ard saw an express wagon.
Rushed ever and seized the supposed
owner by the sleeves and tried to con-
vince HIM that he could go to Eighth and
Flower and make the o. clock train. He
simply loked at me. l shouted at him
Eighth and Flower, Santa Fe train.- 7
o'clock, double rates, Wilson'S peak, bag
gage, crowd gathering and painful reali-
zation on my part that my bicycle skirt
is little short for walking after all. /
pause for breath. while one backward
glance tells me that Grace is frantically
waving bundle from the rear of an cleo
trio: bound for the Santa Fe, while the
conductor rings my funeral knell to qui,k
step time in genuine Wasnerian crescen-