Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-05-28

top of the mountain and he came
straight across on horseback and the,
stage goes roundabout the bend OF
the river to Durkee's, so it will Have
to be late and no mistake.
And how they will hate to stop
here at the foot of the hill to let Jane
Eliza off, but they will, for Swan is
always good-natured. wish I knew
if he was on tonight"
He didn't go down yesterday.
There was a new man. They said his
name was PuddIeford, but Swan will
most likely come up tonight they will
be so heavily loaded"
I hope SOL replied the mother, an
xiously, for the dear child wrote that
when she got into the coach where
Swan held the reins she should feel
as safe as if she was fairly at home"
You had better go to bed, Jake,
said the farmer coming in. You will
have to be early astir in the morning.
Guess not" said Jake, who had
never before been known to lose the
earliest opportunity Of going to bed.
4 shall stay out doors around and
when l hear the horn at Durkee's
shall light my bonfire. Then l shall
run for the gate and sit on the high
post, till the stage gets here. l sat
there when Jane Eliza went away, and
I told ner l would be sitting there
when she got back I can take the
baby cut, they will be in a tarnal
hurry now, ! tell ye."
You had better go to bed, so as to
be ready for tomorrow" Mother
Wheeler said to one and another-for
the house was well filled al~eady-but
no, they were all determined to sit up
and to do their part toward giving the
family favorite a jolly home coming.
The long table was set, fires were
lighted in all the rooms above and be-
low and the great colonial house
looked a very haven OF good cheer
when the sound OF the distant horn
was heard at the postofIice, a mile be-
low
Jake lighted his huge bonfire with a
pine torch carried from the kitchen
and the whole household rushed out
and stood in line by the roadside.
a pdch u looI7' o'9l o' nv II %
the whole on EN-, growled EphIiam
gong III 10 Ihe narrow ell 9llou III
Chlhk Ihey 8oI lolhS enousn over
there TO SET up camp Hleelll'
wen, tam noIhHi new gro"ieu
Edltha IN return.
NO tam [, mats d IacI' Iney We
he'd comp'ny and he'd cOmp'ny till
they don know hef ter i've no olhef
way, and Shouldn thlnk they see
no difference Ihahk6glVln /
Shouluh I.
But the nelShDorS say they never
nave had even aI Jane Ellza wed
DING nothln equal 10 thls' ana poor
EdlJha went over again ABOUT tue Iuf-
Key ana cranberry sauce ana lolo now
gooo Il would an taste.
wall SaIa heF huSoano' nam
tasted turkey tof Ten year ell l nave
TOT hlIeeh' ana We raised hunureoS
OF EN-, ana our cTahDeffle7 nave gone
10 market along with the turkeys.
II anybody wants ter know what sat
istactlon that is, they can look IN that
bank book up there IN the corner cup
board.
Now l, as fur as I'm concerned,
would rather have that bank account
than the memr'y OF good things I've
eat up, and I'd as leeves have pudden
an milk as anything after it's down"
Well, l don't know" said his wife
dOlefully, q sometimes think [ should
have more strength if we lived Setter.
| don't feel now as if | could set up
another minute, and l shall go to bed
pretty soon if it amt only in the be-
ginning of the evening, as it ware"
Getting up from her low splint-
seated rocking-chair in the chimney
corner, she slowly crossed the room
and opened the door of the tiny ell
bedroom and reaching her bOny arm
to pull down the faded copperplate
curtain, exclaimed
"Oh, fire. fire! It's Enoch's house!
Tilda is goin' ter be burned out as
sure as sin"
mo she amt nutherr' growled
Ephriam. 'Tain't nothin but that
foolish Jake's foolish bonfire, to jist
cap the climax of the welcome fur
Cane Elizer. I never in all my life,
never, did see such d pack of fools,
and there comes the stage this minute
over the brow of the hill"
Yes, so it is, and they've got the
six white horses. 1t always makes me