Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-11-11
THE MILLER'S GEESE
By MARY soMMERvLLE and
MARTHA .. BANKS.
rAIR and sweet were the flowers in


the morning sunshine, but no fairer
nor sweeter than was Elizabeth herself.
as she came down the walk in front OF
her grandfather's cottage, In her pref
" print frock and with the roses in her
cheeks, which in some sly manner had
sprung up there long before any OF
their rivals had thought of blooming In
the garden.
Down in the heart of Pennsylvania.
In the first quarter of the present CEN
tury lived Elizabeth with her grand
father and her grandmother, in the
small house near the woods on the bank
of a brawling creek, not far from the
village of Bellefonte, lying under the
shadow of Bald Eagle mountain. The
name of Bellefonte had been given to
the town by Elizabeth's grandmother,
in honor of the magnificent spring
bright, cool, fresh, sparkling and never
failing-that bubbled up on the edge OF
the village.
On the opposite shore of the creek
stood the old mill, with its whizzing.
hurrying wheels, grinding away day
by day in order to supply the good peo-
pie of the town with their daily bread,
and hard by was the humble home OF
the miller, David Crew, where he and
his wife lived by themselves, with only
flock of geese for company. 1t was
wild, lonely spot, but Eliza6eth's
Quaker cousins were over In the Town,
within walking distance, and Elizabeth
seldom sighed for other companions
Indeed, her grandmother thought that
she was almost too fond of wandering
round In the sole society of her own
feelings and fancies, and that OF the
dumb creatures about her. for young
maid who was of a mind to become
thrifty, able housewife, and she did her
best to lure the girls thoughts and foot
steps into more practical, domestic
paths.
But, In spite of her love of out OF door
life and her affection for nearly all
living things, Elizabeth felt no great
respect for the lively geese of the miller.
"They are but noisy birds" she would
say; always stalking round and max
ing a fuss about nothing. There is old
Tappy now, trying to look as wise as an
owl. and yet venture to believe that
she has not single idea in her head"
Like some silly lasses that have
seen," the grandfather would teasingly
reply, with their empty little pates in
the clouds, and they themselves hardly
aware where they are or what they are
doing"
Then would Elizabeth blush and hang
her giddy little head, for well she knew
that she was sometimes more given to
dreaming than to doing; but her grand
father would then laugh within him
self, and relentingly pat the glowing
cheek OF his granddaughter, for II must
be acknowledged that he was of private
opinion that she was the cleverest girl
in the county, even though he did liken
her to the geese and twit her with being
q sad romp. whose skirts grew deal
faster than her dignity.
On this special morning grandfather
was at the garden gate, preparing to
mount old Ben, the faithful horse that
carried him on many jaunt round the
country. Grandfather and Ben were
now bound on an expedition TO look
after the men who were at work on the
new canal, Of which grandfather was
the surveyor. 1t was n two days jour
ney to this point of observation and
back again, SO grandmother and Eliza
beth, and Woolly, the small black maid,
would be left TO themselves for the
night. But they had no thought OF
danger. They had never been molested
in their nook In the shelter of the for
est, and women and young folk were
brave and daring in those pioneer
times.
"Now. grandfather" said Elizabeth,
kissing her grandfather good-by. "be
sure to bring me bonny bunch Of crab
apple blossoms, as well as the hank Of
yarn of which 1 spoke to you, and II
you stop at Johns house tell his wife
that l should be pleased TO have tho
pattern of the pelisse that Sarah Blake
lent her. And, oh, grandfather. your
next trip will be to Philadelphia, and
you are to take me with you, are you
not2 And then l shall see somethin G
of the world Of which L have heard 80
| much and know SO little. And the
money to convey me on my journey is
even now in the house with the rest
that you brought home lately. is It not.
dear grandfather"
"Yes, chatterbox," returned the
grandfather, jocosely. pinching the
dimpled chin SO near at hand; "but see
to it that your brains 60 not wool-gath-
ering, and let it slip through your fin
gers ere you can put it to use"
With little laugh, as Elizabeth drew
herself up In dignified protest against
his insinuation, the grandfather waved
farewell to his wife in the doorway, and
jumping upon his saddle the active old
man rode away, muttering to himself:
"a hank of blossoms. yarn pelisse and
pattern of crnb-apples." Perhaps the
good grandfather was slightly absent
! minded himself on some oc9Gsions.