Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-11-04
CRATER Lu.-oContinued.,

Du0y:nt spirit always 10 look uDOn the
bright side. So she speedily sent the
image of her repuisive maiden aunt 10
Coventry. and called UP that of her
grandmother. All, that was some
thing TO delight in.
Elite had never known n mothers
perfect love, nor a grandmOther's in
dulgent fondness; but she had
dreamed of both! A mothers love
would never be hers; but she was
about to enjoy a grandmother's. She
had noticed how other girls had been
loved by their mothers and grand
mothers, and that the manifestations
of a mothers low were part caresSeS
and part rebuke: while those of n
grandmother's were all petting. And
she greatly preferred the latter.
She recalled 10 mind the rustic
grandmothers she had seen in her ma
tive region-good, old women In stuff
gowns and large aprons and white
caps and round spectacles-comforta-
bic old ladies, who wore bottomless
pockets with endless supplies of gin
gerbrcad for the children.
Then she pictured TO herself her w
grandmother who lived in the city, AMI
was said TO be wealthy, and she mag
ined her to be a nice old lady, with
soft, silky white hair just parted be-
meath her close book muslin cap, and
wearing Il fine black bombazine dress,
with a book muslin tucker folded
around her neck inside her dress, and
a black silk apron and black lace
mitts. She liked this old lady, and
thought how happy she would be to
have such IN one 70 pet her.
This grandmother. she fancied, lived
nj a pretty cottage with a flower gar
den, near the suburbs of the city, quite
away from it's noise, heat and dust.
So absorbed was Elite in her day
dream. that she never awoke until she
was startled by the rising of evqHy
one in the car, who began TO hurry on
their shawls and pick up their travel
ing bags, as for a general stampede.
As the train was still in motion, Fit
tie did not know what to make of this.
But, as this mode of travelling seemed
to present n succession of novelties,
Elite would not betray her surprise.
: So she only gave Miss Pinchett a
sharp nudge to wake her p. and said:
"The people are all going. l don't
know whats is the matter!'
Have we reached the ferry-boat:
Oh, yes, SO we have" yawned the
spinster. starting up and beginning to
gather together her travelling bag. um-
brella and extra shawl. They fol-
lowed the crowd, thus reaching in
safety the ferry-boat. where Elite and
Miss Pinchett wen to n long and
crowded table and got a luncheon of
hot coffee and stewed oysters. and
where Ettie bought n slice Of beef
steak, which she gave TO her pets in
the priva " of the Ladies' Dressing
Room, where nurses did most COLI
%gregate' 70 attend to their babies.
Again following the crowd. Elite and
Miss Pinchett entered the connecting
train OF cars, and once more found
themselves rushing over the land with
lightning speed.
Again Miss Pinchett. overcome by
her luncheon and the motion of the
fiaiE, fell asleep.
And Elite fell to day-dreaming about
rer nice, bic grandmother, the subur-
a cottage, the white-curtained bed
room, the dressing-case. work-box,
writing-desk. etc. And so she contin-
ued to dream until late In the after
noon. when the train again halted mt
the waters side. and they had to leave
It to enter a ferry boat, and cross a
broad, river like an arm of the sea
But when this f%erryboat approached
the opposite shore, Elite, who was on
the lookout, beheld a magnificent city.
the grandeur of which had never en-
tered her dreams, although those
dreams were of the grandest. They
landed In the midst of a hustle that
nearly stunned little Elite into idiocy.
'Here we are, my dear. at our jour
ney's end. In al hour we shall be
seated at tea in the old lady's parlor."
said Miss Pinchett. as she beckoned n
hackman and CAV him the tickets to
get their luggage.
Hold your pocket in your hand,
Elite. or 1t may be picked in an in
slant" said Miss Pinchett. while they
were waiting for the hackman to re-
turn.
Elite clapped her hand on her peck
ct, but the next instant exclaimed. in
dismay:
"Oh! it's too late! It's already
picked. my pocketDook Is gomez
Goodness, gracious. me alive, how
much was In it?' cried Miss Pinchett,
In CONSERVATION.
"a quarter and a flip and three cents
and two postage stamps
"Why. was that all the money you
had, child?v
"All ] had in that pocketbook. The
two golden double-eagles that dear old
Captain Fuljoy gave me, are in my
new crimson purse ut the bottom OF
my trunk"
'That Is fortunate. Now. here is
the hackman with our trunks" she
said, as that functionary approached
The luggage was put on, the order
where to drive was given. they entered
the carriage and started.
The gas lamps in all the streets and
all the shop windows were now light
ed, and poor little rustic Elite was
half-stupefied with amazement. AS
the carriage rolled over miles of illu.
minated. crowded and noisy streets
Elite felt dazzled by the splendor OF
the shop windows, blinded by the
glare of the gas lamps. deafened by
the clatter of omnibuses, confused
by the throng OF people, and generally
overwhelmed by the wonders of the
great city. Through miles and miles
and miles Of this street, and then into
another. more illumined. more splen,
n did and more crowded than the first,
4 Elite jumped from one side of the
carriage 10 the other. never tired OF