The Van Buren press., 1897-12-04
THE MILLER'S GEESE.
BY MARY SoMMERvTIIE and
MARTHA B. BANKS.

TAR and sweet were the flowers in
the morning sunshine. but no fairer
nor sweeter than Was Elizabeth herself.
rs she came Down the walk in front of
her grandfatheF'S cottage. n her pret-
" print freek and with the roses in her
cheeks, which in some sly manner had
sprung up there long before any Of
their rivals had though, 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 hrawling creek, not far from the
village of Bellefonte, lying under the
shadow Of Bald Eagle mountain. The
name Of Bellefoute had been given to
the town by Elizaoeth's grandmother,
in honor Of the magnificent spring
bright, cool. fresh, sparkling and never
failing-ihat bubbled up on the edge o:
the village,
On the opposite shore Of the creek
stood the old mill, with its whizzine,
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
a flock of geese for company. twas a
wild, lonely spot, but Elizabeth'S 5
Quaker cousins were over in the town,
within walking distance, and Elizabe
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 a young
maid who was of mind to become a
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 a single idea in her head"
Like some silly lasses that have
seem" the grandfather would teasinglv
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 10
dreaming than 10 doing; but her grand
father would then laugh within him
self, and relentiugly pat the glowing
cheek Of his granddaughter. for IL must
be acknowledged that he Was of private
opinion that she was the clevereSt cirl
in the county, even though he did liken
her to the geese and tvvit her With being
4 sad r0mP, whose skirts grew a deal
faster than her dignity.
On this special morning grandfather
Vas al the gardea gate. preparing 10
mount cid Ben, the faithful ho-se fhsf
carried him on many o isunt round the
eountry. Ganafstsvr ard Ben ws-e
now bound on az expedition 70 look
after the men who were al work OF the
rev canal of which grandfather u7s
The surveyor. Il was two DAYS four-
ney 10 this point of observation ans
back again. Sc srarimothcr aui Eliza
beth, and Wooily. the small black maid
would be ieft to themselves fer th-
night. Rlt ;1ey had 20 thought a.
danger. They had never bseu r-1,estes
in their ncoS in the shelter cf the for
sst. and women and yoaHs fo.k usrr
brave and daring in shoss pioneer
times
Vow. srsudiather.~ said Eliabefh.
kissing her grardiatktr soui-br. ~he
sure o. urius ues lscrr1 aructl ~ crab
apple blcssons. as oreI as tle ta.k af
yaEn cl wa'ea spakc 70 ycc. ar.- ff
you stop az johns Ecusc Esu kfs uffe
that ] shoad he pleased 10 have he
pattern cf tie psliSss tkat Slrlh BAKE
ls1t 4sr. Ar5- e.. Erarlfsthsr. ycur
neHt iriF wlii u so FtEs, ,s'Ft's. and