The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-12-09

that | should be pleased TO have the
paitesn 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
not? And then | shall see something
Cf the world of which | have heard so
much and know so little. And the
money TO convey me on my journey is
even now i'm the house with the rest
,ha, you brought home lately. is il not.
dear grandfather?'
"Ncs. chatterboN." returned the
graz Ither. jocosely. pinching the
dimpled chin so near at hand; "but see
to it that your brains 30 no, wool-ga,h-
ering, and let it slip through your fin
gers ere you can put it to use"
With a 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:
~ hank Of blossoms, a yarn pelisse and
a pattern of crab-apples," Perhaps the
good grandfather was slightly absent
minded himself On some occasions.
Elizabeth stood gazing after the
horse and its rider until they vanished
round the curve in the road by the great
oak tree. Then she turned and glanced
across the stream toward the mill. The
miller was leaning out of the upper half
of the mill door. his arms resting on
ihc lower half.
The top of the morning to you, Miss
Elizabeth" he called out. "Do you know
I've found the nest Of the old goose
I've been hunting so long? 1t was in
he crotch of willow at the lower end
IF the dam. Step over and take look
nt it,"
Elizabeth was about TO trip lightly
across the bridge that led to the mill.
when she was hailed by voice from the
kitchen. reminding her that life is not
all play. even on a merry May morn
ing.
"Elizabeth Elizabeth" cried the
grandmother. "there is large ironing
to do, and we are late at setting about
it. Come, little idier, to your task"
"But it's such lovely day!" sighed
the girl slowly entering the room, and
casting many longing glance back
ward. silently wishing that she were
a bird or leaf that could let the rain
do its washing and leave the smoothing
process to the wind and the sunshine.
"But if | am diligent this morning,
grandmother, suppose that l may 60
into town this afternoon to see Mary
Anne"
"Yes. yes. child; but now we must
make haste. or else noon will be here
before we have finished all that we have
on hand" responded the grandmother.
laying generous patches Of dough into
the bread baskets to rise and make
ready for baking
When the clock struck 10 the last
piece of snowy linen was hung up to air
or, the linestretched across the kitchen,
and when the traces Of the midday
meal were cleared away Elizabeth tied
on her sunonnet and started for the
village. OF course she had to pause for
a moment at the spring, for she could
never pass it by unheeded; but little
later she was with her cousins in an old
garden. sleepy with sunshine and
fragrant with blossoms.
Wha. with gossiping over Elizabeth's
coming flight from the home nest and
the relating of stories by Mary Anne
from n delightfully."- fascinating book
that she had come across-but which
her mother had withdrawn from her
ere she had fathomed half OF its fasci
nations-the afternoon skipped by al
too quickly.
Elizabeth suddenly realized the late
ness of the hour, and FASTENED away.
but il was growing dark as she pressed
into the shade of the pine woods beyond
the spring, and she was considerably
startled when she observed in the path
ahead of her the figure of an unknown
man, who, when he heard the approach
ing footsteps, lodged behind the trunk
of a tree, as though fearful of discov-
cry.
Dear me-" thought Elizabeth. "who
is that? II must be a beggar or
tramp, unless il is n king or a lord in
disguise. Anyway. it's bes; to avoid
him. There, he has turned off to the
right, so I'll hurry along as fast rs !
can."
In another moment she saw her
grandmother coming TO meet her. Eliz-
abcth threw her arms round the old
lady's neck in an ecstasy Of JOY and
relief, and confided the story Of her
vision and her fright. Grandmother
looked little worried.
II almost wish that you had brought
William home with you to spend the
night" she said. as she latched the gar
den gate behind herself and Elizabeth.
"Woolsy says that there is a fox prowl-
ing round, also. You must shut up the
chickens with more than usual caution.
David went away for the afternoon, too,
and will not be back until late this even
ing. Do you run over, Elizabeth, and
see that the geese are in the pen near
the house. lest they be in peril, and
drop word TO his wife, poor lame SUI