Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-03-11
AUNT SERENA'S SALT BAG,
BY CHARLES NJ. HARGER.

what makes the trunk so heavy?"
asked Paul, as he lifted the old-fash-
toned leather-covered box from the
wagon at the ranch house.
Gold and precious stones, likely.
You know folks are all rich down i'll
New England" replied Theo.
"Aunt Serena wouldn't bring those"
'Of course she wouldn't" put in that
lady herself, coming from the dwelling
which was to be her home for year.
81 guess I know better than to bring
anything like that out here-why don't
you have board walk instead of a dirt
path to your house?"
''This isn't Connecticut, Aunt; it 8
Texas, an mighty near the Panhandle, .
replied Paul. eff you visit the Texans,
do as the Texans do; you know the
proverb."
cit is not proverb, and you did not
quote it correctly; but hurry in with
the trunk"
So the heavy burden was, with much
straining of muscles on the part of the
two nephews, carried inside; but the
youths curiosity remained unsatisfied.
"I've brought this twenty miles in
wagon to-day, an I ought to be told
what's in it, insisted Paul.
So they waited while Aunt Serena
unpacked.
Dresses, aprons, a few keepsakes-
out the articles came, all light of weight
and furnishing no explanation of the
mystery. But before the bottom was
more was to be seen.
"Mighty funny she's so particular, .
commented Paul, as Theo and himself
sat on their ponies the following day,
a couple of miles from the cabin, watch
ing the big cattle herd. I'm going to
find out, an right soon, too"
''Make raid on the trunk?"
Don't know; but guess so. Father
and mother are going to take her over
to the school directors this afternoon.
I'll make hunt then"
And he did. When he came back his
face was a study.
what dye find?" asked Theo.
Couldn't guess it in a thousand
years."
Gold, silver, iron, horseshoes, beans,
bullets?"
.'Your trail amt even warm-it's
SALT
what for?"
GLOW do you suppose know? I'm
goin' to ask her."
But Paul did not need to ask. Amt
Serena suspected that he belongings
had been searched, and forestalled any
comments by remarking at the break
fast table: cts the purest, finest salt
I could get-a hundred pounds OF IL.
I've lived too long within smelling dls-
lance of salt water to risk having things
fresh. Even for visit l wanted to be
prepared for emergencies, and besides,
1 suppose you use stock salt IN Jumps
here"
Paul admitted that she was partly
right, and from that time the fanch
table was not without the f1our-Hke, re-
fined product of the eastern salt works.
The sack was set inside the storeroom
door, and was the subject OF many a
joke in the family as well as among the
herders.
Even the sturdy nephews were not
above referring to the freshness that
their aunt expect to see in the SOUTH
west.
"But then it's just what you'd allow
to find a school teacher dom, salo
Paul. His contempt for school teacn-
ers, was, however, largely assumed, anu
he often wished he were capable CT
teaching the neighborhood school, as
his aunt was doing. He longed Tor ner
knowledge of books every time ne saw
her crossing the prairie to the soo
school house, a mile or more from the
ranch. where all the settlers children
gathered.
But something else was OF more
pressing Importance. The grass On ene
range was becoming short, and the Sc
we're dreuth had prevented the starting
of new growth.
eve must move the stock down
nearer the ranch house." ordered the
chief herder; and the men allowed Inc
cattle to Craze closer to the corral.