The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-13
A MEMORABLE OUTING.
a Story of the Recent Floods.
BY T. c. HARBAUGH.

When Tom sinclair, the youngest pu'-
one of the most respected employees
of Morgan & Co., presented himself in
l the office of the firm, one morning,
dressed in a new suit. and carving a
! grip in his hand, the senior member
looked over his spectacles and smiled.
You're off, I see, Tom" said he.
If you please, sir. / have half an
/ hour in which to ca.cn the train. and
I've dropped in to wish the house sue
/ cess while I'm gone"
Thank you. l hope you'll find your
aunt well. and know she'll be delighted
to see --ou.''
1t was his first vacation, and he had
resolved TO spend it at the home of an
aunt whom he had not seen for wears.
/ and who lived in the eastern part of the
state, not far from the Arkansas river
1t was Toms intention to take his
aunt, who was a widow, by surprise
Therefore he had not written her about
his vacation, and he smiled to himself
whenever he thought of the pardonabie
little game he was about to play.
A few hours after leaving Little Rock
Tom was set down at a typical south
ern station, with the shadows of night
gathered about him.
He was about to ask the telegraph
agent the nearest road to the Roses.
as his aunt called her home in her let
ters-just as if she lived on a large es-
tate-when a boy of his own size came
up, asking Tom what he was looking
for
Il want to find the place where my
aunt lives" answered the stranger.
What's her name?"
Susan Blair
I live out in that direction myself"
said Tim.
\
Yes. 1 know the roads pretty well.
so let's be of
TINS JOKE.
In a little while Tim produced a
queer looking vehicle, the propelling
power of which was a gaunt but docile
donkey, and Tom, mounting the rickety
seat beside the driver, was soon NOV
ing over a regular Arkansas road with
a strange country before him. Tim
became communicative and the time
passed rather pleasantly for the city
boy until the donkey was halted and
Tim waived his hand toward little
house prettily set among some trees.
That's Susans place-that's The
Roses" If you find a flower on the
diggins, iet me know"
AS Tom had already paid his fare he
sprang down and turned to thank Tim
beside, when the donkey was turned
and driven off.
What startled Tom was the absence
of light, and no one came to the door
to greet him. Surely he and Tim had
talked loud enough TO have attracted
attention, but he knocked without re-
ceiving an answer.
His repeated raps ELECTED no response
at all, and investigation told him that
the house was empty; that, in fact, it
had not been inhabited for months.
naEnffp rha shadows a hOTf IL he
could see that it had been deserted for
some time, weeds had grown rank
where they had once been kept down.
and a spider had spun her web across
the front windows.
Tom was in a quandary, but all at
once he was startled by the barking of
a dog and the next moment little cur
ran at his legs.
He fought the dog off with his valise
and then footsteps and a voice intro
duced him TO the dogs owners.
These were man and a boy, the
former with an axe over his shoulder
and the boy carrying d dingy bucket
in his hand.
Tom asked at once if his aunt Susan
sudden glances.
Susan Blair went away two months
ago. said the man. she said she
was going west and that's the last
we've heard o. her? Your aunt? Mighty
good woman was Susan, but she had
queer ways and fancied that the settle
ment was asin her which it was not"
Tom then proceeded to tell how Tim
Holloway had brought him TO the spot,
whereat the man shook his head"
He'd do anything. eh. Esau?" and
he glanced down at the boy at hiss5ide.'
Nothin' good in that boy" and father
and son laughed, not at Toms mis-
fortune, but at the trick Tim Holloway
had played. not with the intention of
doing harm, but out of pure cussed-
ness, as the woodchopper phrased it.
A NEW EXPERIENCE.
AS passing the night under his aunts
root was ouL of the question, Tom ac-
cepted an invitation from the 2air TO
accompany them, and the little Arkan-
san. who was stout and wiry. took hold
of TOMS vaiise, and swung it airiiv
over his shoulder.
1t was a real southern home inSab-
tied By The middle class that greeted