Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-04-15
AS the ANGELS"
BY EMMA A. LENTE.

lneres simply no use In stopping
here any longer, Fred. We've exhaust
ed the place."
Think so, old man? Now, / don't. .
swell, what is there to stay for?'
"Look there, Morris; the answer is
visible"
The there" was a wide expanse of
field, stream, forest, lake and noun
tain. The vantage ground was grassy
hillside dotted with trees. Under the
shade of the grandest maple reclined
the young men who had been undecid-
ed where to spend their vacation. and
had drifted to this spot on their wheels,
led by the glowing description of a
friend as to the charming scenery and
the quaint lovableness of the inhabit-
ants.
"They will take you into their hearts
as well as their homes" he had said.
"You will be asked to high tea, aud il
there's wedding you will be invited
as surely as If you were near of kin;
at funeral, you will be expected to
mourn with those that mourn. 1t is
a sweet, primitive place now; it will
be spoiled when the tourists find it,"
And so, scarce caring where they
went, as long as it was away from city
sights and sounds, Fred White and
Morris Garth, one a writer, the other
a bank clerk, had come to the little
nook among the hills in the up-coun-
try.
They found a boarding place with a
Quaker family, consisting of widowed
mother, with son and daughter. The
house was fit habitation for the quiet,
gentle Friends. 1t was set in large
garden, filled to profusion with old
time, always-sweet blossoms. There
were stately hollyhocks of gorgeous
hue, balm and sweet williams, spice
pinks and bachelors buttons, and day
lilies. The front door had heavy
metal knocker which, when struck,
brought to the porch the mistress of
the house, who, whether to friend or
stranger, would always say:
"Thee is very welcome; walk in"
The young tourists, on accepting this
invitation, stepped into a cool, shad-
owy hall, fragrant with spice pinks,
and then were shown to upper rooms,
where all the belongings were simple
but spotlessly clean.
Everything seems like Sunday after
noon, Fred, even our gentle landlady.
There seems to be a sort of sacred calm
about the house. / wonder if fellow
could have a smoker"
The supper, to which they sat down
with the family, was abundant and de-
licious. The son, who ate hurriedly
and disappeared, was clerk in the one
store of the community; the daughter,
very childlike and quaint, said nothing
except the words necessary in serving
the meal, but her quiet, "Will thee
have some more berries?" or, Hadn't
thee better try the sponge cake?"
seemed to be very persuasive.
After supper they all sat on the porch
through the long summer evening, and
were like old friends by bedtime. The
tired travellers were soon asleep, but
the simple country girl lay long awake,
thinking of the wonderful things she
had heard of the great outside world
and the people who lived in it.
The days went by without break
in their monotony till Morris Garth,
thoroughly rested, felt like going on to
gayer scenes; but his companion SEEM
ed 10th to move farther than a few
hours spin from the little hamlet.
One morning Garth received letter
which, for him, decided the matter.
lawfully sorry to break up with you,
old man, but I've got a summons from
my brother, Ross. He's coming north
two weeks sooner than expected, and
/ must meet him at once, so as not to
lose day of his company. Won't you
come home with me?"
Thank you, no. Go to your brother
without thought of me. I'll stop here
a day or two longer, and perhaps write
bit. didn't mean to, but I've one or
two ideas that may be caught"
'All right, old man; don't let them
escape. l wonder If little Rachel will
miss me any? What quaint child
she Isl"
She watched the young wheelman
ride away with tears in her gray eyes,
then, turning to Fred White, said,
naively:
But thee is not going. / am so
glad!"
why? Are you very lonely when no
one is here?"
I'VE didn't use to be: we should be
now-thy friend and thee have so kind
ly talked to us, and let me have the
pretty magazines, and all. / have
learned SO much from thee! Please tell
me some more of the world and its
ways"
II do not want to make you restless
and discontinued, little one. The great
world is not as good place for soul
and body as this"
But thee likes it better? Thee
would not like to stay here always,
would thee, just here?"
mo; my place is outside, in the whirl
and hurry. But I like this retreat
now"
He might be pardoned for saying It..
The vine-wreathed porch, with the
sunbeams Pickering through on the vel
low-painted floor, the mingled sounds
of bird and bee and cicada on every
side, the easy rocker, and, more than
all, the little gray-eyed Quaker girl,
with bushes wavering over her sem