Iron County register., 1898-12-08

NOrQ Oh II.
The Goodwins lived in neat white
cottage, little off from the road, about
half way between the corner and the
Falls. They usually went to church
both Sundays, in the morning, but sell
dom attended the evening services.
In her pretty little room upstairs
Sophy sat by the open window reading
her Sunday school book, while in the
sitting-room below Mrs. Goodwin sat
in the great rocking chair, her spec
tacles pushed back on the top of her
head, and nodded now and then at the
Congregationalist spread out on her
ample lap. Father" was stretched on
the lounge in the kitchen, and his
breathing indicated that his nap was
not likely to be finished before milking
time. The boys, Sam and Dick, taking
advantage of the situation, had made an
early start for the cows down IN the
south pasture. This unusual prompt
ness was due to suggestion from Sam,
that they take a swim in the pond.
As Sophy read on, in the biography of
the missionary, her eyes now and then
wandered from the book around the
neatly-kept room, from the yellow-paint-
ed floor, almost covered with braided
mats. to the pink and white bed quilt,
and 10 the little pictures and keepsakes
here and there, then out through the
dimity curtains into the world beyond.
y beautiful world it was, in all the
tints of spring. The trees were just
smoothing out their crumpled leaves,
and down in the wood lot, the hobble
bushes CLEANED Ike drifts of snow in
the simmer of faintest pink and daz-
zling green. Along the grassy banks of
the brook. winding through the oppo-
site field, great punches of violets held
up their purple bonneted heads;
through the apple orchard the pink
buds were bursting into white bios
SONS, and by the roadside patches OF
bluets looked like tiny sheets of snow,
defying the spring sunshine. The door
yard was dotted with Mayweed and
hecked with dandelion gold, while
through the still air, now and then, a
sweet bird note sounded.
just as the clock in the kitchen
struck five, Sopky saw Luther Sargent
drive down the hill and turn into the
lane. She ran quickly downstairs to
tell her mother, saying: What if he
| asks me to go to ride with him?'
'Wcll. it's pleasant day. Slip off
that pink calico, put on your new dress
an best hat, an go.''
What will father say to my going
Sunday night?"
''Oh, I'll make it all right with your
| father. You go to the door, an show
Luther into the parlor. Roll up the
green paper curtains first; mind you
don't tear en- said Mrs. Goodwin. as
she dropped her gingham apron, dis
closing a white one underneath, pre-
caution which she always took in case
a neighbor might drop in.
In response to SOphy's walk in,''
Luther said: Guess l won't step in
side. I'll stay by Charlie; he don't like
to stand very well. jest drove round
to see if you wouldn't like to go to ride
little ways, the weather's so fine"
Mrs. Goodwin came out, sat down on
the door rock, and inquired how
Luther's mother was this summer, if
she had commenced to make cheese yet,
and how many acres of corn he was cal
c'latin'" to plant.
In a few minutes Sophy was ready.
IL " OC SIOuIlA d blllc over
there in the west, but l s'pose there
hain't no need O. your takin' an UNI
brell," said Mrs. Goodwin, as the couple
drove off.
Soon they were so busy talking cf 9TH
e. things that the weather was forgotten.
Sophy loved horses, and Charlie turned
back his pretty ears to listen to her
praises of his glossy coat and beautiful
wavy name.
Suddenly Luther exclaimed: It's
sort O. breezin' up!" and looking
around, he saw a large black cloud, of
peculiar shape, rolling up in the sky.
'Sure's preachin', Sophy, there's
shower a comm. It's furder back to
your house than tits to ourn. Guess
you'll hev to go home with me an wait
till it's over"
Just then Charlie felt the whip on
his back, an unusual sensation, but ap-
parently taking in the situation, he
started for a rece with the storm. Soon
the dust whirled in clouds, the tender
new leaves were flying through the air,
and the big drops began to fall.
"'Tain't no use, said Luther, 1--WE
sh'll hev to drive up to the next house !
here. You know Leander Perry's folks, |
don't ye? An their barn doors OPEN" |
Leander Perry had been raised in |
that eigliborhood, but had afterwards |
gone west, wncre he had remained sew |
eral years, with varying fortunes. |
When asked why he returned to his old |
home, he had said: LAS soon's | get a |
little ahead, long 'ud come a cyclone |
an sweep away everything, so reck
oned I'd come back to New England,
where they didn't hev such things"
Leander came hurrying out of the
barn to greet his guests, saying: wall,
ef wuz out west l sh'd say we wuz in
fur reg'lar cyclone"
Luther jumped out, but Sophy, feel
ing rather bashful, as she was not ac-
quainted with Mrs. Perry, said she
would rather sit in the buggy. So they
fastened Charlie in the farther corner
OF the barn, next the shed. Soon, how
ever, the women folks came ou:, and
prevailed upon Sophy to go in with
them.
No sooner were they seated in the sit
ting-room than the storm grew rapidly
worse. The rain swept in binding
sheets across the field, and it grew Sc
dark that they could barely see the out
lines of the swaying trees across the
road. The old house fairly rocked with
each gust of wind, then came sharp