Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-07-04

The other started guiltily. What
do YOU want it for?'
"To celebrate with"
Celebrate? How?'
"Ill ride over to the store at the
creamery an buy some things-some
crackers an rockets-rockets mostly,
an We'll send 'em off tonight"
II don't care. I'm tired of this lone
someness."
80 am l. Go an get your money
nm III see how much ] can raise"
Two hiding places We're visited and
In IL few minutes two piles of pennies
and nickels We're side by side on the
door.
"SiXty-nine cents In nine an forty
two in yours. What time we'd hev
with that back in the city, Lettie,
wouldn't we?'
"Wish l was there" was the reply.
$50 do 1; but We'll have some fun
ourselves, see If we don't"
Tying up the combined treasure in
her handkerchief. Ruth put ON
huge sunbonnet, and going to the sod
walled stable took out the extra farm
horse to ride on her errand.
"Ill be back in a little while, don't
be scared" she counseled. and gal
loIed away, her petite figure making
an odd appearance as it bobbed up
and down on the numbering animals
back.
Ruth did not notice how near sun
set 1t was, nor did she stop to think
that trip of five miles and back on
Old Charlie was considerable jour
ney.
The storekeeper saw the strange
pair stop in front of the lonely gen
eral merchandise store just as the
last sunrays had died from the un-
shaded windows.
1t had been dull day for him-no
alters except the mail carrier early
N the forenoon. He doubted some.
Zines If the slender profits of the es.
tablishment paid him for serving the
settlers in his dual capacity of post
master and merchant
Yes, I've got some fireworks left"
said he in answer to the visitors
query. "Folks amt bought much this
year cause tn wheat's goin' ter be
about n failure. You kin have 'em
cheap"
"Rockets? Lots of 'em. They're
some got two years ago an you can
have the lot fer fifty cents"
With critical eye Ruth selected her
purchases, and when the last cent
was expended hurried to her horse,
not waiting to answer the merchants )
good -natured questions us to her name
and destination.
Mighty uppish," he thought as she
rode away. "One of them New York
waits that Jenks took, reckon.
They're queer ones. l wouldn't have
such harum-scarum young ones
around" and ne went back behind the
counter.
The fact was. Ruth was frightened
at the lateness of the hour, and as
she galloped homeward her fear in
creased. The tall sunfiowers were
like the redskins with which she had
heard the prairies We're peopled. and
, skurrying jack-rabbit that fled be-
fore her seemed an ambushed foe.
1t was as dark as prairie nights
ever get when she jumped from Old
Charles sweaty back at the jerks
cabin and fell, nervously sobbing,
into Lettie's welcoming arms.
"Oh, Ruth" cried the home-stayer,
II was so scared. I've been hiding
on tn bed upstairs all the time"
Charlie was so slow-see what
got-they's lots of rockets" and Ruth
let fall an unwieldly bundle Of fire
works that she had clasped in her
arms.
Somehow both had lost their zenl
and enthusiasm in the proposed cele-
bration and all the pleasure antici-
pated vanished, when Lettie broke
out:
"And, oh, Ruth, them mems come
back again"
"What men?"
9Th ones that was talkin' of plow-
In an getting a railroad fer nothin'
this afternoon"
"Gettin' claim fer nothin', you
mean. Where are they gomez"
"They nin't gone. They're out plow-
in on Mr.. jerks land"
"On Mr.. jerks land! On this
claim! Then 1t was this land they
was talkin' about, an Mr.. jerks did
forget 1t, jest as they said"
The older girl was completely heart.
broken by this news, for she had real
lied how severe had been the struggle
with prairie conditions in the little
dwelling she called home. To lose the
claim upon which he had but II short
time before settled would mean great
hardship for the childless husband
and wife, now well ON in years.
"They've got to stop it," she finally
announced, AN we'll make 'em."
"Id like ter know how"
"I'll show you, but you've got to
help an not get nervous"
Quickly Ruth ran into the house
and soon returned with box Of
matches, which she divided between
herself and Lettie.
"Eow dO you know how to fire These