Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-07-25
THE DISAPPEARANCE
Of GRANDMA HIGGINS

III uKhNUMH nluulH0.
mis- Higgins, [ don't see how you
live with no curb to that WELL and you
with all these grandchildren runnin'
round the yard. | sh'd think you'd be
crazy eXpectin' one of 'em to fall in
Mrs Higgins looked beyond the depart
ing caller on the step and regarded the
curbless we'll with mild solicitude on her
-Gfandmotherly countenance. ''Well, it
has worried me some,'' she admitted
Henry has been meanin' to fix it this
long time, but he don't seem to get to
it"
Clay Ambrose, a white-headed boy Of
&, Immediately seized q pail and ran to
the well. He fattened himself close 10
the edge upon his little stomach with his
bare legs waving wildly in the air as
aids to his valiant efforts to dip up
palIful of water just beyond his reach.
His mother, wife to the busy Henry, sat
within the door, SWaying her knees from
side to side to quiet the nerves of her
youngest born.
Il tell mother she's foolish to worry
about the children as she does. L don't,
because I've told 'em time an agen they
mustn't go near the we'll"
She smiled reassuringly at the visitor
as she made this placid statement, and
her eye, wandering beyond, fell upon
Clay Ambrose s expressive legs.
Well, | declare! Clay Ambrose. Clay
Ambrose! You come here this minute
The times I've told that child to keep
away from that well. You want me to
come there an get you?' A desperate
struggle of the legs was the reply. and
Clay Ambrose triumphantly assumed the
upright position and trotted back to the
house with an overlooking pail
&c cd ,ol- r., Il.
with restored placidity. He scarf me
most to death. | thought sure he was
.gCIn' III that time. Don't you never go
near that well again. You understand"
Clay Ambrose nodded in token that he
comprehended. Here, grandma he
said, and held up the pail OF water with
both hands.
Mrs. Peckham gathered up the reins
and clucked to the horse after she and
Mrs. Dayton returned to the rafting
agen soon" and Yes, we will, an you
must come an see u.s." they ratified
away.
Il never saw such an easy-going crit
ter as that wife of Henry's is. Mess
twas Henry himself OF Mis- Higgins
one spark Of real get up an get along,
an she amt any more idea Of COVER
ment than old tabby cat''
Meanwhile Merwin, Mrs. Higgins old
er grandson, gazing down the road after
the retreating caller had been reused nv
a bird call apparently falling down out
of the feecy-fecked blue above He
hesltated not moment in locating it.
His sister Melissa was perched in the
cherry tree over the wall and trilling
clearly as a signal for him to join her.
In another moment he was swinging him
self up to the bough above her, where he
settled to her occupation of pulling gen
erous handfuls of the ripened fruit and
slipping them out Of sight as quickly as
possible. Thus happily engaged, he en-
tertained Melissa with an account Of the
afternoons social pleasures. She nodded
her head appreciatiyely as he ended
I don't think that wells real safe my
self; one of the stones slants right down.
an it's drefful slippery when you splash
water on it..
"Shor grunted Merwin, with mascu-
line loftiness, L amt 'fraid'
We'll, mebbe there amt danger for
you" persisted Melissa, but some of the
children1l be fallin in sure's fate, an
then L shall have EN- to take care of. /
wish pad fix it."
well, he won't yet awhile, cos he an
mas .goin up to Pettipaug to Aunt
IoiZy's tomorrow to stay two or three
days. [ bet you anything they won't be
home for a week" And Melissa did not
offer to take the bet.
The next afternoon Grandma Higgins
stood in the door of the strangely quiet
house and looked out for a grandchild
Henry and his wife had ridden away
in the early morning with the baby in
lap and Clay Ambrose tucked down in
front, and Merwin and Melissa had been
out of sight so long that the silence be-
gan to grow oppressive.
Il want a pail Of water / cid get it
myself 5 wells not, but I'm fraid them
children re up III that cherry tree. L
hain't heard noth'n of EN- since dinner.
[ expec' nothin' but they'll tumble out
one of these days an break their bones
on that stun wall. | guess Id better go
an call EN-" She took the pail from
its shelf by the door and ambled off over
the lush June grass
A little later Merwin and Melissa
slipped around the corner of the house
with the stealthy step Of returning tru-
ants. They peeped in at the open door;
no one there They softly entered with
patting bare feet and stood in the mid
die of the great empty kitchen, listen
ing. Talk about the awe-inspiring quiet
of a vast cathedral; it IS nothing to
the stiffness OF n familiar house suddenly
emptied of a large family. The children
looked at each other with widening eyes.
where's grammar
Il don't know. Let's look
Through the deserted house they went
with ever-haStening steps.
Lets hOller! "Gramma, Gram
maj
Their voices, sounding so loud In the
echoing rooms, were really scared and
faint. 1t seemed to the children as they
stood in the back door that never in their
lives before had they known her to be
out of sight of its homely stepstone.
Suddenly Merwin started as his eye
lighted on familiar sight. There, by
the edge of the we'll, stood the old brown
water pail, and close beside it ray of
sunlight. glancing through the apple
trees, glistened on the slanting, slippery,
water-splashed stones. The boy turned
to his sister with the healthy red strick-
en- out of his freckled cheeks and abso-
Lutte terror dilating his blue eyes.