The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-08


except 1ne people in the village would
know we We're alone, and there was !
not probably one i'll disposed person
there, certainly not one who would do
us harm. Then, too, it was winter,
and we were off the main travelled
road, and tramps seemed very inn
probable. We had enough provisions
in the house to last us for weeks, and
there was a great stock Of firewood in
the shed. Luckily the barn was con-
nected with the house, so did not
have to go out of doors to milk-it was
fortunate that | knew how-and we
had only one cow
Mother staid up all that night and
baked and father split up kindling
wood and got everything ready to
leave. They started early next morn
ing, repeating all their Instructions
over and over. We felt pretty lone
some when they had gone, l especial
ly not only because l was the eldest
and felt a responsibility for the rest,
but because father had given me
particular charge. | was the only one
who knew that there was $685. some
money which father had from the sale
of wood lot in Warevlle month
after we had moved and had kept in
the house ever since, locked up in the
secret drawer in the chest in the dark
bedroom.
Father had been intending to drive
over to Wilton, where there was
bank, and deposit the money, but had
put it off from one week to another,
and now Wilton was too far out of his
way for him to go there before going
to see poor Uncle William.
Father called me into the parlor the
morning they started, told me about
!. the money and charged me to say
nothing concerning it to the others.
: 1T is always best when there is mon
ey to be taken care Of to keep your
own counsel" said father. He show
ed me the secret drawer in the chest in
the dark bedroom, the existence of
! which | had never suspected before.
} though | was II years old, and he
, taught me how to open. and shut 1T. 1t
) the house caught fire, | was to get the
children out first, then go straight to
y
! If there had been no possibility of fire,
D | doubt If father would have told me
! about the money at all. and would
E have been saved a great deal of worry.
4 The money was on my mind con-
: stantly after father and mother were
= gone. KEEP, thinking, "Suppose any
l. ding shou.l happen TO that money
t while have the charge of it," | knew
S what serious matter 1t would be. be-
g cause father had not much money and
o was saving this TIC buy COWS in the
S spring. when he expected to open Il
+ milk route. | was all the time plan
a ming what ] should do in case the
n house caught ire and In case the ~ots-
k bers came. The first night after ia
a llev and MutLeu ssenl | did not sleep
e much. though tile others did We three
e girls slept i'll one room, with Charley
in little one out of it, and we were
X all locked in.
a The next night slept little better
d and did not feel so much afraid and
n the next day Samuel j. Wetherhel
At came. and we all felt perfectly safe
d after that He came about 10 O'Clock
in the morning and knocked on tn,
re south door. and we all jumped dom
s. suppose anybody had knocked on tina
rs door three times since we had livet
Id there, it was such lonesome place
d We were scared and did not dare to g
~ to the door, but when he knocked tn
xt second time l mustered up enoug
ur courage. told Flory, who was a
Sc large as l and stronger, to take til
d. carving knife, hide it under her apro
ID, and stand behind me. OF course
a thought at once of the money and tina
it this might be robber. Then opene
of the door crack and peeped out TIL
be minute l saw the man who stood thel
ny did not feel afraid at all, and Flor
We said afterward that she felt awf,
les ashamed of the carving knife an
afraid that he might see it and be hu
of In his feelings.
of He stood there. smiling with such
nd pleasant smile. He did not look vel
he old, not near as old as father, and
ng was quite well dressed. He was vel
lgs good looking, and that, with his plea
us ant smile, won our hearts Mt once. F
nj more than smiled-he fairly laughed
ass how we were all peeking, for the you
ere ger children were behind Flory, and
found afterward that Charley, wi
ore had great notions Of being smart 81
al brave though he was SO little. becau
sed he was boy, had the poker. shakil
lay 1t at the stranger. The man laugh
me and said in such a pleasant voit
ley pleasanter than his smile even: mo
'es don't you be scared, children. a
Vii Samuel J. Wetherhed."
ON The man said that as II 1t settled e
md erything and we all felt that it d
vas though we had never heard of Samu
9TH j. Wetherhed in our lives. We fl
ted that we ought to know all about hi
ere and ,Janey said that night that she w
go. sure she had seen his name in L
way Missionary Herald and he must be
ll.-- \ n TO