The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-30
Master asked.

Master asked
1.-The wagon hint come long here, mas
ter. The wheel tire is two inches wide. No
track like that in the road"
at was an army wagon" said the grand
father, musngy "What has become of it?
1t must have passed here. The first fork in
the road is at Harmony Grove. We will go
there"
So they drove on to Harmony Grove. AS
1t happened there was a sort of social
gathering in the school house. AS always
happens on such occasions there were sew
eral young men and boys who were too shy
to venture in the house where the girls and
young women were. If a wagon or vehicle
of any kind had passed they surely would
have seen it. But no wagon had passed.
Such of them as had horses volunteered
to join the searching party, but the White
Haired Master thanked them. If the wag-
on hadn't passed 1t still on the road
somewhere, and he and Aaron would find
it. Indeed. the White-Haired Master had
made calculation. Harmony Grove was
ton miles from his place. He had come the
. distance in something less than an hour
and it was now 10 O'clock If the wagon
had left the spring at o'clock it could
hardly have reached Harmony Grove before
then. Aaron judges that they should have
ovcrtaken the wagon about six miles from
the spring.
AS a matter of fact. they had overtaken
the wagon and passed it. five and one-haf
miles from home, or. to be more exact. at
the humble residence of Mr.. Barlow Bobs.
They had passed the wagon without know
ing it, for the reason that the vehicle was
not in sight from the road, and they would
have passed it in broad daylight.
The driver-Mr. Roby Ransom-that was
really his name. as 1t turned out-had not
gone more than two miles from the Aber-
crombie place before the desire to sleep
overcame him, and he began to nod For
while he would nod, and then rouse HIM
self but finally he leaned against the frame
work. over which the cover was spread,
and began to sleep soundly. The lines Slip
ped from his hands. but caught on the
brake and hung there. too high for the feet
of the mules to become entangled in them.
When the wagon came to the top of the
long hill that slopes down to Crooked
creek, the mules were surprised to feel no
restraining hands on the reins. AT first
they hardly knew what to do, but they were
well trained. and they held back the wagon
until near the bottom, and then they broke
into a swift trot and went swlshlng
through the shallow waters of Crooked
creek. Without pause they pulled tho
wagon sedatey up the opposite hill, which
was not very steep one. They remained
in the road as became sensible mules, but
they became more and more uncertain in
their movements. they realized that no
hand was guiding them.
FINALLY they came to the humble home of
MT. 1ODS-OT. TdIHeF, lHeN cjlHS u the
short lane that led to Mr.. Bohs' log cabin.
Into this they turned. the hub of the hind
wheel missing the fence corner by the
breadth of hair Pursuing this road, they
followed it into Mr.. Bobs' back yard and
they finally drew UP behind the corn crib,
a double-pen built of logs. AS there was a
fat fodder stack behind this crib, the mules
concluded they would put up for the night. |
After this, the only movement they made
was TO see-saw the wagon rs they reached
for the fodder, and they snorted occasion |
ally when too much dust from the forage |
crept up their nostrils.
Once, about Ave minutes after the mules |
had reached this harbor. they pricked up |
their ears at the sound of n running horse |
whirling a buggy along tho read, end MIR. |
Bobs' house dog barked obviously: but be- |
yond this there was nothing I'D bother them,
and no alarming noises were hoard. Sweet |
est Susan, Little Biscuit and Drusilla. were
sound asleep, and so was Mr. Robv Ran |
som. 1t was very good thing for Mr.. |
Ransom that he was asleep. for there is no |