Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-07-25

the HIll boys; they re moving up to the
bridge"
Melissa waited not a moment. With
a howl of terror she flew out of the house
and the yard and her bare feet spatted
wildly down the dusty road, while NIpr-
wins thumped even more rapidly in the
opposite direction
Mrs. Peckham sat by her side window.
bralding rug in peaceful enjoyment of
that pleasant season after the dinner
work Is done up and before it's time to
begin to see about supper. From up the
road there came sound like stified
wall
What under the canopy s that? Can t
be one Of the calves IS got out and s
baain' for it's mother"
Louder and louder grew the cry and
Mrs. Peckham put down her rug and
started for the door.
I'll go down to the gate an look;
sounds like child in perfect distress y
By the time she reached the gate the
distressed child was nearly there, ter
ror-stricken, dust and weat-begrimed
little object flying red hair and stream
ing eyes and breath reduced to gasping
Sob why, if it amt Melissa Higgins!
What under the canopy s the matter,
child? Suthin' drefful happened up to
your house,"
"Oh, Mis- Peckham Oh. Mis- Peck
ham. Gramma s in the well. Gramma
s in the well! She's slipped in where
the waters splashed, an we can't find
her anywhere an pa an mas gone up to
Pettipaug. Oh, send Mr.. Peckham quick
quick!
It was some seconds before Mrs. Peck
ham could comprehend the gasping, in
coherent speech. When she did she was
properly excited.
Good land sakes alive, child, you don t
mean it! Old Mis- Higgins in the we'll!
ELL i -
wife nine miles away at Pettipaug.
Here, you can't run any farther and
you're clean tuckered out; sit down on
the doorstep an fan yourself and I'll cut
round the corner to the DaytOns an tell
them. Mr.. Peckham is down there help
ing Asher Dayton NOW" She threw her
apron over her head and in her turn can
tered off down the dusty road.
Miss Dayton upstairs, folding away
some bedding which had been airing,
looked out through the ''dominy winder."
IF there amt Florette Peckham hur-
ryin' down the hill right in the middle
of the road without any bonnet. |
happened. Cow got mired or suthin'
I'll go down to the door an meet her.
The ''suthip' that had happened
proved to be more terrible than fancy
had suggested. Miss Dayton threw her
apron over her head and hurriedly led
the way to the bars into the barn lot,
where the men folks were at work Ash
err was the only one in sight and he APP
peared stolidly disinclined to leave his
work at the end of the field, and replied
only by loud inQuiring "HeyS? to their
shrilly-shouted tale of woe. At length
he seemed to gather from his sister 5
frantic gestures that something out of
the usual line had happened. and slowly
stumped over to meet her.
When he had learned her errand, how
ever, his manner changed, and he eXhib-
tied the mans ability to do something
practical in an emergency upon which
woman generally depends.
I'll get Whitley right into the wagon,
SOS to get there quicker, and pick up
Peckham on the way. He s gone up to
the barn on an GRAND. And here. We
shall need ropes, o course. Just hand
me that one on the nail"
Far up on the road to Pettipaug a for
lorn little figure trudged over the sand
hills, with WEAKNESS in every limb, but
desperation in the frightened little heart.
Probably never again would Merwin
Higgins feel that sorrow of half-compre-
hended danger and absolute helplesSneSS
which now engulfed his childish soul.
The Hill boys had been duly dispatched
to the scene of trouble, but he dared not
toward pa, ma and Pettipaug and hurried
on.
Up at Pettipaug the Higgins family
We're enjoying a mildly-festive treat Of
cake and lemonade before going to bed
Aunt Loizy was just filing Henry's glass
and saying that the water from the pump
never tasted quite SO good as that she
used TO drink at home, when the outer
door swung open. On the threshold
stood a dusty little lad so utterly wearied
that he gave his message with Spartan
calmness, 'Gramma's drowned in the
WE'LL
Half an hour later Merwin was seated
by his father in the buggy retracing his
afternoons journey. His explanations
had been vague aud unsatisfactory, but
their melancholy burden "Gramma's
dead was too alarming to pass unheed-
ed. For once Henry Higgins acted with
energy. The horse was put to- the
hungry boy, who absolutely refused to be
left behind, was fed and wrapped for the
night drive, and he had started for home
almost as quickly as another man. For
perhaps the first time in his remem-
brance, Henry Higgins felt keen emotion.
He had towed laZily along the narrow
canal of life, through youth, through
courtship, through marriage. His wife
was not woman to arouse passionate
affection. His deepest love had been his
mothers, hers had been the hand upon
the helm, and now he knew it. Knew it
as he faced the long stretch of years
without her care and her counsel Knew
1T as he acknowledged that this awful
thing was his own fault.
i meant to have fixed that curb I
ought to have done it, said itself over
and over in his mind.
At last they drove into the home yard
and around to the back door, The house
was dark except for light in the kitch-
en-, which sent slanting rays through the
lilac bush by the window and over to-
ward the dark mouth of the well, at
which they glanced shudderingly Sud
denly the horse raised his head, looked
toward the barn and whinnied At the
sound the kitchen door flew open, reveal
ing the homely-familiar interior, and on
the threshold, silhouetted against its dim
brightness, stood Grandma Higgins She
peered out into the darkness anxiously.
THAT you, Merwin?'' she asked. Henry
and up to her side at two steps. What
you been up. to: mother, givin' us such
a scare as this? %
why, nothin'! Henry. nothin'! /
Sh'ld think twas Scaral T i,1S' wont m