Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1902-02-14
granny's tales. Then the train curved
with the curve Of the mountain; It's

came into view, like the gliding SER
pent body of the monster. Slowly 1t
came, then slackened 10 creeping. as
the trains nll did at the trestle.
Keen-eyed and absorbed. Nancy
watched the coaches roll slowly by,
and waved brown hand al the faces
looking at her from the windows. In
the last coach OF all she saw a white,
wan face in "A mass Of cleaning, red
gold hair-the face of a girl propped
against white pillows. Her eyes were
turned toward the window. her hand
was "A little appraised To throw
Something stung Nancy sharply on
the cheek, and the last coach rolled
out upon the bridge. The little girl,
gazing after 1t, clapped her hand TO
her cheek; and out of the coach win
dow was thrust "A red-gold head, while
its owner gazed down into the yellow
waters of Churchill's creek, still tur-
bid from spring freshets.
When the train was across and had
gone winding on to the tunnel, Nancy
taking down her hand, found it
stained with blood
Nancy had seen half-eaten apple
cores enough 10 recognize the object
that the sick girl had been about
10 throw out of the coach window;
but apple cores do not wound when
they hit.
Wondering what had cut her cheek,
Nancy stopped TO pick up her berry
basket, which she had dropped when
she was struck, and beside il she saw
a small circlet of shining yellow, which
held myriad Of seemingly live, fiery
stars circling about a clear, green
drop OF sparkling, pickering dew.
She took it up and gazed with awe
at the wonder flashing on her little
brown finger.
Then she laughed for very joy.
I'm born fer luck. Granny says so,
an nanny says so-oh- dearie-
me
&" Down by the green woody sidey O. q"
And the little voice rang out iub-
ilantly rs Nancy, steady eaded, light
footed. sped over the dangerous tres
made an onlooker tremble.
The sun had dropped behind the
purple. misty top OF the mountain
when. finally emerging from the
denseness OF the blooming laurel
thickets that clothed the slopes, Nan
its siclly growth OF corn and buck
wheat
Pap" and Hence were home now
Pap. tall. broad, with straw-colored
hair and beard. was cleaning his rife
on the bench outside OF the door.
Hence was bringing a bucket of water
up from the spring.
But they had all dropped everything
except the baby, which nanny was
holding, 10 listen 10 Kancy's story.
An she thinks" explained Nancy,
at Pap's knee, while the luck-stone
AS granny called il, lay sparkling IN
paps great hand. the sun-hairsd la
dy she thinks il fell in the creek long
with the apple core. An she air sick;
that's what allied it's comm often her
finger She air sick like SO many OF
'em as goes by set mp agin pliers"
Its the spring and licks whar
they're goin'," said pap. same "a my
grand'pa telled about the deer
an beasties huntin' the licks, spring
time an sech, when poly"
An they mostly get well, said
Nancy. looking up into pap's face.
"becauSr there amt never any goes
back set up agin PLIERS. I'd know
her cause 81 her sun-hair. the lady
The cyars they war goin so slow
he'd good look at her; an | got TO
bc al the junction when she goes
back. cause the cyars stop there a
goodish bit an ! can hand il to her"
"She won't be- goin back for a
spell, shouldn't think, said nanny,
IF she's going for TO get perked
up"
But she might" said Nancy. an
got 70 be there
Yes said pap, turning the treas
ure over in his big palm. Nanny,
she's got the right end 81 it, she's
got to be there.
Now the Junction was four miles
from Lilly's mountain, and there were
two passenger trains day going
westward One passed in the early
morning. the other in the afternoon,
and 10 be present al their passing
was Nancy's intention.
TO mean to do thing with Nancy
Was TO do it. aud what she did was to
leave home at little after the early
daylight eating OF her breakfast, with
portion Of salt pork and corn pone
stored away in her berry-basket.
After the scramble down the noun
tain In the morning mists, with the
laurel and rhododendrons dripping
their heavy dews upon her yellow
head. she had to trudge in bare feet
over the -four miles of track 10 the
junction.
There. at first. she would hide in
the edge Of the clearing, peeping
out like shy squirrel, and only gath
ering courage ~ the approach OF the
train 10 dart ont and run along the