The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-02-27
A PASTORAL.

One pleasant August day, at high noon,
three children sat in a cornfie]d around
a smouldering fire. Two were girls; one
fair, angelic looking, in a jaunty bingham
dress; the other, stolid, long legged, in a
sailors suit, and the third, the youngest,
was a slim brown boy IN %corduroys.
They held on their knees a clean shingle.
which had butter in one corner, and IN
their hands a roasted ear of corn. The
fire between them was modest but efec-
tual, and overhead the tall thick forest
of the cornstalks waved and rustled.
Il WONDER said the angelic one, TAX
ing more butter from a small tin box.
"who owns this cornfield?"
Il think it belongs to those people who
are trying to make a sod lawn on the
sand" responded the long legged n
"Those Wadsworths? ?" said the boy.
"Humph, the girls have parasols-and
don't know how to SWIM"
They're rather nice girls" said the
fair one, cautiously.
.~"And the boy, Tonie-don't forget the
boy" broke in the other girl. "Don't
you remember how you logged him off to
smoke corn-silk in the barn, while Belle
and l used his new racket all the after
noon? Ha, hal" And here all three re-
lapsed into reminiscent chuckles.
Bob, did you give me back my knife ?"
asked the small boy, suddenly.
"Yes," said the stolid girl.
"Then I dropped it," cried he, rising.
'It's my best knife. Oh! Get up, girls;
look for it,"
"Wait till I finish this" said Belle; but
Bob uncrossed her long, black stockinged
legs, and started to gaze w~istfully about.
"Ah, that's no use,' said the small boy,
im%patiently. "Here, Bob, you take that
side of the field and I'll take this-don't
miss an aisle!"
Off they started. Up and down the
long, loamy aisles went Bob at q steady
trot, rafting the leaves of the stalks as
she brushed through, and waving her
tawny head from side to side in looking.
She must have gone a hundred aisles be-
fore she heard a shout from Tonic. At
the fire again she found him, waving the
knife over Bellies head. "What do YOU
think? ?" he shrieked in Indignation, "Belle
has been sitting on it all the time!"
Bob uttered no reproach, for at that
moment came a sound which made them
all turn pale-a heavy, crashing step.
a mans voice, saying: elbow me if there
amt smoke in this here cornfeld."
They waited not a second. With one
crash the three young criminals fell
through the stalks about them and tore
for the open field. Over hillocks, over
stones, scuttling, flying, springing, till
they came from the muddy cornfeld to
the firm stubble. Then straight ahead,
like three young hounds, never falterinc
or turning eye behind them, fixed for a
sea Of molten gold that heaved ahead.
the wheat.
They reached the shore that bordered
it, they climbed the rail fence. One Sec
ond long they balanced on it's top, then
with three reckless, headlong leaps, they
cast themselves far out into the grain.
The golden sea closed over them and they
lay painting.
At last Bob raised her head, which.
like an ostrich, she had been burrowing
in terror. "Oh, what a narrow squeak!"
she breathed. The other two crawled
through to her, still tingling with de-
licious apprehension.
Did you leave your hat" asked Belle.
81 had to-" answered Bob.
"And your knife, Tonic? % But the
knife was saved, still clutched in TONES
buttery paw.
After listening a long time and hearing
nothing more than the chirping of crick-
cts they wriggled through the grain and
came out on a pasture land. Here they
met an idle looking creek. They always
tasted creeks. It was a %salutation not
to be omitted. This one was salty. ct
must lead to the Sound" said Tonic, and
they started off to follow it. They had
scarcely gone five yards before Bob fell
over something. 1t was an old stoneboat,
half sunk in the mud, but still firm.
III tell you," said Tonic, as they
halted for Bob to nurse her toe, "we'il
float this in the creek and sail down to
the Sound in it." This was assuredly an
excellent idea. They all laid hold to
move it. They tugged, they pulled, they
snorted, 1t was OF no use-the stone
boat wouldn't move.
JUST as they raised their heads in
blank despair, they saw two small, pink
5isures moving toward them through the
buttercups. "The Wadsworths,' cried
Belle, Mortified. For to share in the No.
cullar joys of Bob and Tonic was one
thing; to be recognized while doing it
was another. But Bob smiled sweetly.
They are Just in time," she said, well
make them helps" and, hatless but bland.
she advanced to invite the round eyed
Wadsworths to help steal their own
fathers property.
|, The Wadsworths did help. They laid
hold as if pink finger nails were of the
smallest consequence, and by their stanch
support the raft was launched. wont
you come with us?" asked Belle, era.
clously; but the little girls looked back
at the grand new house, wherein were all
modern improvements and a governess.
and sadly shook their heads.
The three embarked. Belle took the
center OF. the raft, while Bob and Tonic
with q pole and a broken board soneezed
it along between the banks. Wistfnllv
the little Wadsworths waved farewell
and they were of.
That was 9 fair voyage. At times the