Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1904-04-14

ate, who now stood, unassisted, ia
c light of the lantern, ''but in woe
u ease, and more like to startle you
Ian II were the biggest fish. | am
Mistress Kate Bonnet just out Of the
river between here and the town No,
| will not enter your house, | am not
fit; | will stand here and tell my tale. Z"
"Dickory!' shouted Dame Charter,
take the lantern and run to the
kitchen cabin, where ven make hre
quickly"
Away ran Dlckory and, standing In
the darkness, Kate Bonnet told her
tale, 1t was not a very satisfactory
tale, for there was a great part of 1t
which Kate herself did not understand.
but it sufiiced at present for the good
dame, who had known the girl when
she was small, and who was soon
busily engaged in warming her by her
fire, refreshing her with food, and In
terrifying her against the effects OF
her cold bath by generous glass of
rum, made, the good woman earnestly
asserted, from sugar-cane grown on
Master Bonnets plantation.
Early the next morning came Dick
ory from the kitchen, where he had
made fire (before that he had been
catching some fish,. and ON rude
bench by the house door he saw Kate
Bonnet, When he perceived her he
laughed; but as she also laughed, 1t
was plain she was not offended
This pretty girl was dressed in a
large blue gown, belonging to the
stout Dame Charter and which was
quite as much Of gown as she had
any possible need for Her head was
bare, for she had lost her hat, and
she wore neither shoes nor stockings,
those articles Of apparel having been
so shrunken by immersion as to make
1t impossible for her to get them on.
THY mother is good woman" said
Kate, and l am so glad you did not
take me to the town. | don't wonder
you gaze at me; must look like a
fright"
Dickory made no answer, but by the
way In which he regarded her she
knew that he saw nothing frightful in
her face.
You have been very good to me-"
said she, rising and making a step
towards him, but suddenly stopping on
account Of her bare feet land wish
could tell you how thankful am to
you. You are truly brave boy, Dick
DRY; the bravest have ever known"
His brows contracted why do you
call me boy?" he interrupted Il am
10 years old, and you are not much
more than that.
She laughed, and her white teeth
made him ready to fall down and wor-
ship her.
"You have done as much" said she,
"as any man could do, and more"
Then she held out her hand, and he
came and took It,
Truly you are man." she said,
and, looking steadfastly into his face.
she added, chow very, very much !
owe you'll"
Just then Dame Charter called them
to breakfast When they were at the
table they talked of what was to be
done next; and as, above everything
else. Miss Kate desired to know where
her father was and why he hadn't
come aboard the Sarah williams
Dickory offered to 60 to the town fol
news.
II hate to ask too much, after all
you have DONE" said the girl, "bui
after you have seen my father and
told him everything, for he must be
in sore trouble, would you mind row.
Ing to our house and bringing me some
clothes? Madam Bonnet will under
stand what need; and she too will
want to know what has become OF
u,e'
"Of course WIN do that" cried
Dickory, grateful for the chance to dc
her service.
And If you happen to see Mr., New
combe in the town, will you tell him
where ann"
Now Diclory gave no signs of graft
| tude for chance to do her service, but
his mother spoke quickly enough.
"Of course he will tell Master New
combe," said she, land anybody else
you wish should know"
In ten minutes Dlckory was in his
canoe, padding to the town. When he
was out of the little inlet, on the shore
of which lay his mothers cottage, he
looked far up and down the broad
river, but he could see nothing of the
good ship Sarah Williams.
81 am glad they have gone" said
Dickory to himself "and may theJ
never come back again. 1t is pity
that Maj Bonnet should lose his ship
but, as things have turned out it /.
better for him to lose it than Il
have it."
When he had fastened his canoe t
a little pier in the town with ro1t
which he borrowed, having now nom
of his own, Dickory soon heard stranG
news The man who owned the roD
told him that Maj. Bonnet had gon
off in his vessel, which had sailed Oh
h.. Ngeag
m n !, A. -ss 's1-,-.sss