The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-18
60 RACIOUS, mother, how did We ever come
/ to live in such lonely, desolate Race as
this ID n,clairned little Perry Grant. as be

90 RACIOUS, mother, how did We ever como
to live in such lonely, desolate i lace as
thisr' exclaimed little Perry Grant, as he
looked out of the window of his mothers cottage
at the dark and sombre trees that oveTshadowed the
house. and up at the tall mountains that seemed TO
reach TO the white eecy clouds This was all OF the
view from the narrow window, for the cottage was
set at the very bottom of a deep valley beside
roaring flashing trout brook and early IN the after
noon the sun vanished beyond the blue mountains,
making evening come far earlier than 1t ought to,
SO it seemed to the boy.
"Well. your father picked out this place for our
house many years before you were born,' replied
Mrs Grant, 'and have never been able to afford
better residence althoI certainly wish we lived
nearer a school, for your sake"
q guess no school teacher could teach me more
than YOU have, anyhow" said Perry, proudly Il
was talking TO a scholar from the school over the
mountains, and he told me that the teacher never
even heard of such things as you have taught me :"
"That may well be-" responded Mrs. Grant, laugh
ing.
But do wish that 1t we're easier to get around
in this country" added Perry. "Its awful to have
TO climb these cliffs when you want to visit another
boyfo
1T makes you strong and healthy" said his
mother.
ANYWAY. 1 never heard of place where it rains
so often and so long," asserted the boy "Ahy, 1T s
rained now for three weeks steadily and the ground
is like sponge. Seems to me the world viii never
get dry again.
1T viii not hurt you to get wet once in while
If you take off your things when you come in and
put Oh dry elothesa said his mother, with smile.
You are neither sugar nor salt.
no, nor duck, either laughed Perry I'll
have fms il | paddle around IN the wet much more.
/ feel just like mermaid mean a norman!
wonder what makes it rain so much here!"
"Well they do say that its the Rain Witch who
;s causing it" responded Mrs. Grant, glancing up
the mountain side But you know l have never
believed III witches
"But bow do they say she does ;t!' eagerly IN
ouired the lad. drawing closer
BLESS my soul l never asked anybody about it
nor listened to those foolish tales" replied Mrs.
Grant.
"I'll bet old Martha up on Hemlock Hill knows
all about it, asserted Perry. Il believe I'll just
take q walk up and ask her
"She will tell you an awful lot Of rubbish" said
his mother; ''but you might as well go and take
her some food for I suspect she has little chance
10 get about in such weather"
So few minutes later, Perry started off. car
rying basket Of food. like Little Red Riding Hood,
although he didn't fear meeting a wolf. and before
long he had climbed up the steep hillside to old
Martha's cabin The old woman greeted him most
cordially, for she had seen nobody for days, aud
babe him chop her some wood and then sit by the
fire and dry his clothes. While he Eat watching
the sparks fly up the big chimney, he suddenly rec
objected his Grand and said;
Martha, how does the Rain Witch make all this
weather ("
"Mell, / dunno prezact1y. I certainly knows how
she donc make dc wind blow, but howsomever she
done conjure up wet weather am beyond met Berry
simple abort dc wind She jess smoke her ole black
pipe am den de east wind blow, and when she
whistles den we git dc west wind Bineby she fan
herself wif her apron an den dc souf wind kinder
gently vamooscs itself through de woods an when
she takes de beus an blows up her fire. den VIC
heahs de norf wind a-screechng among de pines
OATS all / knows about il !"
MY, I'd Eke to peep in at her and see her do it y