Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-07-02

"There's four hundred million blue
berries on the mountain side Just back
of the widder Lanes place. They
never were ripe so early before, and
there never were so many of EN-.
They're worth II cents quart in New
York city. guess the widder's too
feeble to pick any for market this sea.
son. What do Ye say ?" Mr.. Arnold
suggested.
That would just be funP' cried
Nanny, overoyed.
The other girls thought so too. 1t
was unanimously agreed that the pros
pect of going off ten miles into a
strange neighborhood was in itself
most alluring and that it would be a
pleasure to repay the widow threefold,
if possible, for the loss they had un-
Willingly caused her. 1t was a quss-
tion whether it would be equally pleas.
ant for the young hay harVesters, but,
as the boys professed to regard lightly
the hardships in store for them, that
objection was quickly overruled.
Accordingly at 8 o'clock the next
morning a great wagon lined with
STRAW took up its load of eight Tysons,
one Lea and FIVE Elliots-children
from an adjoiningfarm who had begged
to join the party. They reached Farm
er Arnold's place soon after 8 clock.
All wished to visit the scene of the
confsgration first of all. The frag-
ment of the balloon mentioned by Mr..
Arnold still clung to thorn bush.
Nanny glanced at it casually. Then
she gave slight exclamation of sur
prise, for through one of the white
cores of tissue paper she saw writing
in lead pencil. One corner of the pa
per was turned forward, showing plain
Iy four words, "This balloon came
down.
Eagerly she pulled the paper from
the clinging thOrns, turned it and read
aloud
This balloon came down on the
Bromley farm at 4 % p. M, July 4,
and was again sent up BY John
Blair, assisted by
There followed list Of twenty-four
names of girls, boys, young men and
others who appeared to be their eld-
ers.
"This ls interesting" said Thad,
scanning the list. A humorous smile
overspread his countenance. II
haven't the slightest idea who all
these people are, but how would it do
for us folks to go home and let Mr..
Arnold send over to the Bromley farm
for his harvesters and berry pickers1 ?
I don't see that this affair concerns US
particularly"
The suggestion was received with
storm of indignant protest, the smaller
Tysons in particular raising such an
outcry of remonstrancs that the chick.
ems pecking and scratching in an old
henhouse near by ran distractedly and
noisily in all directions.
"I'll tell you what we'll do, said
Mr.. Arnold, who had come out from
the house to invite the party to break
fast and who was told what had been
discovered, "we'll drive over to Brom-
ley's, state the case an get them to
Join in with US. Those folks are Brom-
ley's summer bosrders. l guess we
can give them all a job. The widder
won't mind if they clean out the blue
berry patch"
This proposition was received with
enthusiasm.
The Bromley house stood at the foot
of the mountains. When the wagons
drove up. the guests, having apparent
ly just break asted, were seated on
the veranda or swinging in hammocks.
1t was decided that Tnad should act
as spokesman for the visitors.
Great was the CONSERVATION of the
audience as Thad told his story.
Everybody took it good nsturedly,
however, not one questioning the JUS
tice of widow Lanes claim on each
one for indemnity. By the time Thad
had finished little speech, in which
he set forth at length the widows e1-
tremity, as previously revealed to him
by Mr.. Arnold, there was shout of
enthusiasm.
A proposition to take up collection
for the widows relief was laid on the
table. Some one offered a resolution
to the effect that nothing short of ac-
tual service in the widows berry patch
should be regarded as proper token
of regard for her rights and feeling.
This was adopted by unanimous vote
The outcome oft all was that with