Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-11-23

BWM particular was near
dSW enough to be drawn
WI thither. Melinda, the cat,
N slept TRANQUILITY on the
II rug opposite the wood
box, needless of the un-
Ronted odors, but enjoying the heat
from the big cookstove.
Mother Slusser had the big, warm
room to herself. Also she had her
own meditations, chiefly retrospective,
however, rather than prospective, for
which reason her hands rested now
and again on the edge of the wooden
chOpping bowl that amply covered her
lap.
1T can't be beat" she declared, her
eyes on the rough, pea-green paint
that covered the wall that just now
seemed glowing with pictures quite
Invisible and wholly intangible to the
ordinary sight, cts enough to drive
me crazy the way them precious ba-
bies poster me. If the good Lord saw
fit to take 'em away, let him keep 'em
with him, say, where it is warm and
safe. Instead O. that, here they be,
cunnin' and pert as ever, comm and
vanishin' and teasing Now there,
shinin' out at me in their white, fairy
dresses from the pea-green wall
most blue, 'tis-now here near by.
Here they clutter and there they clut-
ter, right under foot, or pressin'
against my knees, or else pullin' with
angel hands at my sleeve, or at my
heart-strings. Dear, dear. Four of
'em, or five-I forget which twas
four, guess-yes, four of 'em he took
away to heaven and one he left with
me. Four Of 'em, my heart, do you
hear me? Four rascal babies to al
ways be slippin' out from 'tother side
of the lovely pearly gates and slidin'
into my kitchen where / am, those
little, little babies. One by one he
took EN-, and there was not but Just
the one OF 'em big enough to walk or
talk. Four blessed babies always
here and coaxin' me to be Rugged and
rocked and put to sleep, all teasin' me
ut once, Lord, they be- and couldn't
they be managed better? For I'm that
busy about my work that don't know
what to do. And sometimes they do
put me to 1t, that's fact, so that I'm
reel fiustered, and l do wish't the
bigger angels would shut them gates
a leetle mite more as If they really
meant to keep the babies from crowd
in through. I do get so tired of hav-
ing things go on in this way!"
Footsteps approached the door, the
weary, clumsy tread of a tired man,
and presently Silas Slusser entered, a
STOPPING, gray figure. the fringe of
hair on his chin Just touching the blue
cotton shirt, and an air Of thoughtful
discomfort shadowing his usually hui
morous face and eyes.
Silas lifted his soft felt hat with
fits gray band of faded ribbon and
rubbed his head with two stubby fin
gers.
Il Amt worryin'-that is, not much.
mother" he said, but just the same
the spring down to the barn has gone
dry. plumb dry today, 1t is. Just as /
suspicioned it would do, for its ben
getting lower and scantier for a week
past, and there's no signs of its flush
ing up agane. There must have ben a
vein of water that's broke loose under
ground, somewheres, that's tapped
that spring dry, so was tryin' to find
out where IN the dickens 1t could be-"
He drew the witch hazel crotch from
his pocket and regarded it with a
wholesome reproach. 'Tt only inclined
once, ma, and that" he announced.
twas about ten rod from the old
spring"
Mother paused. She was never dead
sure when Silas was joking or when
he was serious, but she looked at him
now in genuine sympathy, an attitude
she was prone to assume in his mo-
ments of distress or doubt She felt
safer in her thoughts this way
Land, Silas," she said, don't you
ever care for that I presume to say
that when I'm setting here thinking
about the children l don't ever pre-
tend to be partial about airy one,
wheher it's Maurice. or Mary, or
John, or little ST. I'm that interested
in EN- all that couldn't be partial to
airy one of 'em If wanted to. think
of 'em as all livin' in heaven, all OF
them together. little band of angels,
mabbe playin' ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, or