The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-01-10
'em off. You can dry your stockin's
better that way. OF with 'emw

DeIIeT Ludt way. Ou Will EN-:
Eyes. SIR said the child. STOPPING to |
unbutton the shoes. Her wet fingers
were blue. 1t can be cold ia our vii |
lage even in early September when |
there is an easterly storm. Unbutton-
ing the s',oes was slow work
Here, let me help YOU" commanded
the captain. getting down on one knee
and taking foot in his lap. Tut, tut,
tut! You're wet. Been some time
sence fused with button boots. Lace
or long legged cowhides come handler.
Never wore cowhides. did your"
mo, sir"
81 s'pose not l used to when l was
little. Remember the first pair l had.
Copper toes on 'em-whew! The cop
per was BACKED over when they come
out of the store, and that wouldn't do.
so we used to kick stone wall till
they frightened up. There. there she
comes. Humph. Stockin's soaked too.
Wish had some dry ones to lend you.
Might give you pair of mine, but
they'd be too scant fore and aft and
too broad in the beam, l caPlate.
Humph! And your top higgins as
wet as your hull Been on your beam
ends, have you?"
81 don't know, sir. fell down in
the bushes coming across There
were vines, and they tripped me up,
and the umbrella was so heavy that
| Eyes, | could see right off you was
carryin' too much canvas. Now take
off your bunnit, and I'll git coat of
mine to wrap you up in"
He went into his bedroom and re-
turned with a heavy REFER jacket.
Ordering his caller to stand up, he
slipped her arms into the sleeves and
turned the collar up about her neck.
Her braided ttpigtail" Of yellow hair
stuck out over the collar and hung
down her back in a funny way. The
coat sleeves reached almost to her
| knees, and the coat itself enveloped
her like bedquilt.
There" said Captain Cy approving
ly-"now you look more as if you was
under a storm rig. Set down and
toast your toes. Where's that letter
you said you had?'
'1fs inside here l don't knows l
long"
"Reef 'en-turn 'em up. Let me
show you. That's better. Hum! So
you come from the depot. hey? Live
up that way?"
mo, sir! used to live in Concord,
! but
/ Concord? Concord? Concord where?
Concord n. II. | came on the cars.
| Auntie knew man who was going to
Boston, and he said he'd take care of
me as far as that and then put me C1
| the train to come down here. | stop
ped at his folks house in Charlestown
last night. and this morning we got
up early, and he bought me a ticket
and started me for here. l had box
with my things in it, but it was s }
heavy / couldn't carry it, so | left it
up at the depot. The man there said
it would be all right and you could
send for it when
81 could send for it? | could? What
in the world Say, child. you've made
mistake in your bearin's. 'Tain't me
you want to see; it's some of your
folks relations most likely. Tell me
who they are; maybe know EN-
The girl sat upright in the big chair
Her dark eyes opened wide. and her
chin quivered.
A"Ain't you Captain Cyrus Whit
taker?" she demanded. "You said you
was"
Eyes. yes. am. I'm Cy Whitaker
but what
"Weu, auntie told me-
"Auntie! Auntie whoY'
"Auntie Oliver. She isn't really TnJ
auntie, but mamma and me lived in
her house for ever so long. and So
"Wait. wait. wait! I'm huh down n
the fog. This is gettin' too thick fol
me- Your auntie's names Oliver and
you lived in Concord, N. II. For-fo,
thunder sakes, what's your name"
emily Richards Thomas
"Em-E mily-Richards
Eyes, SIR
emily Richards Thomas! What was
your mas name?'
Mamma was Mrs. Thomas. Hel
front name was Mary. She's dead
Don't you want to see your letter
I've got it now"
She lifted one of the tapping coa
sleeves and extended a crumpled
damp envelope. Captain Cy took it il
a dazed fashion and drew a long
breath. Then he tore open the envel
ope and read the following:
Dear Captain Whittaker-The bearer o
this Is Emily Richards Thomas. She i
seven, going on eight, but old for he
years. Her mother was Mary Thoma
that used to be Mary Thayer. 1t was he
you wrote to about keeping house TO
you, but she had been dead a fortnigh
before your letter come She had bron
chial pneumonia, and it carried her off
having ALWAYS heen delicate and will