Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-10-17


es, until he had got general idea
of their direction and characters.
This precaution taken, he hurried
back to the hut.
swell, Gershom, have you set
tied on the course to be taken?"
were the first words uttered by
the bee-hunter when he rejoin-
ed the family of Whiskey Centre.
1--WE haven't" answered the hus-
band. SISTER begs us to quit the
chiente, for the Indians must soon
be here; but wife seems to think
that she must be safe, now Pm
at home ag'in."
"Then wife is wrong and sister
is right. If you will take my ad-
vice, you will hide all your eff
fects in the woods, and quit the
cabin as soon as possible. The In
inns cannot fail to see this habita-
ton, and will be certain TO des-
troy all they find in it, and that
they do not carry off. Besides, the
discovery of the least article be-
/ longing to a white man will set
them on our trail; for scalps Will
soon bear price at Montreal. In
half an hour all that is here can
be removed into the thicket that
is luckily so near; and by putting
out the fire with care, and using
proper caution, we may give the
place such a deserted look that
the savages will suspect nothing"
eff they enter the river, Bour-
don, they will not camp out with
a wigman so near by; and should
they come here, what is to pre-
vent their SEEM the footprints
we shall leave behind us?"
1.-THE night, and that only. Be-
fore morning their own footsteps
will be SO plenty as to deceive
them. Luckily we all wear moe
casins, which is great advantage
Just now. But every moment is
precious, and we should be stir
ring. Let She women take the beds
and bedding, while you and l
shoulder this chest. Up it goes,
and away with itr'
Gersham had got to be so much
under his companions influence
that he complied, though his
mind suggested various objections
to the course taken, TO which his
tongue gave utterance as they
busted themselves in this task. The
effects of Whiskey Centre had
been gradually diminishing in
quantity, as we'll as in value, for
\ the last three years, and We're
now of no great amount, in any
sense. Still there were two chests,
one large and one small. The last
contained all that a generous re-
gard for the growing wants of the
/ family had left TO Margery; while
the first held the joint wardrobes
Of the husband and wife, with a
few other articles that were con-
sidered as valuable.
Among other things were half
dozen Of very thin silver tea
spoons, which had fallen to Ger
shom on a division of the family
plate. The other six were care
fully wrapped up in paper and
put in the till of Margery's chest,
being her portion of this species
of property. The Americans gem
orally have very little plate !;
though here and there marked
exceptions do exist; nor do the
humber classes lay out much of
their earnings in jewelry, while
they commonly dress far beyond
their means in all other ways. In
this respect, the European female
OF the same class in life frequently
possesses as much in massive
golden personal ornaments as
would make an humble little for
tune, while her attire is as homely
as cumbrous petticoats, coarse
cloth, and a vile taste can render
it. On the other hand, the Amer
lean matron that has not a set
one half dozen-of silver tea
spoons must be poor indeed, and
can hardly be said to belong to
the order of housekeepers at all.
By means of a careful mother,
both Gershom and his sister had
the half dozen mentioned
and they We're kept more
as sacred memorials of past and
better days than as articles of any
use. The household goods OF War
ing would have been limited by
his means of transportation, if not
by his poverty. Two common low
post maple bedsteads were soon
uncorded and carried off, as were
the beds and bedding. There was