Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-08-20
81 6osso-rz7BPNk conzezyY

] mat ndQ vigorously cleanSed itself and
/ already looked forward to a new ca
reer OF prosperity. But he thought of
this now with no thrill The old life
no longer called. There were still
wide unpeopled spaces somewhere
/ where a mans hand and brain were no
less needed, and there was work there
/ that would help him to bear. if not for
/ get
! He paced up and down the porch IN
der the great gray columns, his steps
| spiritless and tagging. The Virginia
| creeper, trailing over its end, waved
| to and fro with sound like a sigh
How long would it be before the lawn
was once more unkempt and draggled?
Before burdock and thistle, MULLEN
and Spanish-needle would return to
smother the clover? Before Damory
court, on which he had spent such
! loving labor, would lie again as 1t lay
that afternoon when he had ratified
| thither on Uncle Jefferson's crazy
hack? Before there would be for him,
in some far-away corner Of the world,
/ only Wishing House and the Never
+ Never Land?
! In the hall he stood a moment be-
fore the fireplace, his eyes on its
carven motto, 7 clinge:" the phrase
was like a spear-thrust. He began to
wander restlessly through the house,
up and down, like a proving animal.
The dining-rOom looked austere and
chill-only the little lady in hoops and
loye-curls who had beer his great
grandmother smiled wistfully down
from her gilt frame above the console
and in the library a melancholy
deeper than that of yesterdays trag-
edy. seemed to hang, through which
Devil-John, drawing closer the leash
Of his leaping hound, glared sardon-
ically at him from his one cold eye.
The shutters of the parlor were
closed, but he threw them open and
let the rich light pierce the yellow
gloom, glintingn from the figures III
the cabinet and weaving a thousand
tiny rainbows in the prisms of the
great chandelier.
He went upstairs, into the bedrooms
one by one, now and then passing his
hand over a polished chair-back or
touching an ornament or a frame on
the wall: into The Hilarium with its
records of childish study and play.
The dolls stood now on dress parade
in glass cases, and prints in bright
colors, dear to little people, were on
the walls. He opened the shutters
here, too, and stood some time on the
threshold before he turned and went
heavily downstairs.
Through the rear door he could see
the kitchens, and Aunt Daphne sitting
under the trumpet-vine piecing a nine
patch calico quilt with little squares
of orange and red and green cloth
Two diminutive darkies were sprawled
on the ground looking up at her with
round serious eyes, while a wary ban
tam pecked industriousIy about their
bare legs.
EN- den whit de roostah say,
Aunt Daph?"
cor roostah he hollah to all he
wifes, Oo-ooo! Oo-ooo! Young
Mars come!-Young Mars come!
Young Mars comet En- dey all mighty
skeered, case Mars John he cert'n'y
fond OBJ fried chick'n. But de big tub
key gobbler he don b1eeve ct tall
-doubtful-doubtfuIi he say,
lax dat. Den de drake he peep eroun
de cornah, en- he say, Hash! Hash!
Haish!' Fo' he done seed Mars John
comm, sho' huff But ct too late by
den, TO- Aunt Daph she done grab
Mis- Pullet, en- Mars John he gwine-
ter eat huh dis berry evenin' TO- he
suppah. Now you chillun runs erlong
home ter yo' mammies, en- dom yo
pick none OBJ dem green apples on de
way, neidah."
1t was not till after dark had come
that Valiant said goodby to the gar
den. He loved it best under the star
light. He sat a long hour under the
pergola overlooking the lake, where