Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-11-25

S6Af TEX HVIil-Continucd.
All. yew young rascal" cried Sam
uei. "Yew're the Teller that eat up
all my winter cabbages."
AT this uncanny reading of his
mind Mr.. Cottontail darted off into
the woods again to seek out his mate
and inform her that their guilt had
been discovered.
Finally, Samuel came TO the break
In the woodland. an open field of rye
green as springtime grass. and his
own exquisitely neat abode beckon-
Ing across the gray rail fence to him
How pretty Blossy's geraniums
looked in tho sitting-room windows!
Even at this distance, too. he could
see that she had not forgotten to wa
ter his pet abutilon and begonias How
welcome in the midst of this furry of
snow-how welcome to his eye was
that smoke coming out of the chin
neys! All the distress of his trip away
from home seemed worth while now
Tor the JOY Of coming back
Before he had taken down the fence
rail and turned into the path which led
to his back door. he was straining his
ears for the sound of Blossys voice
gossiping with Angy. Not hearing 1t.
he hurried the faster.
The kitchen door was locked. The
key was not under the mat it was not
In the safe on the porch, behind the
stone pickle-pot He tried the door
again. and then peered in at the win
dow.
Not even the cat could be discerned.
Inc kitchen was set in order, the
breakfast dishes put away, and there
was no sign of any baking or prepare
tons for dinner.
lie knocked. knocked loudly. No
answer. He went to a side door. to
the front entrance, and found the
whole house locked, and no key to be
discovered. 1t was still early in the
morning, earlier than Blossy would
nave been likely to set out upon an
errand or to spend the day; and then.
TOO. she was not one to risk her
health In such chilly, damp weather,
with every sign of heavy storm.
Samuel became alarmed He called
sharply, "Blossy!" No answer. Mis-
Rose! No answer. "Ezra!" And
still no sound in reply.
His alarm increased. He went 10
the barn; that was locked and Ezra
nowhere in sight. BY standing on tip
toe, however. and peeping through a
crack in the boards, he found that his
horse and the two-seated surrey were
missing.
-
conscious once more of all his physical
dlscomforts. The minute my backs
turned. they go a-galliyantin' bet
yer. he added after a moments
thought. Il bet yer it's that air Angy
Rose. Shes got ter git an CAD every
second same as Abe. an my poor wife
has been drug along with her"
mere was nothing left for him to
DO but seek refuge in his shop and
await their return. Like nearly every
other bayman. he had a one.room
shanty. which he called the shop"
and where he played at building boats.
and weaving nets. and making oars
and tongs
rms structure stood TO the north OF
the house. and fortunately had an old
discarded kitchen stove in IT, There.
If the wanderers had not taken that
Key also. lie could build fire. and
stretch out before it on bundle Of
sail-cloth.
He gave start OF surprise. how.
ever. as he approached the place. for
surely that was smoke coming out of
the chimney
Ezra must have gone out with the
horse. and Blossy must be entertaining
Angy in some outlandish way de-
manded by the idiosyncrasies OF the
Rose temperament
Samuel flung open the door. and
STROBE in, but only to pause on the
threshold. struck dumb. Blossv was
not there, Angy was not there nor
anyone belonging TO the household
But sitting on that very bundle Of
canvas. stretching his lean hands over
the stove, with SamueIs cat on his
lap, was the 'Old Hoss" Abraham
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