Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-17

the man Webb asked. q great curisy
osity in his eyes. "Wal, you 5e6s come
along with me! Had an order for
| Tobiases and It set me late. but we'll
git thar. Climb up here. Mtss, and
with q flourishing aside of his retns
he made room for her On the ( dusty y lsty
Nancy handed him her big bag and
climbed easily owe the wheel tisto.the
seat he had indicated. Then1swithsa
loud "get-ap" and a., flourish OF III
|, whip they rumbled OF on the last log
Of Nancy's journey. 9
"Ai9't ever been 70 Freedom Ne
fore? p he asked as they turned the
corner Of the maple-shaded street of
the little town, and the horses settled
down into a steady trot. "Reckon.not
or old Webb 'ud have known ye---
amt any folks come and go on this
here island that don't know he
added with pride, dropping his retis
! for a better study Of his passenger.
doors, the great trees met Ii asquivery
archway overhead, the meadow lands
they passed were richly green: Nancy's
failing spirits began to soar! She
threw a little smile toward the old
man. ~
"I've never been in Freedom before
though I'm a Leavitt."' she ven
! tured.
Her words had the desired effect
The man Strengthened with interest.
wal, bless me, are ye one o. Miss
Sabriny's folks? And a-goin' to: Hap
pX House when We amt ever seen it??"
Nancy nodded. "I'm Anne ,I4eav-
itt," she answered carefully. t:And
I have seen my Aunt sabrina.
a little visit. And I think everything
is lovely: she finished, drawing q
long breath. though, goodness knows,
I thought I'd eve get here!"
She was uncomfortably conscious
that the old man was regarding her
with open concern.
about it! So ye're Miss Sabriny,s
great-niece and a-comin' to Happy
House from your schoo !, fer fer. : vtsit!S
"Wai, Twas tes' thinkin' you'd never
! seen Happy House. And ! guess most
folks in Freedoms forgotten Miss Sa-
'oh, what trouble, please. Mr..
The old man shook his reins vigor-
ously against the horses backs.
webb, you're an old fool-an old;
| dodderin' fool! OF course this here
trouble was a long spell ago. Miss.
anu 0OH UeAon6 to''AedVA%o SOuH6
like you, I s'pose it want much, any
ways, and I guess Miss Sabriny her
sells forgotten it else you wouldn't
be a comm to Happy House! I'm an
old man, missy, and thar amt been
much in Freedom as I don't know
about, but al old un'd ought a know
'nough to keep his tongue in his
head. Only-you come to Webb II
anything bothers you and you needn't
call me Mr. Webb, either, for though
I'm one of Freedoms leadin' cit-zuns
or any kind Of Fourth Of July doin's
In Freedom without me-nobody calls
re Mister Webb and you; JUS coma;tp
Fancy. forgetfur now Of the pleas
liant things about her, frowned. lHs
You're very nice to me-, Webb. Il
I'm glad to have made a friends so
I. soon! T think the trouble has been
forgotten. Anyway, I'm only going
"And a good thing it'll be fur Miss
Milly, too"
Miss Milly-" asked Nancy.
1T amt no easy life fur her Twin
with Miss Sabriny hold1n' the sword
Of wrath over her poor head, and
there's lots of folks think Miss Mil
ly'd be a heap happier in the old
graveyard than in Happy House,
'lowin' as how both feet are in the
cheerful talk to hand out to you, MfEks;,
only I cal'late you'll make Miss Mtily
a heap happier-shut up the way she
Iis." t =
"How far are we from Freedom?"
asked Nancy, abruptly thinking as she
did so that if, they we're q very long
way, she would have an opportunity
to learn from her garrulous friend
all she needed to know!
by the oak" the old man answered.
For a few moments both maintain
ed a deep silence. Nancy, her
Thoughts in a. tumult, was wondering
what question she would ask. firstss4
there was so much she wanted 10
know-the trouble" Miss Milly aud
the sword Of wrath or what he
meant by Happy House." The last
most stirred her curiosity; then, too,
it lie not seem just nice to pry from
Happy House?
Wal, I guess it amt because it's
exactly happy and some seq mebbe
|as how it's been a curse! Folks comes
here to Freedom and looks at the bid
place and there's somethin' printed
! about it in a little book they sell M,
at Tobiases in Nor Hero, only I amt
much on the readin.' Blindy Guest
knows the story by heart, and ahe
can tellyou more'n / can" -
oh, please, Webb, I can't make
head or tail out Of what you are a y
ing" laughed Nancy p%leadingly. .sWho
called 1t Happy House first?"
"Blindy seq the book seq that it
Q the first Anne Leavitt as come to-
o Hero called it Happy House and
tney ned one of these here mantels
made out o marble over in Londoa
n fetched across with the letddrS
right in it spellin' Happy House! ND
she helped fix 1t up with her own
hands she'd kind O. set such store by
the idee. right thar in the settin..
room n h very next day she
slipped on sudden like and died Nka
q poor little flower. And there amt
lpeen much happiness in Happy House
from them days since! B'lindy
Knows the hui story! jes' ATS Writ-
"oh. how thrillins!"@crisd Nanrv
breathing very fast-.lSha M. nm m,
Tcontrollabie desire to halt webb ma
the freedom stage right on the snot
IN order ito write to Claire Wa1iares
BUT at that moment, around the fSrn
by the old oak galloped a horse and
rloer. 1t was the frst liyinr
Gseasure Nancy had seen since leay-
=. ..H folth aer0. she was startled.
whirling out OF the path Of the ia
wagon. - snv oa0eA.
And Webb called back II ch..rv
greeting: Hey, Pets!"s o'1es
Contillped insTonaorrows
Evening Herald.
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