The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-09-07
He Was the
Bugaboo
By ALICE NORRIS LEWIS

&c. 1873, by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate)
It was awfully quiet there on the
station platform, but I didn't mind
that, for there was the view to keep
me company. Mountains, mountains,
everywhere I really don't know how
long sat there watching the clouds
cover and uncover themselves, but 1t
must have been long time, before
heard an auto come rattllng down the
road. l jumped up and ran to meet 1t.
"Here l am" l cried. IL suppose
you're looking for me. I'm Miss Maria
Hamilton's niece. Wait until get my
suit case"
The driver, a young man, gave me
funny look, but he stopped. swung his
long legs over the left-hand side of
the car and jumped out. A minute
later he came back with my suit case
and invited me to sit beside him. We
bumped back up the road at a break
neck pace.
We didn't say word. We hadn't
breath enough, anyway. When he put
me down before neat, old-fashioned
farmhouse, he raised his hat and
wished me pleasant vacation. Then
he bounced away again.
The front door of the farmhouse
stood open, and a querulous voice from
somewhere called. "Come in" Then 1t
added, "Come upstairs, can't come
down. I've got the rheumatic"
| went up, as the voice bade me do,
and into dark, musty-smelling bed
room. A little. dried-up old lady rose
on her elbow in bed, to look at me.
"Aunt Maria?" I faltered.
"Yes, Aunt Maria. Where you been
so long? The train come In an hour
! ago"
| "Why," stammered, "the auto
didn't come until just now"
"Auto2 What auto? didn't send
any auto for you. Its only mile
from the station. always walk 1t and
thought you could. And who, for
PHYS sake brought you up?"
"A young man In an old car. l didn't
ask him his name"
Aunt Maria thought a moment. ut
| must ha' been the Bugaboo," she
snorted. Hes old Amos Reeves son.
You must have heard your mother
speak Of old Amos Reeve?'
"Never." l said, taking off my hat
and sitting down, unlimited, on an old
yellow chair.
Aunt Maria gave me sharp look.
"She never told you about Amos
Reeve?" she asked. "Wal, that's fun
ny! But II the Bugaboo brought you
up, you're so much in. didn't send
him. I'm sorry I'm sick. You'll have
to forage for yourself until ] git bet
ter. Go change your dress and then
hunt up some dinner. Hum see you
got your hair bobbedi Right up to
date. I hope you don't smoke cigar
ettesi Your room is across the hall.
Now, look here! The minute you get
In there, don't stream open all the
windows and blinds. had boarder
once and that's what she done until I
took the screens Off. She couldn't
stand the skeeters, then. The screens
amt been put on again."
i In spite Of Aunt Maria's orders, I
did open the blinds, for the room was
as dark as a tomb. There wasn't any
view from the room though, because
there was great, big barn directly
across the road hiding 1t. had hoped
could see the mountains, and when I
couldn't I felt like crying. When Aunt
Maria had invited me for month, 1t
had seemed heavenly, but now
All through that glorious afternoon
waited on Aunt Maria, listening, be-
tween times, while she talked Of the
good old days Of her girlhood. doubt
/, II she would ever have stopped, II the
grandfather's clock in the hall hadn't
chimed six.
"Six O'clock" she cried. "Where's
the afternoon gone to-? Its feeding
time. got hundred hens, horse
and four pigs. You'll fnd the grain In
the barn. And after you've got them
fed, go get old Boss, down In the med
DER"
"Old Bossr ! echoed. "a-a-cow7 r.
"Yes. Jest let down the bars and
she'll follow you"
"But I'm afraid Of cows"
"Nonsensei Old Boss Is as tame as
4 sheep"
/ fed the animals, but when came
to the bars, beside which a white
faced old mooley stood placidly chew
ing her cud, didn't take them down
for her. Instead. put my head down
and began to cry.
"What's the troubler' asked some
body.
Even then did not lift my head.
''The cow" sobbed, "rve got to take
her home and I'm afraid Of her."
Then looked MP and saw--the Bug
ab00i r
suppose he laughed at me, but ]
didn't see him. should have slapped
him II had. Anyway. he led the COW
home and he bargained with me to dc
Il every night II would walk down
to the meadow with him.
At nrst looked forward to this
walk, because It released me from
Aunt Maria's fault finding for q little
while. For she didn't get better, and
her disposition got worse. Then, after
| = vvhfuo x1s1k - ~v9<h kesx, ko>o..-u