Dorothy at Skyrie

folks. He's crazy, or silly-witted, or somethin'. How-de-do, Peter?" said Alfaretta, as Dorothy, closely followed by the little Babcocks and the

, though not from age. His narrow, receding forehead was topped by a hat bestowed upon him by some parading political band of the autumn previous, and was gay with red cock feathers and a glittering buckle polished to the last degree. His clothing was also, in part, that of a parader: a brilliant-hued coat worn over his ordinary

u bringin' old Brindle up

rom Alfaretta to Mr. Chester, who had come to the window above, an

d in a voice only Dorothy, who had run in to stand beside him, could overhear. "Won

, doesn't he? Only, Dad,

ll. I wonder-is this the beginning of things! What a power the press certainly is, if

ion expressed by her husband's face. And came not only Martha but the

king to Mrs

rs laughed, and she joined heartily in, not dreaming that what her host

t is it? You see

I wish you to tell me-Did you rewrite that adver

sealed it, with money inside to pay-By the way, there should be considerable change due u

laughed no

e it so. But if such brevity brings such an answer, so soon, why-it will fairly rain cows before we're many hours older. Co

Tell it exactly

ldn't help smiling under her frown, and it was a mo

r livin' without botherin' nobody much. She goes onto folkses' lawns an' nibbles till she's driv' off-summer times an' in winter, why 'most anybody 't has a barnyard and fodder give her a little. Pa he says she's a relict of a glorious past and is due her keep from a-

give his money away an' just lives in his old shop an' the woods, same as poor folks. He treats Peter Piper same as he does old Brindle. Keeps 'em both to his place, if they want to stay; an' don't hinder 'em none when they clear out. Pa an' him both say how 'f

the earth at his feet, and slowly walked away. A pitiable object in the sunset of that fair summer day, with his be

aged for her supper by nibbling th

remembered

was goin' to stop all along the road, and get all the news she could an' tell what she knows, back. Ma she's a powerful hand to know what's doin', 'round. S

of the carpet, and bent her body forward with the stiffest of bows. Then she took a hand of eac

. I'm sorry I tipped Mr. Chester into the ditch an' that I couldn't done more toward cleanin' up that cellar that I did. Good-nigh

on the west veranda of the little cottage, resting and delighting in the beauty of nature and in the presence of each other. Then Dorothy slipp

food appeared. "And princes, indeed, we are to be able to sit and

d suffered much and he must still so suffer-both pain of body and of mind. Poverty was his, and worse-it was the lot o

kyrie should be-"Some time, 'when my ship comes in'! Meanwhile-Sing to us, Dolly darling! I hear a whip-poor-will away off somewhere in the distance, and it's too mournful a sound for my mood.

got all care. Indeed, it seemed a scene upon which nothing sordid nor evil would dare enter; yet, just as the singer uttered the last note of her father's

hat Mrs. Chester rose and went to answer the summons. At a nod from her father, Dorothy followed the housemistress and saw, standin

not at once reply and she remembered the absurd advertisement in the Local, s

age. 'Twas a dog-a couple of dogs-sent me away up-mounting, this time o' day, a-foot, too, 'cause all my critters have been out so long they wasn't fit to ride nor drive,

ndly in manner and that he was reluctant to disclose his errand. Also, if he had walked up the mountain

rve this summonses on that there little girl o' yourn. You must see to it that she's on hand at Seth Winterses' blacksmith shop an' justice's office, to-morrow morning at ten o'clock

ad thrust a paper into her hand, and had vanished. He had never performed an offic