Newspaper Page Text
SIX
“The Story of Waitstill Baxter”
Copyright, 1913. by
Kite Dougin Wlggin
Author of “Rebecca * Sunnybrook Farm"
PUOLOGUE.
Strength and interest of qvt <
lives in the New England <
three-quarters of a century ag
provide the framework of “Th-
Story of Waitatill Baxter. " Thn
ie the skeleton. The flesh am
blood of human beings, livin)
mnd loving and moving in a world
of their own that is a miniatur,
picture of the greater world oul
aide, are also there. The stor \
ie a cross section of life as sect
and described by a woman wh
has been well called “ America !
greatest living woman novelist.'
Amid the hills of New Englam
are many men and etomen lil<
Waitetill and Patience Baxtc
and their father, Ivory Boyntoi
and, hie afflicted mother am
funny Cephas Cole, who woo
hopefully, but with small chanc
of euocess. They find their wuy
into books but seldom, for
takes a master hand to dcscrib.
faithfully the doings of rea
people. And that is the rcasur.
why ‘‘The Story of Waitstil
Baxter" has won highest praise
from critics who know a goo i'
book wh'in they see one.
(Continued Prom Yesterday.)
“Be you ; ' Mind, 1 wm.
have yon fullerin' Patience rouiul
V'ou’ll only upset what I’ve done, hii
anyhow I want you to keep away frou
the neighbors for n few daya, till ul
thla blows over."
He spoke lirmly, though for 111 it
mildly, for he still had the une:i\'
feeling that he stood on the brink of .
volcano, and, as a matter of fact, hi
tumbled Into It she very next moment
The meager supper was spread n
plate of cold soda biscuits, a dried np
pie pie and the usual brown teapot
•were In evidence, and as her futliei
ceased speaking Wattodll opened the
door of the brick oven where the bean
pot naposed, set a chair by the table
ami tnmtiiK, took up her coat (lici
another's old riding cloak. It was!, and
put It on, reaching then for he
flood and her squirrel tippet.
• "Sou are goln’ out, then, spite o
.rrtnt I said?” the deacon Inquired
■teraly.
“Did you really think, father, that I
(would sleep under vour roof after you
4>ad turned my slater out Into thi
pnoor to lodge with whoever might
gafta her In—my seventeen-year old
SlAer thaf your wife left to my care,
any little sister, the very light of my
Uftrr
Waltstlll’s voice trembled a trifle, lull
Otherwise she was qnltq calm and free
from heroics of sny sort.
The deacon looked up in surprise
"1 guess you’re kind o’ hysterirky," he
paid. “Set down- set down an’ talk
jthtngs over. I ain’t got nothin’ ag’lu
you. an’ 1 mean to treat you right. Set
Blown.-
I The oM man.-was decidedly nervous
and Intended to keep his temper until
there was a safer chance to let It fly.
Waltstill sat down. "There's noth
fng to talk over," she said. "I have
done all that 1 promised my etepmoth
er the night she died, and now I am
going If there's u duty owed between
daughter and father It ought to work
both ways. 1 consider that I have
done my share, aud now 1 Intend to
seek happiness for myself. 1 havener
er had any. and I am starving for It."
“An' you'd leave mo to git on the
best I can after what I've done for
you?" burst out the deacon, still trying
to hold down his growing passion.
"You gHVe me my life, and I'm thank
fill to you for that, but you’ve given
me little since, father.”
"Haln't 1 fed an’ clothed you?’’
•'No more than I have (id and cloth
ed you. You've provided the raw foisl
and I've cooked and served tt. You'll
bought cloth, and I have made shirts
and overalls aud coats for you ami
knitted your socks and comforters and
mittens. Not only have 1 toiled ami
saved and scrimped away my glrlhoiwl
as you bade me. but I've earned for
you. Who made the butter and took
care of the hens aud dried the apples
and ‘drew In’ the rugs? Who ralsis',
and ground the pepper* for sale nnd
tended the geese that you might sell
the feathers? No. father. 1 don’t con
elder that I’m In your debt!"
Deacon Foxwell Baxter was com
pletely nonplused for the first time In
big. life- lie had nevgr allowed “*r
KATE DOUGLAS WIGGiN
\ y "-i / y
gyfyln' ” In tils household, nnd there
bod never been a clash of wills before
tills when lie bad not come off swlftl)
and brutally triumphant. This sltua
tlon was complicated by the fact that
he di<l not dare to apply the brakes as
usual since there were more issues In
volved than ever before, lie felt too
stunned to deal properly with thK
daughter, having emptied all the vials
of his wrath upon the other one and
being, In consequence, somewhat en
feebled. It was always easy enough
to cope with ratty, for her Imperti
nence evoked such rage that the argil
ment took care of Itself, lint tills gravi
young woman was a different matter
There she sat composedly on the edge
of her wooden chair, her head lifted
high, her color coming and going, hei
eyes shining steadily like fixed stars;
there she sat, calmly announcing hei
Intention of leaving her father to shin
for himself. Vet the skies seemed to
have no thought of falling! He fell
that he must make another effort to as
sert his authority.
"Nqw, you take off your coat," he
said, the pipe In his hnnd trembling m
he stirred nervously In his chair. “Yoti
take your coat right off an’ set dowi
to the supper table same ns usual, di
yon hear? Mat your victuals an' tliet
go to your bed an' git over this ernz’
fit that I’ntlenee has started workln
In you No more nonsense now! in
as I tell you!"
“I have made up my tnlnd, father
nnd it's no use arguing. All who tv
to live with you fall sooner or late)
You have hnd four children, father
One boy rtn away; the other did not
mind being drowned. I fear, since lift
was so hard at home. Y’ou have Just
turned the third child out for a slu of
deceit, and disobedience she would nev
er have committed for her nature Is
as clear as crystal If you hnd ever
loved her or considered her happiness
8o I have done with you, unless in
your old age God should bring you to
such a pass that no one else will come
to your assistance; then I’d see some
how that you were eared for and mir
ed and made comfortable. You are not
an old man; you are strong and healthy
and you have plenty of money to gel
a goo,| housekeeper. I should deeldt
differently perhaps If all this were not
true."
"You lie! I haven’t got plenty of
money!" And the deacon struck tin
table a sudden blow that made tin
china In the cupboard rnttle. “You'vi
no notion wlmt this house costs me
an' the food for the stock, an' you two
girls, an' labor at the store, an’ the
hayflcld, an’ the taxes an’ Insurance!
I’ve slaved from sunrise to sunset, but
I ain't hardly been able to lay up a
cent. I s'pose the neighbors have been
tillin’ you full o' tales about my mis'
able little savin’s an’ leakin' ’em Into
a fortune. Well, you won't git any of
’em, 1 promise you tlmt!”
“You have plenty laid away. Every
hotly knows, so what's the use of do
uylng It? Anyway, I don't want u
penny of your money, fnther, so good
by. There's enough cooked to kec|
you for a couple of days," nnd Walt
still rose from her clinlr and drew on
her mittens.
Father and daughter confronted each
other, the secret fury of the man met
by the steady determination of the
girl. The deacon was battled, almost
•wed, by WaltsttU's quiet self control,
but at the very moment thnt he was
half uncomprehendtugly glaring at her.
U dawned upon him that he was beat
en, and that she was mistress of the
situation.
Where would she go? What were
her pinna? For definite plana she had.
or she could not meet his eye with so
resolute a gaze, if she did leave him
how could lie contrive to get her back
again aud so escape the scorn of the
village, the averted look, the lessened
trade?
"Where are you goln' now?" he ask
ed, amt though he tried his beat, he
could not for the life of him keep back
one final taunt. "1 s'pose. like your
slater, you've got a umn In your eye?"
He chose this, to him, Impossible sag
gestlon as being the most insulting one
that lu> could Invent at the moment.
"I have." repliod Waltstill, "a man
In my eye and lu my heart. We should
huve been husband and wife before
this had we not been kept apart by ob
stacles too stubborn for us to over
come. My way has chanced to ope,
first, though It was none of my con
trlvlng.”
Had the roof fallon in upon him th<
deacon could not have been tuon
dmnfounded. Ills tongue literally clov,
to the roof of his mouth. His face fell
and his mean, piercing eyes blinked
uuder his shaggy brows as If seekluj
light.
Waitstill stirred the fire, closed the
brick oven and put the teapot on the
baek of the stove, hung up the long
handled dipper on Its accustomed null
over the sink and went to the door.
Her father collected his scattered
wits arid pulled himself to his feet b>
the arms of the high backed rocker.
“You shan't step outside this room till
you tell me where you’re goin',” he
said when he found his voice.
“I have no wish to keep It secret. 1
am going to see if Mrs. Mason will
keep me tonight. Tomorrow I shall
walk down the river and get work at
1m
“You might as well go to live on the
poor farm!”
the mills, but on my way I shall stop al
the Boyntons’ to tell Ivory I am ready
to marry him as soon ns he’s ready to
take me."
This was enough to stir the blood ol
the deacon into one last fury.
“1 might have guessed it if I hadn't
been blind ns n bat an' deaf ns an ad
der!” And he gave the table anothci
ringing blow before he leaned on It to
gather strength. “Of course it would
be one o' that crazy Boynton crew
you’d take up with!" he roared. "Noth
In’ would suit either o’ you girls but
ctiooain’ the biggest enemies I’ve got
In the whole villager’
“You’ve never taken pains to make
anything hut enemies, so whnt could
we do 7“
“You might as well go to live on the
poor farm! Aaron Boynton, was a dis
rep’tnhle hound. Lois Boynton Is as
crazy as a loon, the boy Is a nobody's
child, an’ Ivory's no better than a com
mon puuper!"
"Ivory'B a brave, strong, honorable
man nnd a scholar too. I can work
for him nnd help him earn and save,
ns I have you.”
“How long's this been goln’ on?"
The deacon was choking, but he meant
to get to the bottom of things while be
had the dunce.
“It hast) t gone on at all. He has
never said a word to me, and I have
always obeyed your will In these mat
ters, hut you can't hide love any more
than you can hide hate. I know Ivory
loves me. so I'm going to tell him that
my duty Is done here nnd 1 am ready
to help him."
“Goln' to throw yourself at his head,
be you?" sneered the deacon. "By the
Lord. I don't know where you two
girls got these loose ways o’ thinkln'
an’ actin’. Mobile he won't tako you,
an’ then where'll you he? You wou't
git under my roof again when you've
once left it, you can make up your
mind to that!"
"If you have any doubts about Ivo
ry's being willing to take me you'd
belter drive along behind me nnd listen
while I ask him."
Waltstlll's tone luid an exnltnnt thrill
of certainty In It. She threw up her
head, glorying In what she was about
to do. If she laid aside her usual re
serve and voiced her thoughts openly
It was not In the hope of convincing
her father, hut for the bliss of putting
them into words and Intoxicating her
self by the sound of them.
"Come after me If you will, father,
and watch the welcome I shall get.
Oh, I have no fear of being turned out
by Ivory Boynton. I can hardly wait
to give him the Joy I shall be bringing!
It'* selfish to rob him of the chance to
speak first, hut I’ll do It!” And before
Deacon Baxter could cross the room
Waltstill was out of the kitchen door
Into the shed aud flying down Town
House hill like an arrow shot free
from the bow.
The deacon followed close behind,
hardly knowing why, but he was no
match for the girl, and at last he stood
helpless on the steps of the shed, shak
ing hi* fist and hurling terrible words
after her. words thnt tt was fortunate
for her peace of mind she could not
hear.
“A curse upou you both!” he cried
savagely. “Not satisfied with disobey
In' au’ defyln* me. you've put me to
shame, an’ now you'll be setttn' Hie
neighbors ag’ln me an’ ruinin' my
trade. If you was freeztn' in the snow
I wouldn't heave a blanket to you!
If you was starvin' I wouldu't fling
either of you a crust! Never shall you
darken my door* again, an' never shall
you git a iH-ntiy o' my money, not If
I have to throw It Into the river to
spite you!" •
(To Be Continued Tomorrow.)
THE AUGUSTA HERALD. AUGUSTA. GA.
IN “REEL” LIFE
miT HI ( Cone oh Novi
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f ll I! \ The pep-FORM«Nct-
V i ijk HO LOITtfUNO ON I
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refill f W *Y DO""* You \
IP PtfT CH'fKtH i
I a, t-nJn—.
TURN ABOUT FAIR PLAY.
As Sandy holed out on the first
green his friend from over the border
asked;
"And how many strokes did you
take?”
"Eight." replied the Scot.
“Ah!" said the Englishman, “I took
seven; so that's my hole."
The Scotchman ventured no reply,
but when on the secoad green, the
Englishman repeated his former ques
tion and make inquiry a* to the num
ber of strokes taken by his opponent
the latter nobbed his head, and, with
an expression of infinite wisdom on
hi* face gently murmured:
“Nay, nav, my mannie; this time
it's my tur-rn to ask Ttrst.”—London
Answers.
WHAT FATHER SAID.
A little 6-year-old tot had gone her
first day to school. Teacher had quite
a time getting her to tell her last
name That evening after school she
was playing with a little friend and
the "last name" subject was brought
up. Mabel said she wondered what
God's last name was.
“No, I don’t," was the short reply.
"Why, It's Dam. 'cause I heard
daddy say so." —National Monthly.
In the fall of 1910 a man named
Smith was running for Sheriff against
a man named Jones. One evening Just
before election. Smith rode up to the
barnyard of an old farmer The form
er was milking a cow and having dif
ficulty with a lusty calf that continual
ly tried to "butt in." The candidate,
to gain the favor of the farmer, took
the calf between his legs and held It
until the milking was done. He then
introduced himself: “I am Mr. Smith,
the Republican candidate for sheriff of
the county. I suppose you know th*
man who's running against me?
The farmer's eyes twinkled as he
slowly drawled: “Waal, I reckon I da
He's in the house now, holding the
baby.”—Everybody's Magazine.
FOR THE CAT.
“Doctor," said he, "I'm a victim of
Insomnia. I can't sleep If there's the
least noise, such as a cat on the back
fence, for Instance."
"This powder will be effective," re
plied the physician, after compound
ing a prescription.
"When do I take it, doctor?’
“You don't take It. You give It to
the cat In some milk." —Exchange.
ATURDAY. JUNE 6.
IN REAL LIFE
WHERE IT FELL.
"I thought you were working on
Jay Krank’s new house,” said a house
painter’s friend.
"I was goln’ to,” replied the house
painter, “but I had a quarrel with him
and he said he'd put the paint on
himself.”
• And jdld he do it?”
“Yes. that is where he put most of
it.”—Philadelphia Press.
QUID PRO QUO.
“That little mare of his certainly
came back at Joe.”
"How do you mean?”
"First, he broke her for racing, then
she broke him."—Baltimore American.
Home rule wins for Ireland—foreign
rule begins lu Majhcol Florida
Tinies-L'aiun.