DADDY'S DIPLOMACY--A PASSAGE AT ARMS--FANNIE GREEN--A
CATASTROPHE.
A sudden sense of responsibility seemed to fall upon Daddy, as with
Little Wolf, he watched the Squire's swift gliding sleigh, and its
occupants, until they had dwindled together, a mere speck on the
silent river.
'Tween you and me, Honey, it won't du for you to be shiverin, here in
the snow. Mr. Tom said I was fur to take care of you when he was gone;
'tween you and me Mr. Tom is oncommon nice young man, oncommon,
considerin his father, very oncommon."
"How so Daddy?"
"'Tween you and me he's a teetotaler, out and out, and the Squire
ain't. I ketched him sneakin off down to the brewery several times. I
kinder think Tom takes after his mother, and its a good sign fur boys
to take after their mother. Now there's Mr. Sherman, he takes after
his father. His every motion is like the judge. To be sure, the Judge
was a wonderful smart man, but then when I lived in them parts he was
in the habit of drinkin, pretty heavy. Afore I left he signed the
pledge, but there ain't no tellin how he would have turned out if he
had lived."
It was plainly to be seen in whose interest Daddy was enlisted. His
diplomatic efforts were listened to with great composure and he could
only speculate on the result as he went into the house with Little
Wolf.
The parlor was in a state of confusion, Mrs. Hawley and Sorrel Tom
having combined forces to raise the greatest possible amount of dust
and disorder out of the material at hand; such as the ashes from the
Squire's segar inadvertantly dropped, the dirt from Tom's boots which
he never remembered to clean, and Daddy's careless litter in making
the fire. The light litter was easily disposed of, but the inevitable
stain left by the melted snow upon the carpet occasioned an angry
outburst from Sorrel Top, who did not see her young mistress just
behind.
"Tom Tinknor is a filthy fellow," said she, and I'm glad he's gone; he
kept me cleaning up after him all the time, and now here's two more
great spots to be scrubbed."
"'Tween you and me Tom didn't make them are," said Daddy indignantly.
"He did, too."
"He didn't nuther, I see Mr. Sherman set in that are very spot
yesterday."
At the commencement of the dispute, Little Wolf slipped away and
sought refuge in her own room, and Daddy embraced the opportunity to
lecture Sorrel Top soundly.
"'Tween you and me, you've disgusted the Honey," said he, "speakin so
unrespectful of her friends."
"She don't know nothing about it," said Sorrel Top.
"'Tween you and me she stood right behind you and heered the hull,"
said Daddy triumphantly.
"I don't believe it," said Sorrel Top, getting very red in the face.
"I'll leave it to Miss Hawley," said Daddy.
Mrs. Hawley corrobarated the statement and Daddy continued his
lecture.
"'Tain't never best to speak disrespectful of nobody," said he, "I
never du, except of them are liquor sellers, and sich low critters.
'Tween you an' me, Mr. Tinknor is a very respectable young man; he
told me he'd never drunk a drop of liquor in his hull life, except
once when he had the colic, and it ain't likely he'll ever tech the
infarnel stuff agin, for he ain't subject to colic, and if he should
be tackled with it, I've told him how to doctor with hot plates and
yarb tea. I advised him not to send fur no doctor, fur ten chances tu
one, they would prescribe brandy. Them doctors, as a general thing,
don't know no better than to prescribe things fur young men that gits
'em in the habit of drinkin. I wouldn't hev the Honey heard you run
down Mr. Tom, as you did, fur no money. I hope this will be a warnin
fur you to be oncommon keerful of that are tongue of yourn in futur."
"I guess Miss DeWolf can tend to her own affairs without anybody's
help," said Sorrel Top, not in the least dismayed by Daddy's
expostulations. "I wonder what has sot you agin Mr. Sherman, he is
much more agreeable than Tom Tinknor, and I had rather clean up his
dirt a thousand times, than so much as set a chair for that silly
Tom."
"You never had no penetration, no how," said Daddy contemptously, "if
you ever marry you'll get a drunken loafer to wait on, no doubt."
With this unkind prophesy on his lips, Daddy got himself out of the
sound of Sorrel Top's retort as quickly as possible, and, as he could
whenever it suited him, make an errand to Little Wolf's room, he very
soon made it convenient to start with an armful of wood in that
direction.
The fire was burning very briskly and Little Wolf sat before it in an
attitude of deep thought, so Daddy very gently put down the wood, and
was going out, when his young mistress called after him.
"Daddy."
"Yes, Honey."
"Daddy, I've been thinking of going for Fanny Green to-day."
"'Tween you and me, its a oncommon fair day, likely you wouldn't take
no cold.
"Well, daddy, we will drive over for her, early this afternoon."
The honor of riding with Little Wolf and the errand on which, they
were going combined to form an occasion of deep interest with Daddy
who hastened down, eager to impart the information he had obtained.
But, as only Sorrel Top was visible, and she in a fit of sulks, in
the bringing on of which he had been instrumental, he delayed his
important communication for a more appreciative audience, and
contented himself with the performance of what he considered a solemn
duty.
"'Tween you and me, its never best to pout," said he, "I've seen many
a handsome face spiled by it."
Having administered this inflammatory admonition, Daddy betook himself
to the wood pile, where he pecked away with uncommon assiduity until
he was called to dinner.
Putting away his ax with alacrity, he hurried into the house, with an
air of a man of business, and soon, under the influence of a very
palatable dinner, his tongue loosed more agreeably.
"'Tween you and me, the Honey and me have been talkin the matter
over," said he, "and we are going fur to fetch Fanny this afternoon."
"You ain't told us no news," said Sorrel Top, "has he Miss Hawley?"
"I didn't go fur to tell no news, a man never expects to tell _women_
any news."
Daddy told this little fib good naturedly, although it was evident
that he was the least bit annoyed.
Sorrel Top delighted in view of Daddy's discomfiture, and her temper
restored, condescended to disclose the part she was to act in the
matter.
"I've just been fixing a bed for her in the little room inside of Miss
DeWolf's," said she "and as it ain't at all likely she'll be very
tidy, brought up as she has been in that old shanty, I expect to have
to teach her to keep it in order."
"'Tween you and me, it's time I was gittin ready fur to fetch her,"
said Daddy glad of an excuse to terminate the interview.
Little Wolf was on the veranda when Daddy drove up, for she was aware
that her spirited little saddle horse, Fleet Foot, was as a general
thing rather restive in harness. However, on the present occasion,
his behavior was unexceptionable, and, in a few minutes, he was
trotting off, the perfection of docility.
It was about a half an hour's drive to Mr. Wycoff's the farmer in
whose family Fanny Green was living, and it was not to be expected
that Daddy could by any means remain silent for that length of time,
and as the subject most likely to interest his young mistress, he
fixed upon Fleet Foot.
"'Tween you and me, Fleet Foot is oncommon stiddy to-day."
"Yes," said Little Wolf, absently.
"'Tween you and me hosses is like pussens, they ken be coaxed better
than driv, fur generally speakin, coaxing brings 'em round when
driving won't. It always makes my blood brile tu see a hoss abused,
and the men that du it ain't much better than them are liquor sellers,
and I have always said that they were the meanest of God's creation.
'Tween you and me, if common folks had had the care of Fleet Foot, you
couldn't do nothin with him. He's naturally as full of fire as an egg
is of meat, and he's a very knowin hoss tu; the minute you're in the
saddle he pricks up his ears, and dances off like a young colt, fur he
knows you like fur to have him prance and show off; but when I back
him, he knows just as well he's got a stiddy old man aboard. When I
fust took him out this afternoon, he went a caperin and carcerin
round, and one spell I cum mighty nigh not gitting harness on him, but
laws if anybody ken manage a hoss I ken," and Daddy unconsciously gave
the reins a triumphant jerk, which instantly increased Fleet Foot's
speed to what the careful old man considered an alarming degree, and
by the time they had reached their destination, he was nearly out of
breath, and had become quite nervous in his efforts to check the
spirited animal.
"'Tween you and me, it wont du to keep Fleet Foot standing long in the
cold," suggested Daddy anxiously as Little Wolf was alighting.
Sharing Daddy's anxiety Little Wolf stated to Mrs. Wycoff as
concisely as possible, the object of her visit, and that individual
brought the affair to a crisis in the following summary manner.
"Here's the girl, take her. Fanny put on your hood, and that old cloak
that was your mother's. Mr. Wycoff has given you to this lady, and
she's in a hurry. Now be quick."
Fanny's little white tear stained face fairly shone with delight, as
she followed her new found friend to the sleigh. No alteration had
been made in the mantle which was once her mother's, and Daddy wrapped
her carefully in its ample folds and stowed her away at his feet, and
she looked her last upon a house where she had suffered, as ill
treated, motherless children sometimes do suffer.
From the day of her mother's death, she had excited Daddy's earnest
sympathy. He had seen her carried home by Mr. Wycoff, whom he knew to
be a hard man, and fond of strong drink. Mrs. Wycoff had the
reputation of being no better than her husband, and Fanny's fate was
generally commiserated when it was known that she was to be nurse and
chore girl in that family. She had been there but a few months,
however, when the infant under her charge suddenly sickened and died,
and as she was too small and delicate to be put to hard labor, the
family had no futher use for her. These facts coming to Little Wolf's
knowledge through Daddy, she had successfully employed him to gain Mr.
Wycoff's consent to give the child up to her."
There was a world of gratitude in Fanny's sweet blue eyes, when
occasionally she would modestly turn them up to Little Wolf as they
rode in silence.
Daddy was to much absorbed in holding the reins to think of anything
else, and as they neared the last long hill he drew a sigh of relief,
"'tween you an' me, we're all right so fur," he said.
The words were scarcely out of his mouth before they were half way up
the hill. Just on the brow they saw a two horse team, which as the
road was narrow and the sides precipitous and rocky could only be
passed with safety where it then was. Imagine then the dismay of the
little party as they saw the heavy sled descending, and the driver
madly urging on his horses.
Daddy shouted at the top of his voice, Little Wolf sprang upon her
feet and waved her handkerchief with all her might, and little Fanny
said dispairingly, "Oh its Mr. Wycoff, he is drunk, oh he _will_ run
over us."
Down, down, with fearful rapidity came the heavy team, the driver
flourishing his whip and shouting dreadful oaths; while like lightning
leaped Fleet Foot onward to his destiny. An instant more and Little
Wolf had thrown Fanny from the sleigh and leaped after her down the
side hill. There was a crash, a prolonged neigh; Fleet Foot's death
yell, as, for an instant, he hung suspended from the sleigh, which had
caught on a projecting rock, and all was silent save the distant
clatter of horses' hoofs and the faint hallos of the drunken maniac.
At the moment of the collision, Daddy had risen to his feet and was
in some unaccountable way thrown uninjured into the road. Although
stunned and bewildered by the fall, his faculties gradually brightened
and he was soon in a condition to survey the scene.
On a ledge of rocks overhanging the precipice was the forlorn wreck of
the once fanciful little sleigh. In the depths below lay Fleet Foot,
stretched motionless upon the rocky bottom. The deep ravine into which
he had been plunged ran angling, and formed the point, where by her
presense of mind Little Wolf had saved herself, and Fanny from almost
certain death.
At this point the hill was less steep, and the snow had fallen to a
great depth, forming a bed as soft as down, and cushioning the very
rocks. Upon this capacious couch of unsullied whiteness, lay Little
Wolf and Fanny.
Powerless himself to render any assistance, Daddy opened his mouth and
there went forth a wail such as caused Little Wolf to start and
shudder as she thought of what it might portend. But her worst fears
were in a moment dispelled, as she saw Daddy's anxious face bending
imploringly over the bank.
"Honey" said he most dolefully.
"Yes, Daddy."
"'Tween you an' me, you ain't hurt nun, be you?"
"Not very much, Daddy, but when I try to rise I only sink deeper in
the snow. Hark! I hear the sound of bells."
"Well, now, if there ain't Mr. Sherman coming down the hill," said
Daddy delightfully. "'Tween you and me, Honey, that are Mr. Sherman
will hev fur to help you git out. His legs is a heap longer than these
old stumps of mine."