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On the way; or, Places passed by pilgrims, by A.L.O.E.
On the way or Places passed by pilgrims by ALOE Author:Charlotte Maria Tucker Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. THE OWLS' NEST. flOU'LL not be wanting to visit Owls' Nest to-day, Grace," said Reuben on the following morning; "only see those black c... more »louds in the sky; we'll have pelting rain soon, I guess." " And yet I wish so very much to go now," replied Grace. "Aunt may be wanting me later in the day. I couldn't help lying awake last night thinking of poor Mrs. Doles; and when I fell asleep I dreamed that we were trying so hard to pull her out of a bog." - "Well then, we'll be off together," said Reuben, ' cheerily; "if you're not sugar, I'm not salt, so we'll take, our chance of the rain." Thebroiiier and sister started off together, and after ten minutes' walk over the fields, came up to the lonely cottage, which stood by the wayside where three roads met, opposite an old sign-post. A curious old cottage it was, one that wouldlook pretty enough in a picture, however dull it might be to live in. It was half covered over with thick ivy, which only left peeps here and there of its thatched roof with patches of moss like green velvet cushions upon it, and the old brick wall, with its stains of yellowish lichen. The wood of the door was worm-eaten, showing dozens of tiny round holes which boring insects had made. There was a garden round the cottage, in which a few vegetables grew; flowers were never now planted in it, but dandelion, shepherd's-purse, chickweed, and nettles had planted themselves theie without leave of the owner. Had Mrs. Doles been inside her cottage, Grace would not have ventured to knock at her door, for the little girl had begun to feel very shy, and afraid to intrude upon the sorrowful woman, who was said to shut herself up from visitors. But Mrs. Doles happened to be in her garden, digging up new potatoes. Sadly unfit the...« less