Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 150, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1904 — Another Lost Story. [ARTICLE]

Another Lost Story.

Grandfather Hollis was ready and willing to tell stories as long as he had eager listeners, but once embarked on the sea of narrative, he allowed no ship to cross his bows. If one did he “put back to shore to once,” to use his own words. Ills greatest trial was his own nephew, Abijalf Hobbs, who apparently could not refrain from asking questions at every turn. Many a good story h&rf been lost in this way, so when Grandfather Hollis started a famous tale at a Thanksgiving party, Abijah was requested to keep still. “ 'Twas on a story night hi November, ’59,” began Grandfather Hollis, “and the wind had been a-moanlng all day long; the skj r also had a sort of a greenish color, and now and then there’d be a scud o’ gray clouds acrost it. I know something was going to happen, about 3 o’clock in the afternoon I took a look about the farm to see that everything was all right, animals under shelter and so oq; took the cows in, fixed up the barn tight and come back Into the house.

was kind of uneasy and kep’ my eyes out o’ the windows, watching the clouds, nnd sighting the boats over on the'bay side ns they come in; but' there wasn't anything really out o’ the way 5, or maybe quarter past. Tnßi nil of n sudden I heard a low muttering an' I sprung to the back -window. Just in a line with the window in those days there was a maple tree —< ” The listeners were nil breathless, bending fowl rd Grandfather Hollis, and for one fatal moment Abijah'a wife allowed her vigilant gaz.e to leave •her husband's face. “Say. was. It a sugar-maple?” cried AbLlah. t***