The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-12-19
Il MOAIENT OF SUSPENSE.
BY HAP HAZARD.

''Do not sit up for me, Mary. 1t will be
we'll toward morning before can possibly
get back"
''But why travel in the night, John? If
you cannot reach home until late, why not
wait for daylight?''
81 expect to meet party from the Cross
Roads the first thing in the morning, and
their case requires immediate attention.
Here, Johnny, my boy, papa going" and
as a little curly-headed fellow, who was
tumbling over and over in the grass in high
glee, jumped up and ran to him, he took
him mp in his arms and kissed him. with
fathers pride in his first born.
''Me too Ne too - cried a couple of
ringing voices. Seeing their brother ca
ressed, Nell and Sue had dropped, the one
her rag doll, the other her pet kitten, and
now stood at their fathers knees, urgently
demanding their share of attention.
The father stopped down and clasped his
children in a common embrace, while the
mother looked on with happy smile to
see their little arms go round his neck in
eager hugs of fondncss and their tender
lips and faces pressed lovingly to his beard
ed cheek. 1t was over at last, and the
happy father stood erect.
Il must go, my DEAR" he said. Good
bye! Take care of the children
And with that he was gone, radiant,
happy, and with no foreshadowing of evil
John Best was justice of the peace in
the township where he lived, and his judi
cial duties frequently took him from home
So, although their cabin was situated in
the depths of the forest and at a distance
from any other habitation, his little family
went about their usual pursuits without
feeling particularly lonesome in his absence
AS the morning advanced, The noise of
vehicle jolting over the rough road, accom-
panied by voice drawing out a song in
that peculiar cadence which characterizes
the melodies of the Emerald Isle, broke in
upon the quiet of their little world. 1t
proved to be a rickety old cart drawn by a
COW in quaint rope harness. The animal
was driven, or rather was suffered to 90 at
her own gait, by gray-haired old man,
who drew feebly at the stump of clay pipe
which he held between his Struggling vel
low teeth, occasionally removing it to give
utterance to the refrain Of a song which
probably carried him back in imagination
to his younger days in his home far over
the sea.
The cart camo to a stand still before the
door, very much as a matter of course, for
the old COW was accustomed to stop at
every house she came to.
"a neighborly greeting to you, Mr.. Nc
Carly ~ called out the housewife from the
doorway.
The thop O. the mor-rning to yez, Mis-
thress Best p returned the old man, heart
lily. Its foinc day we're havin', this
same
sit is, indeed. And if that's what brings
you this way hope we may have many Of
them
Its to mill I'm going, for we must have
bread for the babies, Misthress Best. The
dame told me that the male was getting
low, so l hove in the CHRIST ard hitched up
old Betty, thinking belize we'd not have
SO fair day ag' in in hurry"
But you're not going by without hav-
ing neighborly chat and mug of beer,
are you9 You've made a great stranger
of yourself lately and must come in and
tell me all about Mrs. McCarty and Jamie.
haven't heard how the little fellow is get
ting on with that cruel CUT
Hes doing bravely. He shows himself
McCarty, replied the old man, proudly;
and continued; "But I'll come in rs ye bid
me. Sure, it wouldn't be neighborly TO
refuse dhrop from friend like yez, Mis-
thress Best, An if the truth must be told,