, 1875-02-06

4
ANONYMOUS from sheer terror. II read
| thus:
| II Mr.. Marshall viii visit his native place
| agaiu. after 80 many years Of absence, he will
| never regret it
! The little seed bore fruit in this wise .
4 stranger came by the morning boat TO
Rockybeach, IA tall, dignitied man, who
| gaZed about him like one in a trance.
| How old he felt among the scenes of
childhood He might have been a Rip
! Van Wrinkle returning after a twenty
years sleep, instead of a prosperous man
| in his prime, who had worked his way up
| with a new State.
Can you tell me where Capt. Crock
| er liVeS?" he inquired small boy, and
was directed to the b b7-r on the hill.
Just too late, AZ sc. she may have
altered too only wonder she has not
! married before And now it is "A rich
match. Abby has learned worldly wis
dom at last" He smiled rather dryly at
this idea.
Can | sec Mrs. Crocker:" he asked Of
a smart servant
well, Ineverl OF course you can't, y"
said the smart servant, closing the door
Indignantly.
\ gardener wheeling his barrow along
the path added The babby amt week
| old, you see, sir
The diSconfitcd stranger flushed an
grily. Was the letter a hoax? Was he
brought here 10 play the fool? Well, he
might discover friends in the graveyard.
| The schOOlmiStreSS rang her bell
sharply, and in response to the summons
! the tramp of small boots echoed through
the building. Shrill voices subs!ied to
murmurs, which made the academy seem
| like hive of busy insects. And, indeed,
were not the brain cells stored with honey
| thcre'
\ pretty squirrel leaped on the floor,
| looking drolly around. Fun cleaned in
chubby faces; one boy hid his head be
! hind his slate Never had this lad
eyinced such industry before. The lit
| tie animal whiskcd its tail, ian nimbly
up the schoolmistress' chair (who
screamcdk then capered off, and nestled
/ in the jacket of the industrious boy.
! Laughter bubbled forth; to see their
sChOolmarm scared" was altogether
too much for the gravity of the little
people.
! Jean, come here"
The boy advanced slowly, with the
/ squirrels head peering out Of his pocket.
! There he stood, unlike all his Compan-
| ions even to the instinct of tanning wild
animals. A short, squarely-buIlt lad,
! with narrow head, black hair and brOnZed
skin One day the Selectman had brought
two writhing victims to sChOOl-Jean
and his sister NictOirc The children
] h lx l,,fI In
voyageur cOurSed in their veins The
family had rOamed over the border and
| built a hut on the edge of the wood.
The father perished in snow drift.
| Rockybcach brought the widow into
town, the Selectman pounced on the chil
dren. School WAS straiLiacket, The
| girl Nictoire submitted; the boy Jean
remained savage. In vain he hid in the
woods, in barns and cellars; the puTSucr
hunted him out. Jean could no more
| escape from the Seleetman than from
destiny. 1t was the Selcctman's dIty to
have every child learn 10 read and write.
! Rocky beach was poor, worked hard for
"a living, but set the schOOLhouse on the
| hilltop. like lighthouse tower. and
| proclaimed to the world universal eduCa-
| tion.
The course OF justice was interrupted
by Nicioirc, Wko tripped in, breathless
with cXcitcmcht
"A gentleman is coming here" she
cried.
He already stood in the door, and
shaded his eyes with an expression of
doubt and astonishmcnt There was a
! sound of Surging waters in Abby's ears,
| the windows Wayercd, the great stove
reelcd.
You here, Abby? thought you had
married Capt. Crockcr" He stepped
forward eagerly, glad recognition in his
smile.
But she never answered. The school
marin had tainted. After that there was
Il holiday. The academy rejOiced. All
! the pupils saw was the meeting of two
! sober persons, long seDarated-a tall,
| grave man, and comely, robust woman,
with that beauty of true integrity which
! OutliveS time. Not knowing what 10
make of it, young Rockybeach trOOped
4 off, with iubilant shouts, to tell the news.
" ! believed you unfaithful long ago,
and now that you had married Capt.
! Crocker"
Who told yOu:"
| cousin Hopeful heard the news"
And with Cousin Hopeful's aid you
have thought i'll of me all these years"
said Abby.
q would rather have YOU think well of
me than any woman living" he replied,
This was the way they made it up,
walkin toward the old familiar gate
while their hearts sang like the glistenIn,
| rivulctS in the glad dayOf reconciliation.
! Present happiness enabled them 10 fold
away the leaf of long separation.
| Nictoire came down the hill behind
| them, swinging her tin luncheon pail.
| She met Fred, flushed and elated with
( the result Of a Journey to Longport.
40 Fred" whispered sixteen 10
eighteen, in an awed tone, they are
( lovers"
"Guess not. They are a great deal too
Old" replied Fred, with a reflective
! shake of the head
Then he took from his pocket 4 ring
| purchased at LOngpOrt-Such a splendid
! ring, with Diamonds and rubieS of an as
/ founding siZe-which he slipped on Vic
torres brown finger The little maiden
( agreed to wear it, growing unaccountably
/ shy and silent The while.
J Rockybeach received an electric shock.
/ The tidings flew from house to house
Abby Fowler was going to marry Albert
Marshall, who was "A SENATOR Talk
/ about Capt Abraham CrockeT? He had
/ never inspired the profound interest that
I the ,ro,.,F rTha y,-,r eT,..r-