South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1877-03-02

against the wishes Of her father: as he
was OF those dictatorial men who like
to have their will considered law, he
could not easily forgive what be term
ell disobedience. He was altogether
mistaken in his estimate OF the charac.
ter Of Charlie Snow. The Young man
was industrious. enterprising. OF good
habits. and sincerely attached to Mary.
He was proud also, and placed tue States
and Territories between him and the
Deacon. He purchased farm of gov
crnment land, built small but com
Portable house, barn. and bought Few
cattle, and went bravely to work to over.
come the hardships OF pioneer life and
lay substantial foundation for future
prosperity. All went we'll with them
for time; but exposure brought on a
severe cold the cold settled into pneu-
monia, and this left his lungs weak !;
death soon terminated his earthly ca
reer; and Mary was left alone with little
Charlie, his fathers namesake. The
strong arm had failed them. and, as
Mary said to Charlie at the beginning
Of the evening conversation, ave never
were so poor as We are this winter
Let us see now what they are doing
and saying away at Grandfather Gray's
house in New England. Grandfather
sits in the corner, smoking his pipe, by
the evening fire. Grandmother sits op.
posite to him, in her own corner, busy
knitting.
Il have been thinking about Mary for
q month or more; We did not do right
by Mary"
You must speak for yourself. father,
and not for me. / told you Charlie
Snow was good enough for Mary; but
YOU thought she might have married Far.
mer Adams son, who was so much richer.
You were always hard man, Deacon,
to get along with; God knows it, and
you know it yourself"
Mother, you are severe, very severe
perhaps was wrong-I don't mind say
ing to you that was wrong,-but beg
Of you, ut your time OF life, and after
we have lived fifty years together, not
to begin to dwell on my faults. L will
tell You what | have been thinking;
would like to send them q Christmas
present. What do you think about it,
mother?"
"What do I think about il, Deacon:
It would be n pleasant and gracious act
to send q Christmas gift to stranger
how much more so to our own flesh aad
blood"
In the morning, Grandfather Gray
hitchcd up oh Robin Gray.-that was
the family horse, and rode into town
to his BANKERS.
"lIow much rq@iy money have
here?''
TWENTY-FIVE hundred dollars"
81 want TO give my daughter. Mary
Gray. five hundred dollars and it must
reach Fort DcdloclS before or on Christ
mas day. Now I want you to tell me
the best way to get it TO her.
Does she live near United States
Bank?"
Not within n hundred miles"
"Send IL by express; we are sendine
out number Of Western packages, shall
we send yours to-day"
You say there is no risk of loss?"
"None ut all; ifthe money is lost, il
will be refunded"
well. You fix it up all right; You
know how better than [ do. You want
ne 10 sign my names!
"Yes."
as that ALP"
Yes. Deacon it will be all right"
"Well. | declare" said The Deacon,
cit don't take long to fix up things il
anybody knows how"
Grandmother Gray also had been very
busy all the morning and she was very
happy. She told John. the hired man.
to fetch down the great old.fashioned
chest from the garnet and set it in the
kitchen. Now what doyou think Grand
mother Gray thought OF the worry first
thing? Books. Strange, was it not?
Can you account for IL?
There's all the Goodrich Stories.
Peter Farley we used to call them when
| was n girl
"The world is round like a ball" said
grandmother. II remember it as well
as when l first learned it in my little
Peter Farley.
seems swinging in the air." went on
the old lady again.
Then there arc the Abbot Stories.
franconia Mountains, Cornerstone: II
wonder II the Deacon will miss it?) and
here arc all Jed's college books. as fresh
and new as ever; what a waste Of money
books are. 90 declare, thrown aside
Ike an old garment for moths and rats
to corrupt. They shan't lie here doing
no good I'll send them all"
Grandmother Gray bad very pretty
collection Of picture books, unsoiled and
good as new; they had pictures Of the
cunningest rabbits. squirrels, deer. birds
aud other creatures. with stories about
them; she added these books. along
with states, pencils. paper. pens, ink.
envelopes and postage stamps.
II don't know anything about Mary's
boy, but II he's like the other Gravs. he
will DC very fond ofIearning and there's
a sight Of learning in that chest" soltlo.
quized grandmother.
Now, so far. the collection OF books.
paper and so forth. she had done as .
duty she owed TO Mary's child the rest
Of n ii.