The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-10-08

privilege of one year at boarding school,
and how reluctantly he consented. Julia
went away the September before. She
had been away nine months, during
which time they had not seen her face.
1t Is doubtful whether Julia would ever
have seen the inside of boarding shool
had not Pettibone been sending his girls
to one and whatever Pettibone did,
Job Asher was bound either to contest
or outdo. There was feud between the
two farmers, which began with some
sheep and dogs when they were young
men, just getting foothold on the soil
of which both now owned so many
acres. In those days Pettibone had
called Job Asher u wooden-headed
skinflint," and Job Asher had called
Pettibone "pufled up BOBBY" and
they had lived these neighborly lives,
keeping up mutual annoyances ever
since. If Pettibone favored a preacher,
Job Asher set his face against that in
nocent man. If Job Asher was put for
ward for agricultural honors of any
kind, Pettibone sneered at him all the
time he was dscharglng his duties. The
Pettibone girls and Julia Asher quarrel
ed at the district school. Mrs. Asher
and Mrs. Pettibone never dared to be-
come friendly at social meetings but in
their later years, both the overworked
woman, who felt they were being pushed
down to the grave long before their
natural time, thought how foolish the
disagreement between their families
was, and perhaps in Sunday afternoon
prayer meetings they said kind, en-
couraging texts especially for each other.
Not thus was it with Job Asher and
Pettibone; if Asher made prayer, he
did so beg the Almighty to bring down
the stiff-necked and the proud, and
show them the judgment of Sinai, that
Pettibone at once felt called upon to
rise, puff out his portly person, and
deliver himself in pertinent remarks on
the subject of peoples making SO little
progress in spiritual life, and remaining
in their first narrowness and meanness.
Pettibone prospered in better way
than did Job Asher. lie made his home
comfortable, and it became quite a
thoroughfare of hospitality. He han
died stock, and took shares in banks,
and became quite the great patriarchal
father Of the soil. Job Asher on the
other hand, set out with greedy hun
ger for land. He lived in the same old
house his forefathers occupied, and
added no improvements. He allowed
his wife no help, and kept down the
social and refining wants of both mother
and daughter. He was always Gland
poor" 1t was harder to cajole five
dollars from his pocket than to earn five
times that amount at hod-carrying.-
Pettibone's ways were not his ways; yet
he was not going to let Pettibone carry d
high hand over him he didn't choose
to spend and not spare, but his daughter
would sometime ride over the thriftless
Pettibones, and she should be educated
as well they were. So she was allowed to
go to boarding school, but in way that
made her the butt of the Pettibone girls,
and taxed her proud spirit more than
she would ever tell. Job Asher would
pay the exorbitant school bill-and she
might have extras if the Pettibone girls
did-but clothes were another matter.
Clothes were a fleeting and evanescent
vanity-Job Asher aimed at the solid.
Julia Asher went through her collegiate
year clad worse than any other girl in
the institution, and stinted and mortifi-
ed in every way. But she had brave,
sensible nature, and taking hold of her
advantages, she tried to live in them,
and forgot her notifications. But who
likes, especially at seventeen, to be an
oddity and q sort of pariah ? Times
were when her life was burden in spite
of all the long desired adv antages. But
she found friend in Charley Pettibone,
an unexpected ally even in the midst of
the enemy's camp.
Charley Pettibone was the Oldest son
of the family, and had been a year or
two at college-a college for both young
men and young women = before his
sisters came. julie Asher's calico and
rough boots attracted his notice from the
contrast with the elegant and befrizzled
young ladies who were her classmates.
Her apt recitations and questioning
mind made her a comrade for him. He
had been brought up to think little of
the Ashers; yet he beheld one of the
class who challenged not only his respect
but his admiration. Julia was a child !;