The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1878-02-07


A sudden thought seemed TO have
entercd the brain OF Susie.
Father, won't willow grow from
small slips T
yes, my dear /; that's the usual
way Of scattering them out
And they want water. don't theyiI 4
Is this one fresh enough to grow 7
4 should say Il was
We'll. then. roay be We can have
something growing hero to remind
us Of our old home
In an instant Susie was down
from her pony, and the willow switch
was carefully planted. just above
the little spring IL would have oil
the water 10 wanted, at sli events.
And then Susie and her father rode
on to their new home but there
was . warm futter at the young
girls heart, anil blush on her
cheek, as she wondered, "Will it
ever grow
The new settlement was good
ono for the Judge, aud Susies will
low prospered famously. Even the
rude farmer boys had learned how
il camo there. aud respected IL re-
|ligiously, while littlo pailing kept
off the the intruders. Susio's heart
throbbed high with hope aud faith,
at times, as she noted tho wonder
ful vitality and prosperity OF her
leafy favorite. 1t grew rs il it had
a duty to perform, and was deternI-
ined to do it we'll.
And the little spring bubbled up
more briskly from under it, and
seemed to murmur, very softly, He
will come He will come T.
Still, one year, AID another, and
another, went by, and Charlie did
not come, and letters were terribly
uncertain, and far between. All
around the world he had been sent,
and Susie's heart at times grew sick
and weary in spite of the willow.
Bnt she had other suffers, for her
beauty seemed to grow every day.
and her father was getting along
we'll in the world once moro. Truth
to tell, Susie had something Of Mo-
ther Eve in her. aud waSby no
means averse to admiration and at.
tention.
So it happened that one day in
Juno Of the fourth year OF the resi-.
dence of the Mortons in their new
home, just as the sun was setting,
Susie found herself taking a stroll
along the shaded roadside, accompa.
MED by tue abandonment an1 most
favored OF her numerous train of
worshipcrs.
They did not seem to bo in talk
ing hLmor, but walked slowly along
until they came to the forks Of the
road, and pausel moment by the
side Of the spring. Here, at last,
the young man seemed to have
found his tongue, and he pleaded
eloqnently and passionately for the
half reluctant hanl which he had
soized in both his own.
Still Susie was silent and it may
be that the bubbling spring, and the
signing willow were talking to her :;
but just then they heard the sound
Of q horses hoofs coming at q quick
pace up the road, aud IN a moment
more rider drew rein beside them
aud asked politely if be conld be di-
rected to residence of Judge Morton.
The young man had dropped Susie's
hand. and, half vexed at the inter
rnption, was proceeding to give the
desired information but his words
were not listened to.
The horseman was leaning for
ward in his saddle, and had fixed q
gaze Of earnest penetration on the
face OF Susie Morton, on which the
bushes had given way to deadly
palor.
Susie, I have come The will
low"
The light came back to Susie's
eyes Ia an instant, and. with long
sigh Of relief, she pointed to the
little branches which swept their
shoulders, and answered ''fIere it
is. Charles it has been growing
ever since you went away"
Susie's other companion was not
obtuse enough to linger longer in
the shade OF such q tree "a that. aud
before she returned to the house.
Charlie had reclaimed his gift. The
song Of the spring only changed
enough to sound like "He has come
he has come !"
Thirty years went by, and the
Morton willow kept on growing, un-
til it became Q well known landmark,
towering high in air about the little
spring at the forks OF tho road.
But thirty years work changes in
other things besides trees, and
slip from the willow bad been dis
covered TO grow above little mound
in the village graveyard for the
Judge slept, like true American.
not with his father. Everything
else had undergone changes, IL not
always improvement, and at last
came the fearful changes OF the war
OF the rebellion.
Il was not many days after the
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