The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-04-23

ilOu u I've iOE uitns so.~'y ~
mar nearing seyeDtyf
Hardly conscious of the reins. be
bad driven some miles at an IN
sancti6ed pace, when be almost ran
over Mr. Torrey, brother OF the de-
ceased Lucinda. who was walking
behind his carrisge up a long as
sent.
"Goirg to Conference 2" asked the
gentleman, after al exchange OF
greetings "Didn't you come a round
about wayf Z"
I'm Inclined to think did" as
scented the deacon, with a prodigions
show of eandor. "a roundabout way
and q hard way. Is your wife with
you?" /,
"Yes, and the widow Vance. |
have 10 foot il up hill, you see. The
horse stepped on q rolling stone back
q piece and famed himself"
Your load is too heavy, let sister
Tcrrey ride with me-"
But sister Torrey being nervous,
Ike Lucinda before her, and mo- ally
afraid of the deacon's spirited steed.
ID was ia the end Mrs. Vance who
nestled into the vacant sea- Bbe
was q gushing young widow whose
mitigatsd grief manifested itself 10
certain coqoettish bows of pale laven-
der
She protested that she felt already
acoaaiaied with Mr. Pie ak through
Der lac husband, TO whom be bad
been so kind She was so glad of
This opportunity TO think Of bin She
should never cease 10 be grateful for
the meay favors be had conferred
upon dear Charles
10 the morning the worthy deacon
@ould have SMILED inwsrdly at this
elusive psnegyric. This afternoon
he Rugged it ike a pouliice to his
aching heart Ii smotnered bis
sounded self.love aud inclined him
toRsrd his fair enloyist, to whom be
rec,onted pleasant anecdotes Of her
bushabo's boz hood.
Indeed, be made himself so agree,
able that Sue was sfher sorry to
reach Cburcbville. we the whole
party was cordially welc med at the
hosse Of Mr Zsnss Torrey
A proud mso was Mr.. Ph@nix
lie would not for the world have bis
rec nt disappointment suspected by
his sife's relstiyes. aud during those
three days of Conference he carried
himself With q resolute cheerfulness
that sonnet mes-Out Of meeting, Of
caurse-verged upon fri-koess. Mrs.
Vance told Mrs. Torrey that he wss
Just splendid" which compliment
Mrs. TUrrey repeated to him with q
Significant smile; hinting that II lie
thought atcut marrying again, be
need NOT search fer a wife.
He looked confused, and holly
disciaimed any matrimonial inten-
ticn.
As to the young widow, vas be
not double her age! Would Juue
ljOin baGds with December?
Alas! what an Insignificant trihe
can turn the scale of human destiny F!
Bot for a horses right forefoot Dea.
con PtG9ix might have returned to
bis home on the morrow as he left it
"A free man.
1t was the lame horse that kicked
The beam a0d decided his fate Ga
Friday morning, that meddling quad
rupsd having been found lamer than
ever, tue Deacon could do no less
than offer to escort Mrs. Vance home.
she could do no less than accept the
offer gladly.
By some mysterious law of conse-
quences, this led to the second offer
and a second acceptance, aud almost
before be knew it Deacon Pheaix
bad pledged himself to escort the
widow for lite.
Whom, after gsilsnily depositing
bis promising bride at her own door,
and be was alone with his thoughts.
be felt a little surprised at his own
precipitancy; but he told himself
over and over again what a fortunate
man he was, how happy he ought to
be.
Contrary to his usual custom, he
had acted from impulse, and the re.
suit was highly satisfactory. High
ly satisfactory" he repeated to him.
self as be passed the entrance Of the
cross-road which led to Miss Olives.
Somehow his reflections were less
cheerful after that. Perhaps the
chilly rain storm just setting in de,
pressed him, or perhaps it was the
empty hesrse that be met face to face
for the best of US have our super
stitious.
Certain it is, that as be alighted
from his buggy that evening with
WEAKNESS of limb and limpness OF lin.
en-, his countenanee led Mrs. Dubbs
to fear the meeting had not been pro-
itable.
Next morning, thanks to the IN.
gracious weather, be was aroused by
~sciatic tortures. To an elderly gen.
tlemau, newly betrothed TO a bloom.
ing lady greatly his junior, such an
awakening was peculiarly trying. He
thought ruefully of the early visit be
had promised Mrs. Vance. Should
these pains increase, be must defer il
indefinitely, or limp into Der presence
on crutches-an alternative too sug.
gestive of advancing age Flsttered
as be vas by the widows acceptance,
be could not deny that it placed him
in a position il some respects irksome.
IL admonished him that he had no
further right to inirmities; that hence
forth it was his bounden dCty to be
as young as be could. The reflection
wearied him the clutching pain
wearied him Mrs. Dubbs Afterwards
said she had never seer him so near
out Of sorts as on that evening when
she took in his mail.
Among the letters was one that
caught his eye at once:
DEAR FRIEND" Git ran).-My
poor tired father is at rest. He was
seized with paralysis the morning at.
ter you left US, and passed away pain.
lessly in q few hours. How little
anticipated this event when we talk.
ed together. My hands were fulI
then now they are empty. My work
here is done. If you still believe
could make happy the kind friend
who has always been our benefactor,