The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-02-15

him. II lonely old man near seventy.
Hardly conscious of the rrins. he had
driven some miles al an unsanctltied
pace. when he almost ran over Mr. Tor
rev. brother of the deceased Lucinda.
who was walking behind his carriage
up long ascent
Going to Conference asked tina;
gentleman. after an exchange of greet
ings Didn't YOU come roundabout
wav.''
I'm inclined To think did" as
scented III" deacon. with a prndi gious
show of candor \ roundabout way
and hard way. l. YOUR wife with
YOU -
Yes. and the widow Vance
have to foot ii up hill, YOU see. Horse
stepped on Il rolling stone back a piece
and famed himself"
Your load l. too heavy let Sister
Torrcy ride with me
Bui Sister Torrev being nervous.
Ike Lucinda before her and uortally
afraid Of the deacons spirited stecd it
was in the end Mrs Vance who nestled
into the vacant seat She was gush-
ing young widow whose miiigatcd grief
manifested itself in certain cuquelIi>h
! bows of pale lavender She protested
that she felt already acquainted with
Mr.. Phmnix through her late husband
to whom he had been so kind She
was - glad of this opportunity 10
thank him. She should never cease TO
he grateful for the MANY iavors be had
conferred upon dear Charles, etc
In the morning the worthy deacon
would have smiled lnwardlv at this
elusive panegvric This afternoon he
Rugged i like a poulcc 10 his aching
heart /; soothed his wounded self
love. and inclined him toward his fair
eulogist. to whom he recountcd pleas
ant anecdotes of her husbands bow
hood Indeed. he made himself so
agreeable that she was rather sorry tn
reach Churchvile. where the whole
party were cordially welcomed at the
house Of Mr.. Ieuas Torrey.
\ proud man was Mr. PhuniX. He
would not for the world have had his
recent disappointment suspected 10y his
wife saelatives. and during those three
DAYS of Conference he carried himself
with rcsolutc cheeriulness that some
rimes-out of meeting. of course
told Mrs Zenas Torrey that he was
Just splendid, which compliment Mrs
Turrev repeated to him with Il signili-
cant smile. limiting that If he thought of
marrying again, he need not search far
for wife He looked confused. sui
hutlv discIaimed anv matrimonial in,cn-
( ton. As 10 the Young widow. was h.,
not double her age Would June inin
haEds with December
Alas, what an insignificant triilr ran
( turn the scale Of human DESTINY Bu'
I for a horses right fore foot Deacon
/ PhnniN might have returned TO hs
home on the morrow a. he had left it
i free man. Ii was the lame horse that
/ kicked the beam and decided his fate
On Friday morning, that medding
/ quadruped having been found lamcr
than ever. the deacon could do no less
/ than offer to escort Mrs. Vance home
/ She could do no less than 10 accept the
eilcr gladly. By some mysterious law
| of sequences this led TO a second offer
and Il second acceptance, aud almost
before he knew il Deacon Phurnix had
| pledged himself 10 escort the widow for
! life When. after CALAMITY depositing
! his promised bride at her own door. he
was alone with mis- thoughts, Ec felt Il
little surprised at his own precipiiancv:
! hu; hc told himself over and over again
! what fortunate man he was. how
happy he ought To he. Contrary 10
his usual custom, he had acted from
impulse. and the result was highly sat
isfnctory Highly satisfactory" he
repeated 10 himself Us he passed the
entrance of the cross road which led 10
Miss Olives Somehow his reflections
were less cheerful after that. Pcrhap.
the chilly rain storm just setting in de
pressed him, cr perhaps ii was the
empty hcarse that he met face 10 face.
for the best of us have our supersli-
lions Certain it is, that as he alightcd
from his buggy that evening with wcari-
ness Of limb and limpness Of linen, HE
ccunlenancc led Mrs Dubbs to fear the
meeting had not been profitable
Next morning. thanks to the ungra-
cious weather, he was aroused by sci
attic fortunes. To an elderly gentle.
man. newly betroihed To a blooming
lady greatly his junior, such an awaken.
ing was peculiarly trying. He thought
rueiullv Of the earl V visit he had prom.
iscd Mrs Vance Should these pain,
increase. he must defer il indefinitely
or limp into her presence on crurches-
an alternative too suggestive Of ;idvanc.
ing age Flattercd as he WAS bv the
widows acceptance. ne could not deny
that ii placed him in position in some
respects irksome. II admon.hed him
that hc had no further right 10 iutrmi.
ties that henccforth it was his bouuden
duty 10 he As Young a he could. The
reflection wearied him: the clutching
pain wearied him. Mrs pubbs after.
ward said .ho had never seen him 81
nearly out Of sorts a. on that evening
when Sue took in his mail. Among the
letters was one that caught his eve al
once
DEAR FRIEND it ran My poor tired
father is IL rest. lie was seized " it'll paral.
,sis the morning after you left us, aud
passed away pliuiessly in few hours
How little | anticipated this event when
We talked together, My hands were full
then; now they are very empty. My work
here Is done. Ii you still believe | could
r make happy the kind friend who has al
ways been our beuslactor, | should be GLAD
to you.
Yours sincerely, OLIVE WAYNE"
Mr.. Phrnix read this missive, re
read it. Shut il into the Book of .loi
safe from prying Mrs, Dubbs, ant
drummed uncasily on the closed Bible
What a predcamcnt, Must he thrust
back upon Olive this gift for which h,
had 80 lately sued Must he thu:
humble her, lie wriihcd at tht
thought. Must he thus humble him