The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-01
joined by his friend and his friends

joined by his friend and his friends
mother.
"What made you hurry out soP'' de-
manded Robert. Sc saw you streak
ing through the crowd like . lamp
lighter, and couldn't imagine what was
to pay. Was it q fit coming on, or
nose-bleed?'
Neither. IL wanted to get out,"
replied Phil, incOherently.
| "Oh, that was it, was itP" reioined
Robert, with q chuckle. He looked so
ripe for mischief that Phil dared not
allude to the gray charmer, about
whom he was dying to inquire. He
gave the conversation . turn to indif-
ferent subjects till he thought his
friends suspicious were allayed. Then:
"Mrs. Ashe, who was that young
lady who was confirmed-in grayP"
he asked, in q would-be Indifferent
tone.
"In grayP Let me see. With blue
scarf on, you meanw
mo. all in gray--with q lily"
ooh, that was your distant cousin,
Azalea Greer. I am glad you noticed
her. Is she not pretty?''
Rather" answered Philip, hypo-
critically.
"Hemr' put in Rob, maliciously.
Didn't notice q female in gray, by
the-way, just in front of you as you fled
from the church in that remarkable
fashion, Was she the one? Was it
the tie of blood asserting itself? Come,
Phil, confess. Did you experience q
drawing q conviction that she be-
longed to your folks? Or was it gener-
al curiosity9'
General curiosity" asserted Phil
ip, mendaciously. But he pleased and
surprised Mrs. Ashe later in the day bv
some wonderfully sensible
and judicious for SO young q man, they
seemed to heron the subject of family
quarrels, their folly and absurdity, and
the sweets of peace and goodwill.
"NOw, there is that absurd feud of
ours" he added. 1.-THE Greers always
have been fighting race, 1 imagine.
They enjoy battle. suppose have
the combative element somewhere
about me, too. but every generation is
bound to be an improvement on the
last if it can, and I mean to make it the
business of my life to bring about a
more Christian state Of things"
"That is good and blessed resolve
for Easter-Day," said Mrs. Ashe, look
ing at him with kindly eyes full of ap-
probation.
Poor Philip! 1t is easy to resolve,
but the vis inertia is strong, and it was
less easy to accomplish his purpose.
He made divers efforts during the long
vacation to convince his mother of the
improperly of disputes, and the desir-
ability of reconciliations where there
had been disputes. She agreed with
him in theory, but always it ended
with: "But we amt called on to have
anything to do with those Hollow
Greers, SO far as / can see. 'Tisn't as
if we wished to act injuriously to them
in any way; we don't; and we never
have; but they're there and were here,
and we'd better stay SO. 1t don't seem
quite respectful 70 your father, either,
TO be extending the right hand of fell
lowship to folks he couldn't abide the
mention of. It's like going against his
convictions; and, besides, I don't see
any good to be gained by it."
AS for the girls, they thought Phil
downright absurd to be making such a
fuss about nothing. How did he know
that the other Greers wanted to be rec
onciledp
He didn't. That was the worst of it.
What between mother and sisters and
his own doubts, the poor fellows
courage might have failed many time
had it not been for that unconscously-
given talisman of peace, Azalea's
Easter lily. Over its dry and odorless
petals Philip vowed perseverance. He
kept the lily in his pocket-book as a
sort of fetch, and fortified by frequent
glances at it his waning resolution.
In September he made the Ashes an
other visit, during which he walked
over to the Hollow, and introduced
himself to his kinsfolk, who were more
kin than kind. His reception was civil
enough from Mrs. Greer, who had
really no feeling on the subject, and
Azalea was shyly cordial; but the acct
dental mention of his visit afterward
reused "Old Tom'' to such a parox-
ysm of helpless fury that on his second
call, Mrs. Greer, with many apologies,
begged him not to come again. cit
seemed to hurt her husband to have
him in the house," she said. Philips
only consolation in this defeat was the
panied blush on Azalea's cheek, and
the pleading expression of her brown
eyes, lifted for one moment to his face
as they parted.
81 know I could make her like me-"
he said that night to the lily, eff
could have a chance. But what hard
work it is to get chancer'
be hopeless of winning, and Philip
Greer was not faint-hearted. It took
time: there were many discourage
ments, many misgivings. but he per-
sisted bravcly, and one by one the OBJ
stacles gave way, and difficulties
smoothed themselves out. Perhaps
Mrs. Ashe suspected his secret; she
certainly helped him greatly by fire.
quent invitations to Hollow End, and
by bringing him and Azalea together.
These meetings had their natural re-
suit, and by the time that old Tom
Greer died, in the early winter,
there was no impeachment remain
ing, SO far as Azalea and Ter moth
er were concerned. To convince
Mrs. Samuel Greer and her daughters
was more difficult; but here again Mrs.
Ashe played part in aid of true love.
She invited Philips sisters over for q
visit; they met Azalea as though by
accident, took fancy to her, and be-
ing hearty, good-humored girls, felt
their prejucices give way at once under
the effect of her gentleness and charm.
"She was really q dear little thing"
they told their mother. cit was q
great pity her father treated papa so.
He must have been q hateful old man,
but Azalea was quite different. And,
after all, she was their cousin. And
mightn't they ask her over some day
to spend week?' Mrs. Greer OBJ
jected family, but was overruled in the
end; and Azalea once recognized and
admitted as factor in the existing
state of things, the rest was easy
enough. Rather q long engagement
followed, but in Easter week, two years
from the date of their first meeting,