The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1879-10-01
out Susan, her niece, from the bed

out Susan, her niece, from the bed
room upstairs.
Every thing was in baking-day
confusion, and the room wasn't
swept out yet, and she couldn't
attend to visitors until her cake
was out of the oven.
Click went the gate. Miss
Payne busted off her hands,
smoothed her shining hair, gave
her collar q witch and was ready
to answer the visitors knock.
Something in the laughing eyes
which met hers as she opened tho
door made her start and turn
pale.
Hester Payne, I'm pretty sure, ;
he said, crossing the threshold.
Yes, SIR she answered, with a
little catch in her voice, and
you-'
Don't you know me?' he cried.
I'm John Ashley. l didn't sup
pose Id changed SO much that an
old friend wouldn't discover some
familiar look about me. [ should
know you anywhere
I'm glad to see you, John,' she
said, giving him her hand, with Il
very suspicious moisture in her
eyes. I've been thinking ofyou, for
they said the new ministers name
was Ashley. 1t can't be that
you're the one, can it?
I'm the man. be answered,
with twinkle of humor in his
eye. 1 don't suppose it seems
possible to you, or any one else
that used to know me, that l
have become a minister, but it is
so. 1t seems as strange to me as
any one else, but l honestly be-
lieve God had a work for me to
do, and I'm trying to do 1t as best
| can be added, earnestly.
I'm glad Of it, she answered.
4 always said you'd steady down,
but l never thought you'd be a
minister, John
That's right he said heartily.
Don't 60 making me any body but
John I'm the same man you used
to know, come back to renew old
friendships and do the work I've
undercaken.'
I'm getting ready for picnic,
explained Miss Payne, 'and I'm
busy just now, so you'll have to
entertain yourself tor an hour or
so till [ set the things out of the
oven. Then I'll be at liberty and
We'll have good, old-fashioned
visit
I'll come into the kitchen and
we can talk and you can work at
the ssme time,' said John; and
without waiting for any reply he
proceeded to do so, and put him
self a chair close to the table
where he could watch her to the
best advantage. For there seemed
to be something wonderfully at
tractive to him in her face.
How the morning flew 1t
was noon before Miss Payne knew
it. But then they had talked so
busily that they could keep no
note Of time.
Susan from the kitchen door,
far enough back to be out of sight
of John, aroused her by making
all sorts of mysterious signals,
pointing first at the minister and
then towards the road, to which
she added a series of appalling
performances by opening and shut
ting her mouth, which was after
wards ascertained to be a repre-
sentation in pantomime OF the
way that young woman supposed
horses ate. Unable to understand
what she wanted to communicate,
Miss Payne went to find out about
it.
There's his poor old horse a
standin' at the gate the whole
mornin',' asserted Susan, with in
dignation, 'an' he a.settin' here an
laughing. If he was a horse
now
But Miss Payne didn't stop to
hear the metaphysical argument
Susan was about to announce.
why, John! 7 she said, coming
back into the kitchen ; don't you
know you've got a horse out
there? I'd forgotten all about It
till Susan spoke of it. Just you
take it round and turn 1t out IN
L II nv,