The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-05-17
candorsl GA roundabout way and hard

candoroi GA roundabout way anda hard
wav. Is your wife with your -.
Yes; and the widow Vance. have
to foot itup hill, you see. Horse step
ped on a rolling stone back a piece and nd,
famed himself" ~ IN
HYour load is too heavy; let sister
Torrey ride with me" ,.,.-ols 80 80
But sister Torrey being nervous, like
Lucinda before her, and mortally afraid
Of the deacon's spirited steed, it wash
the end Mrs. Vance who nestled into
the vacant seat. She was gushing
young widow whose mitigated grief
manifested itself in certain coquettish
bows of pale lavender. She protested
that she felt already acquainted with
Mr.. Phoenix through her late husband,
to whom he had been $50 kind 5nShe
would never cease to be grateful for the
many favors he had conferred upon
dear Charles. 9ufI YOd b91OlO] X
In the morning the worthy deacon
would have smiled inwardly at this
ELUSIVE panegyric. This afternoon he
Rugged it like a poultice to his. aching
heart. Itsoothed his wounded self-love,
and inclined him toward his fair eulogfst,
towhom he recounted pleasantanecdote
of her husbands boyhood. Indeed, he
made himself so agreeable that she was
rather sorry to reach Churchvile, where
the whole party we're cordially welcomed
at the house of Mr.. Zenas Torrey
/ Alas! what an Insignificant triAe can
turn the scale of human destiny But
for horses right forefront Deacon
Phoenix might have returned to his
home on The morfow as. he had left it,.
a free man. II was the lame horse that
Kicked the Beam aud decided his fate.
On Friday mornipgli that medding
quadruped having been found lamer
than ever, the deacon could do no less
than offer TO escort Mrs. Vance home.
She could do no less than to accept the
offer gladly. BY some mysterious law
Of sequences, This led TO second offer
and an acceptance, and almost before he
knew it Deacon Pb9nix had pledged
himself to escort the widow for life.-
Next mornings thanks ~ the ungra7,
eious weather, he was aroused by sciatic
tortufes 70 an elderly gentleman,
new -betrothed ITO "a blooming lady
greatly his junior, such an awakening
was peculiarly trying. He thought
ruefully Of the early visit he had prom
ised Mrs. Vance. Should the, pains in
crease, he must defer it Indefinitely, or
limp into her presence on crutches-an
alternative too suggestive of advancing
age. Mrs. Dubbs afterward said she had
never seen him SO nearly out of sorts, as
on that evening when she took in his
mail. Among the letters was. once that
caught his eye at once: q " 'Ah' iii~
"DBAR FRIENDyA1Mypoor tiredifathers
is at rest.1 Heswas seized with paralysis,
the morning after you left us, and passed
away painlessly in few hours. How
little1 anticipated, this event when we
talked togetherl My hands were full
then; now they are very empty. My
work here is done. q L. you still believe,
| could make happy the kind friend
who has always been our benefactor, I
should bedglad toasee yoig A1ad 9di Fe
Yours, sincerely,
"OLIvE WAYNE"
81 Mr.. Phoenix read this missive, re-read
it, shut it into the book of Jobrsafe from
prying Mrs. Dubbs, and drummed I'M
easily on the closed Bible What pre-
dicameutla Must he thrust back pom
Olive the gift for which he had so lately
sued? Must he thus humble her? He
writhed at the thought. Must he thus
humble himself? Bitterer than all, must
he relinquish this tried friend Of life
time, having reached life's mature and
appropriate fruits, for the rhubarbi and
greens Of spring time? Alasl yes; he
must fulfill his engagement, for was he
not an q" honorable man ~ He would
write at once to Olive a candid state
ment of the case
But while he idled at his desk on the
morrow, Mr.. Torrey came to ask the
loan of a horse till his own should be in
running order, and the deacon laid down
his pen with sigh Of relief. |'ei'" q
Feeling that he ought to tell his
brother-in-law of his contemplated mar
risge, at dinner he led the conversation
back to the conference and Mrs Vance.
ao"By-the-way, met ethe widow this
morning riding with John Vance," re
marked Mr.. Torrey, casually. "You
remember him-the brother to Charles?
He's just come from California, with
his pockets full. fCr13l9 wei.noa
"AhY
Eyes. Shouldn't wonder if he took
the widow. Some say they are engaged
Already .aoif.o..rs ~. ,,o1t,.
OF course the deacon knew better than
that, nevertheless he delayed bis tender
confession. And he did not write the
letter. Time enough for that after he
had paid Mrs Vance the promisedavisit
The latter ladyRhad certainly the ffst
claim alpon his attentions, rr.rfoIG
Unfortunately several daysof torment
ing pain ensued, during which tie
deacon's patience was put to a pretty
severe test; but he, was at last able, to
seek the object of his hasty choice. He
found her in her dooryardg playing
croquet with tall, welldressed gentle
man.
$50 happy to see You, Deacon Phoe-
nix" cried she, with voluble embarrass-
ment, and so glad to Introduce Mr..
Vance, dear Charles brother. DO come
inp' AiEs j~uiegs 4u--l1 vn.sed an
Ios'J hone my tardy coming does not
seem diseourteous. Mrs. Vance, y said be,
in affable formality, while the stranger
FASTENED to suddenly-recalled engage
ment. 81 have not" ny iF'H7I'7i
"No-oh no." broke in the widow,
uervously. uInd5 sliIl,
al have not been WELL Otherwise,
under our present interesting rela-
tons"
esisOh, MIR. Pbenixp' interrupted she,
throwing herself upon a cricket at his
feet. Do you know, I am 80 afraid 1
am not the one TO make you happy?