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

son. unused the deacnn's aoa5Sksepe
a. he deacon drove of alone to hi
Annual Conference. Hes common
Nv master shoughtful about lookin
out for folks. What a husband h'
wasi"
Yes. Asa Phgaix bad been q goo'
husband. All the neighb0rs hst
agreed with Mrs. Dahbs ia that par
ticular. He had waited upon hi
fussy invalid wife by inches for thirt,
-ears. making Der as happy a. sb'
would let him ; aud when her sum
mons came, be bad closed Der dyint
eyes teaderly, saying, even viii
tears. Poor sufferer, she is bette
OFF,
That be was better oil be nesei
bipted by word or look. He wcr,
his wido~er'a weeds with sad deco
rom be reared ia memory OF th'
departed Lacinda a monument ~bIcf
the O fastidiJus deceased nigh
have envied be grieTed faithfully
for the full allotted year Of mourning
IL pow from The ashes Of the fnnera
ovre. like his feathered name sake o.
fable. be was springiDg up @ith re
newed youth aud freshness, was n
not wellY
In truth, though be bed not seer
ut 10 cou6de THE faet 10 AF-. Daobs
Deacon PuGIix bad slIgbted ths
minister deliberately add With malice
afJreth0ught. Nor @ssit If the coz
ference be wss tbi0ki0g that fragrant
June morning Gs be was ~hirieo
aaav, tncking lap-robe well abou'
bic ri sss new oroadcloib. For oncs
10 bis hitherto blsmeless life be wa'
essaying TO hide the secular under
meath the spiritual
He did Got mean TO 90 straight Il
meeting; il was bic willy intention u
make a wide circuit, aud coll on Mis-
Olive Wayne Ia The town Of Chester
He had a question 10 ask her, an;
did not want the parson with him
but be hoped that be might wan
him later.
Pretty, cheerful Olive! How fonC
he had been If her, years ago. whe'
she attended biz s~cboul! If De bas
not then been ia love with Laciuda
be wa. sure he should have isilee II
love with her, mere child thoDgh sh'
vas. be bad never lost sighto f heg
aud be thanked Providence that h'
bad been enabled by mooey aud 10
aGeuce t. help her family over som'
hard places. Please cd, the deaI
girl should henceforth have IN essJ
LIE Girl! Why, linle Olive mus
be City! The good descoa laughed
at The recollection. Well. she would
always be young to him. And a.
FOR himself, ct sixty odd, be was 1
bale msn yet be could jdmp a five
rail fence a. well a. te ever could
give him time. His thoughts con
tinually reverted TO Olive, so patient
iy devoted to her invalid father. She
should bring the old gentleman to hi:
house if she wished, CT be would
provide for his maintenance at her
brother Reubeh's. He was inclined
90 consider that the better plan
The money would be an objeet e
Reuben.
la these cogitat:oGs the morning
passed, asa noon found Deacon Pho
nix al q little hotel in Chester. I'm
patiently Of delay, after a hasty diD.
ner be set out almost Immediately for
the Wayne homestead. Arrived a.
the gate. be spied Miss Olive at the
window, aud alighted with "a youth.
fnl agility not altogether prudent in
a man who had twinges of sciatiea.
and yet-strange inconsistency Of
human nature he dallied at the
hitching post, aud sfterward, with
bis hand on the very knocker, be
paused TO scan the distant horizon
es though be had come mainly for {
view OF the mountains. Miss DIV,
opened the door, her cheek flushed
like late October peaches. She would
not have been g woman had she moi
OWNED the Deacon's tender mission
proclaimed by every detail of his i'm
macuiate toilet, by the grasp Of hi,
hand, by his nervous, expecta0t air
And Miss Olive was 81
attractive woman, not unversed il
lovers ways.
Happy TO see you, Mr.. Pbenix
Walk in," said she, farriedly, usher
ing him into the sitting-room, wherI
her aged father dozed in bis arn
chair.
"Who is il, Olive 2" said the o.,
gentleman, waking with a bewildere,
stare.
"Mr. Phenix, father. You re
member Mr.. Phoenix, Pm sure.
81 don't know ss | do" said b
querulously, fumbling with the guest
outstretched hand.
Whats be come fol, Olive ~
The deacon looked as if be wa
suddenly feeling the hot water; Mis-
Olive was positively feverish, but shN
deity evaded the troublesome CUES
ton by diverting Der fathers atteu
ton. His peppermint tea was read
would be not drink it ? As sh
lowered about the invalid, straighten
ing his foot stool, arranging bis oil
lows, steadying the cup while b
drank, Nj. Phoenix regarded be ad
%miringly. How young she seemet
still Not a grey thread in Der gol
den hair scarcely q wrinkle 10 be
face. This was because of her ez
cellent disposition. He waited til
she had soothed the old man int
slumber, then 10 a direct, manly wa,
introduced the subject that Law mex
TO bis heart.
Miss Olive interrupted him b.
an eloquent glance toward her dea
father.
"He is very childish and depend
ent. He cannot do without me.n
Let me help you care for him
Olive; nay house is large, and IA
means are ample.
II couldn't, MI. Ph@nix-it is lik
you to propose such a thing; bn
| couldn't have him q burden upo.
you"
"Why bless your soul, Olive, d
you suppose | should consider a frienI
of yours a burden 2"
You don't know how trying poo
father would be to anybody but hi
own daughter, and | think be Is like
ly to live to a great age, as grand