The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-10-31

H. servant onNsssA. al - 20
WIN ozcass ~" A00A, aAASong ~
nhtses; "hat . ~ ~ IN m
1csning. anA 9 20 WelO 0et1lnG ~
haAy % Slesn ! ia ~ ail1lA yoa."
John AshaSst s1spPsa 1oeWasa 0agOr.
y. aA tho Wxa6se Of lat noNA." h
old, exto0dinG NJ Aand. "As I have
cons nysslf, G win b quite uansess.
ny loT yea % ssaA q Ican Do ny G.
rand without tAking yoaR patisaco 10
rod ny ulsGihlO WTiIlHG.
"OOftainiy, |" ansWouCd TIE unuuupsct.
ing QuakerCH "TAoa art vo9y Nd %
trouble thysslf ahoat N"
John AshuHst tAo10At q himnSli
"Hypocrite." and yet h Was glaA. Rlad
- Il 10 had zen IN enemy apFlyi1g .
match 10 gunpowdeS, and suddoGly 10
Hound himself In po1eosion Of matoA and
gunpowdef. What should - ~, Ior
tie Quakere0 Vas LOOKING q a On.
pectAnt way, - he had nod told hi @.
rand.
ave have . great many cAsrrieA
send for them WheAevoR y0u HE" 10
said, q aWkWardly . Q snkoOl-boy.
1--WE are grateful Cor thy kindns1"
replied the QuakssssA pleasantly.
"Do not change your nuH1sgy On ny
account" Pleaded John ASAurst hh
mind revsrting 10 that dreadful n0ts.
+" Let the children oa0e over when they
please. Fred win amum the boyS and
The cook viii b paeassd 10 poll ~
girl"
John Ashurut went home with q liGht
heart He clutched the note asif it had
been . pFi.e. "To think" he said 10
himself, show near I came 10 Wounding
that grief. stricken, sensitive womanp
He drew the note tron his pocket 10
read the cruel words before destroying
them, and found, instead of his note TO
his neighbor, his last months Eas-bill.
Erred IL . young man of superior
Judgment, - / told our neighbor, Mrs.
Quincy" he said, with q smile. "This
would have been quite harmless had abe
opened L."
at was dreadfully careless of me to
leave the wrong letter," apologiEed Fred
Ashurst, with . merry twinkle In his
eye, a. he drew the Offensive letter from
his pocket that night Base ball makes
one lose his Wits" he added, in self
justification. "Set 1t down, uncle, 10
profit and loss."
"DinAh," said John Ashurst 10 the
colored servant that night, be very kind
to out next door neighbor. She is an
eetimable woman who has seen much
trouble. You need not drive the chill
dren away, or anything" he added, a.
he walked away.
AShoP exclaimed Dinah, addressing
her unwashed dishes. "What's de
meanin' OBJ dis somerset OBJ opinionH
Guess she's . wilder indeed, O. de good
book says. S'posin' he should"
Dinah did not finish the sentence, but
all the evening as she worked about her
kitchen she exclaimed ever and anon:
e S'posin' he should. An all dem chill
len come to han'i" Then she shook her
head. "'Taint de way fur him. Lori
What . power widders has got, to be
shoFe!"
Weeks passed, and John Ashurst paced
his room, with trouble on his face. His
nephew came In. Anything wrong,
uncleS'' he asked, kindly.
al believe / am . little out of sorts,"
John AshurSt ain fact, Fred,
| was thinking of you"
"Of met Don't worry about me; I
Am happy as . lark" answered Fred,
"The fact is, Fred" said John
AshuFst, stopping in his nervous walk
and looking attentively at his nephew,
am little worried about you and
our neighbOrs"
"The Gurneysf' asked Fred, in
amusement.
"Yes," answered John Ashurst.
gIavely. at has Just come to my ears
that people are talking about our going
there. have been very kind TO Mrs.
Quincy because ! was unjust TO her ct
first, and wished to make atcnemenk
She Is . very charming womon-more
than that, q good woman. To me there
is no woman 90 attractive a. these sweet
voiced Quaker women, with their quaint
speech and gentle ways 50 ! realize
your danger"
Fred Ashursts eyes twinkled. "Folks
talk about US, do they? III were q man
with your age and your means, I'd make
them talk 10 some purpose. II were In
your place, Uncle John, ! would marry
the widow"
John Ashurst bent q searching glance
on the nephew. at would not hurt
you In the least II loved and welded
MrA. Gurneyf" he asked.
"Not the least. Iwould congratulate
you with all my heart" answered Fred,
earnestly.
"That Is enough" said John Ashurst,
with satisfied Smile. "You don't love
the woman If you are willing to zee an
other win her"
"You needn't fear q rival in me-" re-
piled Fred, laughing.
"Oh, Fred, that Il all nonsensel En-.
claimed John Ashurst, impatiently. al
shall never marry. Unfortunately,
there is q memory Of the past that would
come between me and new love. / tell
you this much that you need not specu.
late or plan about my future"
"MrS. Quincy might make you forget
the past" suggeated Fred Ashurst.
"On the contrary she makes me 70.
member" replied John Ashurst, half 10
himself.
That night, in the widow Gurney's
home, the children were crowded about
q new conner, whom they called Cousin
said, addressing Mn Quincy:
"Pray tell me who these new found
relations are. They talk of Fred and
Uncle John a. thong n they were kin"
"They are our neighboFs," answered
Mira. Quincy. I" want thee 10 meet
them. When We had lived here about q
week, our neighbor called. He had
made . funny mistake, and brought q
boy who was stealing his cherries, think.
ing he belonged here. Think of IL,
Lily-one Of my boys stealing fTuiti"
az would have been very angry" said
the visitor.
"Oh no." answered Mrs. Quincy. al
was sorry for him. He was so gentle.
manly and 90 humble, really contFite,
a. II he had offended me, and was sorry
for 1t. He was = little incUherent too,
and / could not quite make out what he
meant. A school boy would not have
been more embarrassed; and like our.
selves, Lily, he Is no chicken. Then q
note came In he had sent me, and there
had been delay In giving 1t to me. He
took IL quite eagerly, and said he would
do thu errand himself, and offered US all
the cherries We wanted. That was the
beginning Of our friendship. Since then
Fred AShurst and his uncle have been
frequent visitors. This uncle has the
most wonderful smile; Il lights up hi,
whole face. But he h not man given
10 smiling. I Judge he has had great
trouble. What ais thee, LilyH The
blood has gone from thy face"
"My journey has been q little exhaust
In. AkaA Z. al % rorIioA AZ. ..i.iL.. -.