The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-02-06

rest OF the party look al Inc years older |
than in the old times at Thorpe farm.
After supper, seated in the parlor, with
the windows open to allow Of the sum-
mer breeze filing the room with odors
of the flower garden, they begin to |
speak of by-gone times and old friends,
and some one mentions the almost-for- |
gotten Will Ferguson. Said one:
II heard that he came back to En- |
gland to set some scheme in connection |
with the publishing business aaoat, and
that he proved most successful, and
made piles of money"
IF that is so" was the reply, "why
doesn't he act honorably by Noble a.
Croaker, and refund the money he
usud?"
by the way" said George Mitchell,
who was present, and now just caught
ut what they were discussing; "at Mil
ton market, on Saturday, l was shown
paragraph in the agony column of
the Times. lcopied it down." and, tax
ing out his pocketbook. he read,
g" Messrs. N. & c., of NJ, if you will let
me know the amount of w. FPS defalca-
tons, six years ago, will remit same
with interest. r. Tape, solicitor, $50
Chancery lane, London That is Will
Ferguson, sure enough" Shortly after
he added, Mother can you find another
spare bed? A fellow / was once well
acquainted with wants to come down
here to knock around our wolds; he
won't trouble you much, dare say,
and he's an old friend of mine. His
name is Wilson" tt sf wore
Then Mrs. Maria Smith, Mrs.
Mitchell's married daughter, talked to
Annie landlord of Ferguson, and
| Annie said: Il never knew whether !
quite really loved him; / liked him
very well, and more than ever cared
for any other fellow, but at any rate, if
1 ever did, the feeling is entirely dead
now, and, evenif / felt sure that 1
loved him, 1 would never marry
thief
d, The next day brought George
Mitchell and his friend Wilson. Mr..
Wilson was tall, bronzed and bearded
man, and, though George said he was
only 81, he looked more like 81, and all
the inmates of the house remarked that
they fancied they had seen him before.
However, they concluded it to be en-
tirely fancy, as none of them knew any
Wilson's resident in London.
Weeks passed away, and it was soon
pretty evident that this Wilson was
deeply enamored of Miss landlord,
and it was also plain to the most care
less observer that his love was recipro-
Gated. One day he announced that he
intended to depart on the morrow, and
in the evening he asked Annie to take
walk with him. On stile in q
shady lane, with the red sunset she'd
ding it's glow upon them, once again
was the same old story told. But, be-
fore Wilson obtained Armies answer he
told her that he knew Ferguson; that
he had known him all his life: knew of
his sin and disgrace, and also knew
how bravely he had toiled to redeem
his name, and that lie was now COM
paratively rich man. He told her that
he knew Ferguson loved her deeply,
though he had never known whether it
was q mutual love-aLd he asked her
to say whether it was SO? Oh, no,
she replied, at was all fancy; never
loved until now; besides" she added,
Ct could never we'd thief, you know.
These words were like a sharp knife in
Wilson's side, but he went on:
Don't you think, If you saw him,
you could love him as l know he loves
your
80, never, neverl Don't speak
about him, please; all that is gone and
past years ago, and we need never men
ton his name again"
Thorn xpac cbort no11ca
"Annie," said Wilson; Miss Hand
ford, forgive me for deceiving you. ]
came down here only known to
George Mitchell, just TO take
look at old scenes and old
friends. / am Will Ferguson. never
meant to speak TO you of love, but, from
the moment beheld you again. was
no longer master of myself. But l shall
go away tomorrow. and never again
. shall you be troubled with the love oil
a thief" When he finished speaking
she fell on the grass in a kind of dul
amazement, and, as she began to see
how matters really stood, she was at 6
loss what to do, and speak she could
not. a.
Miss landlord, try to contro
yOuIStli, Sdlu IcISuoOu, auo 'uluh
no more of what has occurred; let Us
return"
They walked mechanically to the
house, in perfect silence, and saw nc
: more of each other that night; and
when Annie awoke in the morning Viii
was on his way to London. Now thai
she had time for reflection, she felt tina!
she still loved that man. She felt an
noyed with him for deceiving her, and
. also with herself for being deceived
and yet, after further thought, she de-
: cidsd that it was pardonable decep
: tion-but, there was that great disgrace
She consulted with her great friend
Mrs. Maria, who advised her to wait q
bit, and to let her father know all abou,
Will Ferguson.
If Milton had felt disgraced by Will
) Ferguson when he fled a defaulter, ii
: now did its best to try and give him &
! firm footing once more. The localnews
paper contained long Mandatory
paragraph, commencing his honorable
conduct in refunding double the amount
. which he had stolen, and old Mr.. Noble
! had shaken him heartily by the hand