Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-22
An Unexpected Meeting.

1t was a small. one-story frame struc.
ture, presenting some of the character
istics of cabin and cottage, built only
little way in from the road. and ap-
preached from it by narrow wooden
bridge, under which meandered, in
temperate seasons, a gentle stream, but
which, in the fervid vigor of the sum-
mer and the rigor of the winter, was
dry and silent.
Away down in a meadow behind this
little sentrv-hox was a large farmhouse,
with . colony oi smaller buildings
springing up about it, and lack of those
was n wood, rising precipitously. to the
brow of protecting hill.
Ia summertime this homestead of
Farmer Gilman was a smiling, shady
place to look upon, as was, indeed, all
the country in which nestled the ham,
let of Fairbank, distant couple of
miles away but now that The iron fet-
ters of winter were on everything, it
looked cold, cherries and uninviting.
1t had been showing all day-snow
was everywhere. It was on the rich
pasture lands, on the closely-shaven
meadows, on last years tillage; it
crowned fences, and maintained a pre-
carious existence on She roofs of houses /;
it rendered sightless gaps in broken
roads, and lent u treacherous expansion
to highways; it. in short. hlott ed ou
the orriin airy landmarks, and was on
great, white, staring eyesOre on the face
OF the landscape.
Night had GENE on. and with IL in
creased activity on the part OF the storm.
1t was bitterly cold, too, and there was
an edge on the air like knife.
If Waa N piObt In at,ioy o rrafaf,,
meal and a comfortable freside, and
this was what May Seton was prepar-
ing for her fathers return in the little
cottage by the roadside.
The ample stove was aglow with the
tracking wood-tire; the bright lamp
light illumined the neat, decorous little
kitchen; the old easy-chair wore look
of expectation IS 1t stood by the tablt
that awaited the burden of the suhstaE.-
tial supper. and the blue-eyed rose bud
herself was blithely singing snatches OF
ditty, as If in defiance of the g.oom
and storm without.
For a dozen years and upward May
Seton had occupied this sane abode
with her father, and had been his sole
companion and housekeeper.
About that time George Seton had
made his first appearance in Faii bank,
bringing with him little else than fair
sweet child of four or Eve years old,
and carrying about him an air of sup
pressed suffering that silcnced in
quiries, albeit that II somewhat excited
curiosity. But this curiositv was sat
isfied and turned to sympatbs when it
was learned that tie strange had re-
Gently buried bis partner, aDf that the
golden-haired child he so tenderly cher
- = Fs2k nssIn
George Seton had not furnished Fair
bank with this information in 90 many
words From the day of his arrival
70 the tilne whereof we write, he had
never opened has lips on the subject of
his antecedents.
Abraham Gilman, or old Abe.as he
was more universally called. 70 distin-
guish him from younger Abe, had
once asked George, when they were
working in the fields together, IL he was
n1t widower like himself, whereai
4 be's new employee had bent his head,
and then maintained silence 80 impress
sive that the fact was taken for granted,
and never after discussed.
As for May, II questioned on the SUBJ
feet, she could only tell of n big town
and a large house, and fine lady that
used sometimes to kiss her, and who.
one night she was told BY. her father,
had died and was buried away for ever
moer.
six o'clock cries May, stopping
her warbling to laugh up In the face of
the old clock that chimed the hour.
six O'Clock, she laughs, ,as she turns
the fragrant rashers in the oven, and
casts searching glance at the table TO
see that Il contains all her own home
made dainties. Father will be here
presently. ! wonder If Abe will
Hush, you naughty thihg,n she adds.
under her BREATH. and prtEsinR her
hands TO her rosy mouth. - she hears :
Crunching sound drawing nigh.
The sound draws nearer till it stops
utf de. when there fs > scrapinK and
stamping Of feet, and then The door