Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-07-22
THE HERALD.
FATHER On son?
aWho is hat. Deacon r

"Who is that, Deacon p
Mrs L. r $50, seated in the Jersey
"carryall." that belonged to "The
Deacon HarIand Place." looked
across the fertile fields of her old
friends farm, end fixed her eyes with
certain interest on tho tall, we'll
developed young man coming down
the Lane, leading g handsom colt by
the forelock, while the colt rubbed
his velvety nose affectionately
against his masters shoulder, end
licking bis hand.
"That is my son Joe, Mrs. la
Rose, my only child" replied tho
farmer.
Howmuch nc is like ; on as you were
in your 18th year, when l came
from teaching school to visit your
sister Hetty, at the old place in
New Hampshire +" esid the fashion
able young WIDOW, speaking for
once without sffectation, and ending
the sentence with sigh.
The deacon looked uneasily at her
and then at her lovely 16 year old
daughter. who eat on the front seat,
beside his hired man. who was driv-
ing the patty hame from tho rail-
w9y station at Elint0wn.
In his 18Th year, poor farm RS
son, he had been this woman > l)7-
er.
Now, in his 55th year, the veal
thy pror etor of most valuable
and ext nsige farm ia New jersey
be was troth piighted to bis old low
err. faaurifnl daughter. and she was
corning with hor mother, 10 pay hen
fest visit to her fu uro homo
The worthy man was not deceived.
He kaew this lovely child did not
love him He fully understood
that she Wa about 20 wed him at
the e9tre4tv Of her mother, and in
the hops Of securing for that mother
wealth, the freedom from all pecu-
MARY osra, and the luxurious lire
ana home, which she had never yot
epj Eyed.
All those things he meant 30 secure
to her. In return he hoped 2nd be
lioved that she would learn in time
to love him Gratitude wopld sure
~ teach her that lesson, since Gas
her mother decidod) she loved no
one else
But it would be fatal to his hopes
to let her gain she least knowledge
Of the early love lhat had existed
between her mother and himself.
And he blessed his lucky stars
when his matched chestnu's, scent.
ing their stable, and seeing J0o's
bay colt prancing beside his master
in the lane, broke into a run that
tesl cd the strength and skill Of Mike
tho driver, ana frightened the wij,
ow entirely out Of all her remjni-
scsnae by the time they condescend
Cd to pause bs,oro the Veran1ah
steps.
Joe Harland viewed tho arrival
with profound disapproval, from
afar.
lie had loved bis mother tenderly
! He reser ~ what IN considered a
Hight 10 hsr IN moTy He vas
wrong there, howe 4cr. Tns dsa
con had b en = wil3wer more than
five yaars. a0d all the WIDOWS and
Old maids III EJ.uto2u had long
.i.ca given Up 10 despair trying to
keep aous9 FIR, and to sympathise
with him
A maiden sister Of the deacon's
had maneged ina affairs Of the
household since tho wife'd death.
She, rs well 50 Joseph, had been
greatly surprised when the farmer
had announced the apeedy coming
OF the lady guests from New York.
And he, as well as Joseph, bad
supposed the cleg Mt widow to be
tho bride elect
In The old days on The homo farm
in Nee. Hampshiro, thi3 sister had
been tho Ha'ty whom JlliA Carlyon
had visited. And kno@ine 80 much
of the early loVe affair. size natural
lg supposed tibet it Vas now abcu'
to be renewed.
Mistress aetty wllo0med the
mother and the daughter very cor.
daily to Harland's, dcemina ii well
that she should keep on the best Of
terms with its future m.2.rG58.
Joeph did rot appear until the
lac tee--wbich vas ordered in
compliment to the travalers--wa as
on the table. Then ne came for.
ward at his fathers request, was in
troduced to the guests, made two
qulky bows, and studied his future
step mothers face during the whole
meal, from under o pair of heavy
black eyebrows, with pair of deeT
blue eyes. He scarcely looked al
little Esther, who sat beside him.
But she stole many a shy, side
long glance at him--wondering why
be looked SO wondering why
he was so silent, wondering if hi:
father really had been so handsome
at Is ears of age Trying to i'm
agine the gray.hesded deacon tobea
tall, erect figure, with dark bluC
eyes, and jet black hair, and frank
handsome face, with sun-browned
crimson cheeks, and forehead al
white as snow-trying, but falling
miserably And, then wondering
again whether the deacon, at Is, had
not been more agreeable as lover
than he was now at 55.
SIT only" thought little Esther,
glancing once more, muslngly, at the
young man and the old,
And then she blushed holly all
over her beautiful face. For the
young man had turned toward her
to offer her a slice OF golden honey
comb Aud the dark-bluo eyes
seemed to read tho thought of which
she was but halt concious herself, un-
til be looked at her.
"Why did she blush like that ~
was Joe's first thought And his
second was, "What o lovely little
creature she is l must try and make
this place endurable to her, while
our elders are making geese OF
themselves by faucying that, at their
age, they can fall in love !"