Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-09-29
A Runaway Match.

fields and leafless woods, which strelch'
Cd themselves as far as eye could reach
around the bare.lookiug old farmhouse
owned by her grandfather, EnOch Nail
or.
Il was a lonely region, with houses
scattered at intervals eta quarter OF {
mile. and about nine miles TO the near
est village in sparsoly populared North
ern New York. When, five years be-
fore. Edna. then a tall slip of fourteen
came TO live there, some It'll e atten'
ton was paid TO her.
That stiapge gal from The city up al
Pom Nailor's' was formally inspected
anu criticised by the ncighboring Cos
sins. at the little white Methodist meet
lo1 house On the hill; her manners aDC
garments monopolized more than THEN
merited share of comment from the
younger aud genller portion Of the gooC
PASTORS rustic congregation.
In q few weeks however, all the nov
CIV Of the new arrival wore of. and the
ornhan ohPs life settled down into a
dali. unyared routine Of helping her
Grandmother about the house every
morninc.and reading TO her grandfather
whose ovosicht was falling, every even
inc. True there was amaiden aunt,the
sourcd victim Of an early disappoint-
ment who assumed the task OF finish
ine Edna's limited education, and who
made her lie n burden by requiring her
10 dam tie lamily's hose aud table lin
ea with great cxactness and TO practice
Cze.ucv's exercises Two hours daily on
The auocnt cracked cottage piano, upon
lie possession OF which the Mailer
family greatly plided themselves
AT the few social gatherings permit
led by the long distances and hard
agricultural work. Edna was BY nc
means a shining light.
Lacking in actual beauty and the
pretty talent of vivacious, meaningless
snail talk abhorring dancing and caring
little for the opinions Of the rustic bellies
and boaux ofthe ncighboarhood, it was
no wonder taat, though naturally OF a
cheerful. couiented spirit, the monolon'
wea,ied her far more than the toll en-
gondored by a seli-sunportius I'ie would
have done.
Draw the curtains arA close the shut
ters. Edna. and don't stand drcaming
any longer. You know your grand
fa,hor always likes his toast Drowned
by Pic time thc tea is ready withou
wajl;uc for it, screamed Aunt Sara'
from .he pantry's mysterious recesses
Edna listessly obeyed, and soon lh'
'ouiet humdrum family as she mental
IL styled her relatives were taking theli
evening meal. A roll Of carriage wheels
heard approaching the house caused
slight sur II our party, which was III
creased by lhree sharp successive rap
on the hall door. Miss Sarah Nailo
quickly responded, and came tace u
face with a tall dark-eyed young mar
hearing in his arms a girls mufHed ant
dripping form. Behind these two hg
ures a brG, harty voice rang out:
See here, Pop, the bridge at Rock
roint Cruk, just beyond, here has civ
| en- way-bursted-clean gone; and lhes
here parties being strangers, and kno"
linz nothing Of the occurrence cam
rushing along-horse little to fresh
and pulled up just in time TO find them
selves .plashiDg about the cold sha'loV
river.
II relned up this side OF the erik an
belped Ibis young fellow get the lady ou
We wrapped her upin my buggy robes
and fastened the horse behind.
thought it more likely you would b
able to give these half-drowned crea
lures house-room ill morning, tha
L
the Partridge folks; tho they live near(
The scene OF this here accident
'Whv, why, why, Squire Phelps r'
peated Grandfather Nailor, you don
say the bridge has gone after all I'll
taxes we been paying the selectmen
keen the roads and public works
proper repair Last nights Storm
suppose; tho the dear knows we new
hear anything here. No one has calie
the whole day, and one might as we
y live in Terra del Fuego as in this dest
!, lated place. querulously rambled Il
y old man.
t Meanwhile Edna and her aunt hi
6 assisted The girl 10 the antique hiS
Iback setter which filed almost one sl'
of The common living apartment whl'
was half drnnlng room and hall kitchen
D as is the custom in most country nous
in the North and West.
Speedily they removed her shoes al
wet stockings, and turned her VIII
feet to the blazing fire. Miss Saral
whispers TO her, father which the kee'
eyed. middle aged man styled squl
Phelps by cid Enoch was quick
notice, resulted in the withdrawal OF
. male portion Of the assembly from
room.
p | @, IL ,-o4 c,orn1anfo were reno