Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-12-24

Ephraim was st,ing deeply by these words
lor they were cruel words Tor her TO speak
besides, he, like other men, had some con
ceit, and he believed he could have wooe,
aud won old Squire Phelps's daughter n
successfully ms he had wooed and won Kilt
Potts.
"Kitty," he said, harshly, CATER cngag
ing yourself TO me am sure you Lave n
right to allow any gentleman to be so de
voted to you as this strange fellow is. Agail
must insist on Its being stopped"
Kitty knew as well ms anybody. he wa
right, and 1t CALLED her to be told OF Il
especially by Ephraim. But for the worl'
she wouldn't Let him know 1t CALLED her.
"Oh, what queer boy you are, Eph J" sh
answered, pleasantly, and thcn. added, witt
Sonnie, that II l were confined exclusively I,
you for male society should get so sick ant
SO tired of you should, never, never wan
to see you again as long rs liyeT
Had Ephraim been shrcwd observer o
character, especially Of female character, h
aggravated, for he would have known.that 1
pleased Kitty best to have him SO.
Kitty" he said, sharply, "you dom
love me..you can't love me II you speak a
you think.''
"Oh, doarl" cried Kitty, bursting into an
Did ever s H tell You, did ever tell anybody my
loved you? Now be honest, Eph, did p
"Didn't you promise you would MARI,
mer, he asked, sternly. e
"No, / didn't" )" she retorted, sharply. q,
may have told you something-I presume
did-that led you to believe might, som,
time, do such o foolish thing, but never II
my life have l told you 1 loved YOU. Blu
what has that to do with II, anywayW
"What has that to do with itp' he cried
ficrcely. !" Does not that promise imply yol
love me" s.u.s4..,r i
., ~ taI ,,,;t Ia,
guild unconcern. 1T don't imply anything
only that promised silly fellow something
/ hadn't oughtto. That's ALL"
"Are you in earnestp, he cried.
"Never was more so," she answered.
"Then we will break our engagement, ant
you, Kitty Potts, will rue the day 1t wa!
broken"
"Suit yourself, - she said, carelessly, ant
tossing their engagement ring to the floor
-Ephraim picked 1t up and left the house.
Poor Kitty burst into, tears when he hnt
gone, for she never supposed their quarre
would result in such manner. She thought
however, like all previous quarrels, 1t woult
end happily; SO she soon cheered up ant
gave herself no further trouble, but flirtet
more boldly with her wild and handsome
sultOr. r Trsf3
{ In the past Ephraim had been in the habi
of walking with her to church on the pleas
ant Sabbath evenings; and ever before they
had reconcilcd their little difficulties on tha
day. Sunday came, but Ephraim came no
with 1t, and the scalding tears started from
her eyes, and she reprOached herself bitterly
for her cruel words, and would have faller
at his feet and pleaded for his forgiveness
for she loved him with all her sorrowine
heart. -Jii l--.Il. l.aI1lI
She walked to church alone that night
where she saw Ephraim with Squire
Phelps's pretty daughter Susie, and, pool
foolish girl she swore revenge on Ephraim
Bates, and the next night it was executed
In the morning it was noised abroad thai
Kitty Potts had gone away with the wild
handsome fellow, and was married to hin
in the city out by the sea.
j. 1t was near q sdeath-blow to Ezra. Fol
days and weeks he fingered between life ant
death with a raging fever in his head. Bu
he mended slowly, and when he could &C
about his work again he seemed almost a.
sunny rs he was in other days, but his hear
--ah, no! the great wound was not healet
yet. From that terrible day he never spoke
her name, and every vilager forbore t
mention it in his presence. She had writer
him for forgiveness; but some things there
are men are not divine enough to forgive
and Ezra set his heart hard against forgiv
ing the cruel wrong Kitty had done her fam
lily and her betrothed. She never wrote hin
after that; but more than year afterwart
he heard that her reckless husband, tiring o
her charms and beauty, had abandoned hel
and left her alone and frendless in the grea
unmercful city down by the sea.
{ But Father Potts cheered himself up ant
wended his way up the hill, and opened th,
great door of st. Johns, and climbed til,
belfry stairs, and chimed the fine musica
bells that sounded merrier and more music
al than ever, for it seemed to Ezra and 4
seemed to all the villagers, that the bell
hearts are gayer then, and life is brighter
then, and the star glimmers in the Eas
again and makes Heaven seem nearer ant
dearer.
Presently Father Potts put on his coat
shut the belfry door, came down the stair
and opened the great door to go out into the
street; but just as he was about stepping
from the threshold the light from the Ian.
tern fell upon bundle lying on the topmos
step.
"Oh, my!" he cried, holding his Lantern
above his head and bending down that HI
my! what now? A present maybe for IN,
wife, no, ho, or for me, ho, ho! Who'd
thought that Ezra Potts, sexton, ID find q
present on old st. Johns steps? Nobody
swear! Here I've been attending this ole
stone church for more'n thirty years, and to
night Pye present for me or for my wife
no, hon And Ezra laughed and shool
himself, and bent close to and laid his hant
on the bundle.
ga Christmas turkey" he cried, slappin,
his sides, "Oh, good fat Christmas turkey
no, no! A fine fat turkey for Christmas, ha
ha! Won't my wife-oh, ,oont my wife b.
the bundle, and stepping back into tn
church he placed 1t on cushion and begal
undoing it. He first unwrapped coarse
heavy shawl, wondering who would send
turkey done up in such fashion, and theI
he unrolled blanket fine and white, an,
then he jumped half out his senses an,
cried:
''Oh, Lord!. oh, my Lordw and then h
gasped for want OF breath, and put his hand
together and looked half frightened, hal
pleased, as he stood beside the bundle tina
he supposed held only fine, fat Christina
turkey.
baby! little live baby, as sure rs Pm born
Ooh, my, my-oh, my LordW and Ezr
Potts held his dim light very close to tn
sleeping infants face, and bent his face yer
close to it, that he might not be mistakei
and find it turkey after all.
"Oh, my soul! oh, my wife! won't she, oh
tuon't she be glad? Won't Ezra Potts b
glad, toop Won't Ezra Potts and wife b
glad together? Oh, dear! real fine baby
Oh, dear! Ooh dearW And Father Pott
fell upon his knees, half laughing, half cry
ing, as he bent very close to the babe.
YOh, my wife, my beloved wife, OH
daughters come back to us just as she cam
to us at first on Christmas-eve, too. oh
my! to Ezra Potts and wife daughter, hi
ho!" And Ezra shook himself very har
again, and his eyes glistened with tears, p,
though he tried he d to push them back.
''The good Lore -ent her !" he cried, wind
ing the fine white flannel around the babe
eyes, the good Lord sent her, and ii
knowed Just where to send her--bless Hi
name-and Ezra Potts and wife sha'n't dis
appoint the Lord, neither. Oh, my soul
| what Christmas present! present straigl
to Ezra Potts and wife from the Lord OF
what sexton Is Ezra Potts! What blesse
sexton, what lucky sexton To Ezra Pott
and wife-nand he laughed so hard again h
couldn't for his life have added "daughter;
and tying up the coarse, heavy shawl h
caught up his lantern and scrambled up til
belfry stairs, and rang the bells again like fiy
great furies.
Praise the Lord" he cried, tugging o
the ropes like a mad man, "for His mere
enduretb forever. To Ezra Potts, sextol
and Dorothy, his wife-oh, my soul! !" an
he pulled more madly than before, whic
brought the graye-dIgger, who lived In I'll
small red house just behind the church, In,
the belfry. There isn't bit Of doubt that
believed the sexton crazy, for, besides rinl
4 ing the bells like mad, his coat and hat wei