Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-04-09
AFTER MANY. DAYN.a
! IAN English Romance


the very sweetest Of" English rural vii
lagos, whether you look at 1T from the
e'rop,'or from the 'low-lying south, OF
walk up its one street.l> Its church lis
worth a long walk or drive, whether YOU
see it inside or out, or both-such pret-
ty house was never eIected,elsewhere for
the wsrships9 Of Cod r. Itisamallsand old;
ed through the generosity of the Squire,
who owns all the surrounding property,
andltis plenty large enough to hold the
rpstic .&congregatlons which SassemDles
there Sabbath by Sabbath. Adjoining
the church is thesylcarage,, where dwells
the 800a man who. Notwithstanding his
weakness in favor of tapers and vest
ments, faithfully tells these simple ,yillsg-
ers the story OF Gods love. .No. hntit 1what
heresy IN the shape Of dissent has plant
ed its fortin this Void 4illage. For bn
one side Of the street is little square
box, capable Of holding perhaps forty
people, known as. the. Primitive Mstho-
dist Chapel; while opposite, and on the
same side OF the street as the church,
standsa similar brick box-only that
this Wesleyan Methodist stronghold can
look aownsomeNhat upon its aeighbor
acrossthe way; Ter hasit'not.s PoiSh. al
most as large as the chapel itself2 How
everchurch and dissent get along pretty
amciably together on the whole.
q; Methodist farmers and Church 0EEng-
land farmers meet and are, tho best OF
friends every Saturday at ST. Olayes Mar
ket, aHd their laborers, following their
example in an, humber way drink al
glass together at the village tavern every
Payday, without discussing their theo-
logicalopindionss and principles: But to
go on with our village. There is, as
hunted, 9 tavern, postofice and a couple
of general stores leach Of which displays
its stock-ln.trade in g. small, four PANIED
cottage window, and these, with two or
three farm houses, a small foundry and
forge, and abont score of scottages,
ranged on either side 1broad road and
stream running yalongsideA each other;
make up as pretty village as could be
discovered in life's travel. n,...&
About two miles from Beacondale to-
ward the south, stood lonely home
stead. The house was ancient and in
bad repair, but was nevertheless 9 real
comfortable old home, and was occupied,
together, with large farm of several
hundred acres, by hale old bachelor OF
60, and the mistress of the house was his
widowed sister, who lived there with her
daughter. John Fielding, and his sister,
Mrs. Mitchell, were fair specimens of
Yorkshire folk-hearty, honest, lively
keeping open house forsany one~and Tor
every one. Among tho occasional vel.
come vlsitorsto this hespitable home was
a young fellow named Ferguson, who at
first invariably came with his particular
friend, George Mitchell, Mrs. Mitchell's
son. After while, however, he took to
visiting more frequently. and forp some
months every other Saturday saw Fergu-
son at the Thorpe farm, where he staid
until Monday. 2'tj " "n1 '" 'r'i'5"
Will Ferguson was confidential clerk
at an extensive engineering establishment
at Milton, some fifteen miles, over the
: wolds, from Beacondale. His position
-, was q good one, and although barely %,
and scarce two years connected with the
firm, his employers implicitly trusted
him with their financial affairs and the
Management of their business. -. There
was nothing particularly attractive about
Ferguson: Tall and plain featured
rather ugly. than handsome-a pleasant
companion, generally kind and thought
full to all whom he knew, attentive to
business, he was perhaps as we'll liked as
any other young fellow. in Milton.
Will Ferguson had often visited Thorpe
farm, because his chosen friends were rela-
tives of old John Fielding, and he, there
fore, accompanied them. frequently; be-
sides he liked the drive and was fond Of
the Thorpe folk, and he also liked on Sun
DAYS to attend service in the Beacondale
church. .rpH Z. ~ ""zS' 80. ~ s:','
.|hOne Bright Sunday morning in October
Ferguson and George Mitchell drove. ovel
TO Thorpe farm fol. the sake Of, the, ride
over the wolds and ,a.quiet day at the
Old;fargn house. ti~iF * : = Il ffrgnh
Evening came, and, as usual, they
walked down the lovely lane which led
to the village aud church. This was
not their first visit to Beacondale church
by any means, so that they walked in and
took their accustomed seat. The service
had commenced and the ysung men welt
hastily finding their place inbthe prayer
book, when tey became aware of strang-
.ess, occupying the seat Immediately in
front Of them. They were bonnie strang
ers, too the prettiest handed a pray
errbook to, the late arrivals, and from
that moment Will Ferguson was = gone
man. HIS heart was no longer his own.
ME felt that he had met his fate, and
all through that service he was trying to
devise q plan whereby he could become
acquainted with this girl who had 80
completely captivated him at one glance,
and little attention did he pay to what
fths clergyman said that evening". After
service he returned the book, which gave
nhin an opportunity Of saying one word,
and hearing that. same word Thank
>yous4fnom those pretty lips. a
tiiThat evening on their way home the
two friends called on an acquaintance,
land, while, seated there, putting cigars
they heard soon the sound Of merry, girl
fish voices, and into the room walked the
three fair strangers OF the village church
They appeared perfectly at home here
and the mattress of the house introduced
them 40 Miss Hand ford, Miss Annie
Haddford and Miss Maggie Hand ord
Niss Hand ford and Miss Maggie might
jnSt AsWeM have been still at church Iiol
aflsWlll Ferguson saw. of them. he wa
too nuch,Occupied In gazing on Annie I
the oaeMho had lent him the book al
church.Sth ono with whom he fell ovell
head ard can Id love at first six ht.s
sam not gong describe Annie
Handford; II might differ IS in j ny
opinion from Wills and .hurt his feelings
amd could never get thini togsay Mha