Sharp County record., 1881-01-13


Master Frank says |, there's trouble
going on for you. But I've known you
since you was baby and whatever It's,
I'm the one as says its nothing wrong.
"'No, Joe,' says he, in a voice as
wasn't his-'it's nothing wrong He
couldn't stand still, so | walked along
up the street at his side. Suddenly he
stopped. Goodbye, joe says he; Il
won't be here any more. I'm married.
and before I could say word he was
off-clean gone in the darkness, sir. A
baby might have knocked me down rs
/ stood there. My breath was took
away. l tramped up and down all that
night pondering and thinking and l
could make nothing out OF it.
"And l didn t make anything out of
it till one night met the old butler,
and he told me as how it was, sir. 1t
seems Master Frank had met a young
lady and fell deep in love with her, but
when he mentioned the matter to his
father, there was high words, for Mr.
Chauncey had set his heart on seeing
his boy married to girl he'd picked
out; rich she was, of course, sir, while
the one Master Frank wanted was an
orphan, and hadn't a cent II the world
except what she made giving music les
sons, or something of the sort The
boy didn't say no more, and kept so
quiet his father thought the business
was all over, but Master Frank being
headstrong and used to having his own
way, went and married the girl anyhow
When he come home that night and
told his father what he'd done, Mr..
Chauncey just got up and said: You
can 90, sir; you're no son of mine. ,
Then after Master Frank had rushed
out of the house his father told David,
who had stood and heard it all, to call
his daughter and the servants. When
they came he told 'em all, then and
there, as how twas, and said whoever
as mentioned Master Franks name in
his presence would leave the house,
even if twas Miss Alice herself. Then
he stalked up stairs to the boys room,
locked the door and put the key in his
pocket. And that's the way things was
going on, sir. Miss Alice, she was cry
ing Almost all the time, and she said to
the old butler, David, says she, search
day and night for my poor brother, for
l shall never rest till 1 can help him.
Search we did, David and l, up and
down, by night and by day, for either
one on us would "a died for that boy,
and yet quicker for Miss Alice. But it
wasn't no use, sir; we never found a
trace of him, and the girl he'd married
was gone, too.
Things went on gloomy enough in
the big house after that. Miss Alice
she didn't seem minded to marry, and
Mr.. Chauncey he gotsterner and silent
er every day. l used to meet him some
times pacing up and down the walk at
night, but [ never said no more nor
good-evening to him, for somehow he
wasn't the same to me in my mind as
he was afOre. He hadn't done right by
that boy. Not that l don't blame the
boy too, for it wasn't square for him to
90 agin his father to that length, nor yet
to bring trouble on his sister; but bless
you, sir, boys don't stop to think of
what's ahead when they're only twenty
two year, as this one was; and if they
get a pretty face in their minds they
don't consider father nor sister, nor
anybody but the girl they want to
marry. ... co.,. ...-. -,--.--s-
"More than ten years went on, and
never a word of Master Frank. Mr..
Chauncey and Miss Alice had gone trav-
cling in Europe and taken David with
'em, and the big house was shut up.
when one afternoon, as | was sitting at
home, my wife says, Joe, there's a
poor sick woman moved into the upper
floor to-day, and Twas thinking if you'd
carry her up a bowl of hot broth it
wouldn't come amiss.' My wife was
ailing, Sir, or she'd gone up herself; but
as twas, | took the broth and went,
When / knocked, a bright little girl
opened the door and when | went in Isaw
lying on the sofa as pretty young
woman as ever | sot eyes on. But | saw
another thing, sir. Standing on little
table against the wall, right where the
sunshine was falling, was picture of
Master Frank. MY husbands picture,
said the lady, seeing me standing
stock-still before it. l didn't know
what to say, was so took aback.
Strange, sir, but when you've been
longing for years for something to hap
pen, when it does happen you don't do
the thing as would seem natural. So
instead Of going to work to find out
about that boy, there was | standing
and thinking of nothing except how out
of place was bringing bowl of broth
to Mrs. Frank Chauncey. | don't know
how long I'd "a stood there with that
bowl of broth in my hands, if the little
miss hadn't brought chair and asked
ME to sit down. Then | got sense to
say, Excuse me, Mrs. Chauncey, but
my wife thought as how you was poor
folks like us, or she wouldn't "a made
so bold as to send some broth, thinking
you'd just moved in and hadn't got a
fire made, maybe.
"We are poor, very poor she an
swered me, 'and thank your wife very
kindly
go, she was a lady, sir, every inch
of her. You didn't have to look long
to see that. Might l make so bold,
says l, as to ask where your husband
might be now, ma amp You see, l
wasn't a bit natural. for | felt kind Of