St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-09

John Paul remained on the farm. He
grew to be favOrite, and his activity
and physical strength, with his great
gOOd-nature, made him popular with
the young men around. AbsalOm did
not like him, however. With Rachel
he got along famously. She had been
his friend from the first, never forget
ting his opportune championship.
Then he read so beautifully, and was
full of tales of adventure, for, accord
ing to his own account, he had travel
ed great deal. In his wanderings he
had picked up a deal of knowledge,
too, as leaked out bit by bit, and he
bade fair to make a good farmer. But
MahlOn, whose spirits had been getting
lower and lower, at length grew quite
gloomy, and his gloom was shared by
his wife, and even infected Rachel.
The cause of this trouble John Paul
learned one day from the talkative
clerk at the store where the Stacey's
dealt, and with it he got some of the
family history. 1t appeared that Ra-
chel Taylor, the younger sister of Nah
Ions wife, had eloped and married
with Gordon Forsyth, gay and
wealthy young gentleman from New
York, who had been "disOwned" for
marrying "Out of meeting" but worse
followed. Forsyth, who was on the
downward course, soon got tired of his
pretty wife, resumed his dissipation,
and was drowned while drunk two
years afterward, leaving his widow
with ne-year-Old-child. Rachel For
syth did not long survive her husband,
who proved to have been at his death
bankrupt. He had managed to get
MahlOn Stacey, who believed in him, to
become bOndsman in a case involving,
it afterward turned out, questionable
transaction. Mahlon paid the judg-
ment, but was obliged to mortgage the
farm, which had beenin the Stacey fam
lily for four generations. He adopted
the little Rachel, sent her to the West
Town school to be educated, and bit
by bit accumulated money sufficient to
discharge the mortgage. The bank III
which he kept his savings broke, and
he not only lost his store, but was not
able to meet the interest for a year.
The mortgage was in other hands-a
rich New Yorker held it-and proceed
ings to foreclose had been begun. If
Rachel married Absalom Browning,
who was rich himself and rich mans
son, there would be no difficulty.
"They say that Rachel hangs back" :"
concluded the clerk. ~ rayther guess
she'll give in at last. That's the way
Mahlon'll pull through, i'll my judg-
ment.n
John came home after hearing all
this, and found Absalom Browning
there. The young Quaker was got up
quite smartry-in plain clothes, to be
sure, but his shad- -bellied coat was of
the finest olive-colOred brOadcloth, and
his broad brimmed hat of the very best
beaver. He remained to supper, and
was treated with marked consideration
by the farmer and his wife. Rachel
seemed to be little embarrassed.
John glanced at her little curiously,
but she avoided his eye. The hired
man went out after he had eaten his
supper, attended to the horses and cat
tie, and this done, came into the house.
1t was usual for the family to sit to-
gether an hour or two after supper be-
fore retiring to rest. 1t was their main
recreation from daily labor. But the
old couple had retired, and John retir-
ed also, leaving the younger couple to-
gether.
John sat at the window in the dark
looking out on the night, and thinking
In little while Absalom Browning
t. left, and he heard the wheels of his
wagon driven after the fashion of Jehu
the son of Nimshi. Then he heard the
light step of Rachel on the stairs on hel
way to rest.
The next morning John went out
early to see to the horses and cattle
, | ha, hn 70. L fa OF ha N
, served that MahlOn was curt and mon
osyllabic of speech, Naomi gloomy anG
/ Rachel distressed. John ate his mea
silently, and then went to the field witt
: MahlOn. But he soon made an excuse
< to return to the house. Rachel wa
alone there, seated with her face bur
led in her hands, and so intent on he
, thoughts that she did not hear hin
l come in. -.
"What is the trouble, Rachel ~ h
= asked.
a The girl started up, and the bloo'
a rushed to her face, but she made no re
ply.
sTs it to be wedding ?" he continu
y ed.
T "John Paul, thee's-thee's-"
"Or did you send Absalom B. abOu
d his business last night ?"
"What is that to thee, JOhn4 Uncl
y is displeased with me and aunt is sorry
t and now thee must-What is it to the
whether | have or not7
"Rachel," said he, taking her tremb
ling hand, and retaining it in spite G
e her effort to withdraw it, sit is every
o thing to me, for | love you dearly"
The eyes of the girl filled with sud
IS den light "Thee thee lOve-me ?"
John read the answer to his questiO
$ before he put it, and drew the sObbin
a Rachel to his breast.
!. How long they stood there neithe
: could tell, but at the sound of MahlO
e Stacey's heavy steps on the verand;
d Rachel made her escape.
s. "What keeps thee i'll the hOus'
= John 7" inquired the farmer, enterin
e the room. "We have work to g,
IS through with"
IS "Let that pass for moment, NJ
is Stacey. have something to say. VIII
holds now the mortgage on the farm
;" "Why does thee ask 7"
'FrOm no idle curiosity. What
le his name, and where does he live ~
1t "His name is FrObisher, and he liv,
in New York. 1t is his lawyer, Woo
1T ford, who has the business in hand
s. "WoOdfOrd Not Charles Woo
IN ford Sol In that case make you
" self perfectly easy. l can arrange a
t. that for you" H ~ ~
E. 'Gs thee serious, John Paul9 Do,
n. thee think FrObisher wouid do it fl
I'd thee 2"
ID "Why not? He never refused n
a. anything wanted yet, from the, tin
ID We Huenf tn the same SCHOOL y