The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-11-18
PATTY,S SURPRISE.
HOW IT WAS THAT ROB CAME BACK HON
AZ LAST

T
/ the corporation limits of the city there are
very many quietly picturesque bits of
( scenery. Narrow lanes wind down the steep
slopes Of the hills, or stretch through the lit
tie valleys. They pass bya Iow-roofed ram
bling farm house Just beyond they cross a
merry, ripping brook or a more pTetentious
stream with all the dignity of plank bridge:
past thrifty orchards and well cultivated
fields through tracts of heavy woodland
bearing all the evidences of being the ie-
+ mains of the great forest that once robed all
these great hills; in among the houses of
little village and then to the country side
again the roads and lanes 90 on intermiE-
Cling and crossing each other, but leading
further and further away from the bustling
town.
In the summer time, a couple of hours
drive in this direction will show the weary
city man that he has close at hand an Area
dia, where the bees hum so busily amongst
the clover, the birds sing so sweetly, and the
wild flowers are as lovely in the umtramel-
/ led grace as in the primitive, imaginary land
that Sir Philip Sidney sung of in the days of
good Queen Bess. Nature is pure and COM
paratively undefled here, to he sure but
the valleys. He is too near the city not to
he contaminated by the lesson it teaches. and
it is of this discordant element in the other
wise harmonious scene that this brief story
is to be told.
On CnP of the country byways that have
been spoken of-which of them and where
it is located on the map matters not--is
wee bit of n cottage a perfect nest Of a home.
An orchard that ante-dates by many years
the house, surrounds it on two sides, and on
the others are a garden, and a neat piece of
lawn with tiny flower beds breaking the
. smoothress Of the sod. Bachelors buttons,
MAJ igoIds, hig purple-eyed pansies grow in
the beds. as do also several large hollyhocks
and dwarf asters, which bear their burden of
white blossoms until the heavy frOsts blight
them. Morning glory and nastuTtium vines
grow uD around the windows of the house
and cling 10 the pillars and railing Of the lit
tie porch that looks out upon the road.
Forvears this has been the home of mod
est famiIv-mother. son and adopted daugh-
ter. The husband and father died more
than a dozen years ago. leaving his wife
little farm and a sum Of money we'll inves-
ted in stocks and securities. With the aid Of
her son Rob and hired man. who had been
upon the place for a number of years, Mrs.
Lonely (Which is not her name) managed to
live quite comfortably. Rob was restless as
a boy and discOntented as youth Like
thousands of Others he did not care for the
farm, with its simple, unpTetentious home
life lie visited the city as often as oppOr-
tunity presented itself. and grew to long for
the excitement which he found there. At
ter he was of age one day he came back to
the farm from town in a state of great eX-
citpmenr A friend Of his. he said, had gone
to a great Eastern city, where he had seeur-
ed n position in a merchantile establishment.
He had accomplished much in the way of
se'f-advaucnment, and he had come back to
Pitt~]urah on short visit. He met Bob
and told him that he too could secure a pO-
sftion under the Eastern firm, and if It was
was desired. arrangement would be made at
once. Poor Mrs. Lonely protested and pray
ed that Rob would not leave her, but he in
sisted upon trying the new life and it was
finally settled that he should go. Only
short tim before this little girl had been
left fatherIaSs and motheriess near the farm,
and Mrs Lonely took her as her own. She
wps only four or five years old and was call
ed Patty because it was not thought right to
ask the child TO carry about the weight OF
the name of Patricia which was the only en-
during thing her parents had given her, be-
sides life. Rob told his mother that Patty
would take his place and that he would pay
flying visits home as often as possible. He
went away one chill afternoon in November
and the mothers eyes were filed with tears
that chill November rain could not have
dimmed her sight more completely. Rob
wrote from his new place of residence as
soon he arrived and his letter was full OF ad-
iecttves and enthusiasm Rob had been sup
piled with money when he left, but promptly
wrote for more, saying.that unusual and un-
/ expected expenses had exhausted his stock
From once q week the letters from Rob drop
ned off to once month and then once in
three months When they did come they
spoke Of the writer's prospects being bright,
and then came descriptions of rich friends
and fashionable girls, and invariably at the
close was request for money. Several
wears went hy and Rob did not come home,
When the mother wrote to ask Rob why he
did not pay the promised visit to the farm he
ALWAYS gave some excuse. The reason most
frequently given was that he was so hand at
work that it was impossible for him to leave
without sacrificing his position. He said he
had been persuaded into making some in
10 making some investments. and this had
taken all the money he had made in the bus
mess and more too. The mother cried at
/ night when sha was all alone, but she sold
stocks and mortgages and sent the money to
Rob until her income was So cTamped tnat
she could send no more. Little Patty had
dim and misty recollections Of Rob, but she
heard So much about him from the mother
that she often asked wondeTingly when
. eWoh'' would come home. And then the
mother would say that he would soon come,
although her heart often asked the same
question and her fears in answer responded
-''He never will come
One dav letter came from Rob asking for
a large sum If money Immediately and say
ing that he had the most urgent need for it.
Mrs Lonely was frightened and went to the
,.ttv to see tie old lawyer to whom her nus
/ band had advised her to turn in time of need
She did not 20 to him for advice as to wheth
er to send it or not, for it never occurred to
her TO refuse it, but ready money in so large
an amount was not at her command and she
wanted 70 know how to get it. The LAWYER
listened IT, her story quietly and then ad-
vised her not to send the money. He talked
so earnestly and to such good purpose that al
last Mrs. Lonely agreed to refuse to send the
money until he told her why he wanted it
Tho only ans yvpr was laStV note writer