South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-06-24

Lam, and chose the former, hoping
that something better would turn up
some day. But the days and the
years went by; old acquaintance had
forgotten him, and the great stream
had gone on, leaving him behind in a
little eddy, where his weary, monoto.
nous hours circled away on the front
/ platform Of the car. He told me no
had to get up long before day, and
never got TO bed before midnight, so
that It had been months since he saw
his poor wife's face, except by candle.
light.
His compensation, two dollars day.
was barely adequate to purchase the
actual necessities of life, and pay the
doctor and druggist bills, that came
due with unvarying regularity; for
hrs wife WINS q great sufferer. And
Mary Lindsay Orne, the beautiful
adopted girl, was at once nurse, cook.
companion and adviser combined.
The old man seemed crushed at the
thought OF leaving his situation; but
tried to cheer him up, and earnestly
pledged he should find another place,
and be cared for in the meantime.
In the midst Of this great trouble,
he did not forget the stalwart stranger
who had so boldly and unexpectedly
taken his part, and insisted on visiting
the station where he was confined.
| accompanied him, and we got into
the police Justices court willie the
/ preliminary hearing was going on.
Mr.. Skinner had torn clothes and q
skinned face; and the two tipsy young
men, on whom he had caromed, look
ed very bcdragglcd and rcd-eyed.
The prisoner began his own de-
tense, rs we entered, and told his
story exactly rs it occurred, closing
with the remark as he pointed his fin
ger at Skinner.
You assaulted that inn 1cent old
man, like the coward you have shown
yourself to be, and, had he been any
acquaintance or kinsman of mine, I
would spend n thousand dollars gladly
for the privilege Of nogging you as
you so richly deserve.
There can be no doubt that the
stranger meant this; but, Willie he was
talking, was struck with the oNtraor
binary conduct Of Simon Lindsay.
The old man had his eyes fixed on
the prisoner. Ills face was ashy pale.
ana ne stepped timidly nearer and
| nearer, till nj length he stood before
the dock. Then the stranger stopped
and the eyes of everybody in court
were fastened Oh the two men, who
were looking at each other with visi-
bic emotion.
After n bit, the old man reached
out his hands, and whispered with
trembling accents:
1Sobort-my boyr
Father! shouted the stranger; and,
forgetting his situation, nc lcaped the
dock-ralling, and caught the old man
in lis arms.
So holding him, he turned with
burning eyes OH Skinner but that
official bully and the two tipsy young
men got out of that temple of Justice
like men who see a torch i'll q powder
mill.
Robert Lindsay was held to bail.
went his security; but the trial new
or came off.
Mr.. Skinner saw fit TO beg the old
mans pardon in n very humble wav,
the cause OF which | knew. lie Of
tercd TO rcinstate him az driver. but
young Lindsay had come back rich,
and the days Of trouble were over TO
his father and mother.
l attended a wedding a few months
after, and Mary Lindsay Orne, after
that, dropped her last name-thc Lind
say answering double purpose.
Lincoln's Marriage Invitation.-
Lincoln, in hie Younger days, had ma
ny warm and sincere friends, but per.
haps there is no man living who ever
was more intimate with the lamented
President than John Hanks, the old
rail splitter, who for years was his bo,
som companion and trusty friend.
Speaking of the ex-President one
day, Mr. Hanks said: i was well
acquainted with his wife, Mary Todd.
before he married her, but never knew
there was an engagement between
them until about two weeks before
the marriage took place. The invi-
t9tIOu 70 tho vypJt limo vto, v~r;ft,,, 80,