Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-11-19

John if he would go with them to
Friends meeting, or to some other
place of worship, or would he stay at
home. eve go to meeting, of course !;
but Rachel's father was 'Piscopal, and
Rachel goes there. Then there's the
Methodists and Presbyterisns."
'I shall go to the Episcopal church, :"
said John.
"Ah! Well, we drop Rachel at the
cross-road always, and thee can get out
there"
So John walked from the getting-out
place to the church, which was a mis-
sionary chapel, where the rector of an
adjoining parish gave a service every al
ternate Sunday. There were few attend
ants, and the coming of q fine-looking
young man made a sensation. When
service was over, however, and they all
came out, some one whispered that the
new conner was Mahlon Stacy's hired
man." and the sensation died out.
Absalom Browning was waiting in his
buggy.
"Shall I drive thee home, Rachel ?"
he asked.
"Thank thee, no, Absalom. I came
in the carry-all with uncle and aunt,
and they'll stop for me at the corner. :"
Absalom walked alongside, however,
leading his horse and talking to
Rachel, and John fell behind. When
they came to the corner, Mahlon and
his wife were already there. and Absa-
lOm renewed his request. Rachel made
no demur, for Naomi said it would re-
lieve their horse with one less in. John
smiled to himself. The aunt favored
the counting.
The summer months came and went.
Absalom Browning came and went once
a week, and sometimes twice, and John
Paul remained on the farm. He grew
to be a 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 forgetting
his opportune championship. Then he
read SO beautifully, and was full of tales
of adventure, for, according to his own
account, he had travelled a great deal
In his wanderings he had picked up a
deal of knowledge, too, as leaked ont
bit by bit, and he bade fair to make q
good farmer, so the farmer liked him,
TOO. 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 Stacys dealt, and
with it he got some of the family history.
1t appeared that Rachel Taylor,
the younger sister of Mahlon's
wife, had eloped and married
with Gordon Forsyth, gay and wealthy
young gentleman from New York, who
had accidentally met and fallen in love
with her. Rachel had been "disowned
for marrying tout 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
one-year-old child. Rachel Forsyth did
not long survive her husband, who
proved to have been at his death bank
rupt. He had managed to get Mahlon
Stacy, who believed in him, to become
bondsman in a case involving, it after
ward turned out, a questionable trans
action. Mahlon paid the Judgment, but
was obliged to mortgage the farm, which
had been in the Stacy family 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 dis
charge the mortgage. The bank in
which he kept his savings broke, and
he not only lost his store, but was un-
able to meet the interest for year.
The mortgage was in other hands-a
rich New Yorker held it-and proceed
ings to forclose 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. fI rayther guess she'll give
in at last. That's the way Mahlon Il
pull through, in my Judgment. "
John came home after hearing all this,
and found Absalom Browning there.
The young Quaker was got up quite
smartly-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 q 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 cattle, and,
this done, came into the house. 1t was
usual for the family to sit together for
an hour or two after supper before
retiring to rest. 1t was their main re-
creation from daily labor. But the old
couple had retired, and John retired
also, leaving the younger couple
together.
John sat at the window in the dark,
looking out on the night, and thinking.
In little while Absalom Browning 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 her
way to rest.
The next morning John went out
early to see to the horses and cattle.
When he returned to breakfast he OBJ
served that Mahlon was curt and mono
syllable of speech, Naomi gloomy and
Rachel distressed John ATE his meal