The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-08-13

Inc letter IS addressed in q ladY's hand
writing, graceful and refined.
Nothing remarkable in this, surely,
and yet it startles Amos Dale little as
he looks at the letter lying in his hand.
He bids Joel Bean good.evening. and
goes on his way up the hill to the par
sonage, thinking as he goes how long it
is since he has had q letter from a
woman.
His thoughts fly back to a packet of
OLD letters, yellow of paper now, and
faded of ink, lying in a corner of pri-
vate drawer in his desk; letters written
to him when he was student, more
than fifteen years ago, full of maidenly
reserve and yet Of woman's love. There
had come day when the number of
these letters was complete, never to be
added to. That other letters could be
written and another love won, it had
never entered into the heart of the Rev.
Amos Dale to conceive.
Then there had been his mothers let
tiers, and his one sisters, but many
years ago the first had ceased, and it
was now two years since his sister had
left for that country from which no It'd
ings come back. Since then it had been
a rare occurrence for him to see his
name written in feminine handwriting.
He wondered greatly who could have
written to him now; he quickened his
step unconsciously, though his thoughts
had taken an unwontedly pensive strain.
He soon reached his own gate, and a
few of his long strides took him through
the old-fashioned, box bordered garden
to the door Of the parsonage between
the lilac bushes. He went into the Sit
ting room Ia large, bare, orderly room,
A red and black table cover was on the
comfortable; firmly planted in the mid
die stood broad shouldered lamp with
a green paper shade. Beside the table,
darning stockings, sat Hannah Breeze,
d distant relative and houskeeper, who
had come directly home from prayer
meeting. g.. Hv...
Hannah, who was not of the fairest
among women, having a general effect
of dull gray-hair, eyes, complexion,
alpaca dress and all-looked up when
the minister entered, but did not speak
it was not her way.
The Rev. Amos Dale, having hung
bis hat on its proper nail, as every mem
Der of a well.regulated household should
proceeded to draw an armchair up to tn
table, sat down, broke the seal of thu
letter unostentatiously, and read.
1t was q short letter, and he soo1
; dropped it on his knee, looking around
with an expression of CONSERVATION.
"Hannah, he exclaimed, "here is al
agent-a woman at that-bearing dowl
upon US. What Is to be doAep" IL
"Head her off, if there's time," wa
the concise reply. T. = u.a.l ,
"Let's see," and the Rev. Amos, tax
ing up the letter again; 81 am coming
to Fairfield to canvass for the Cornplet
Analytical Cone,nentary'-there 'sresolu
ton for you, Hannah!" '. ',. 49,. 49,. o. '
"Takes book agents for that" .
81 shall hope to make my home i
your family, if perfectly convenient t
Mrs. Dale'"-Amos Dale read this wit
;. an odd smile about his mouth. i
"Umph!" was all Hannah vouct
safed. ,..o ...I ..r'. n el"1H '
He read on in silence, but suddenl
sprang to his feet, looked up at the cloc
= on the wooden shelf, and said: -. 80.
"No heading her off now. This lie
1 ter has been detained on the way. SCI
the date is three days ago. She is con
ing on the. $50 train this very evening
and have only just time to meet her.
II don't sees you've any partikelt
D., call to meet her. Them book agen
+, isn't in the habit Of being beaued aroun
much, I guess. Say, Mr.. Dale" ST
u! called, for he had his hat on and was o.
of the room already, "you'll take HI
, to the tavern, won't you, or to Deace
Bush'sp' ''.''
"Mrs. Bush is sick. We shall ha'
to keep her tonight, for all see. G
the east room ready, and you may
we'll put the kettle over, Hannah, &
poor woman will be tired"-and Il
III Rev. Amos closed the door and stro'
of toward the little station, half . mi
=, awav, leaving Hannah. TO- do his bi
ding faithfully, albeit with some gru1
bling. .' t.,'. ~ ,,,,'" = !.
"He'll take in every analytical tran
that comes along with comminterr
!. don't make no difference whether
IA msp,or woman she said to herself,
/ Intb confused as to the new adjecti
4 whSh had impressed her as valuable
vague. Z.
~ Mr.. Dale, walked rapidly along
shadowy, grassy path, thinking as
walked Of the sort Of woman whom
was probably going to meet substs
tial Of form, harsh of feature, profit
-. and emphatic OF speech, trifle dense
y sensibility-yes, he knew the type VI
and did not fancy it over-rnuch; all
:, i same, he must do, for this woman, Il
Mrs. Emily Payne Qor so she had II
him to address her, in case there v
! ANYTHING in the way of her coming
Fasr6eld) AL that Christian courtesy
He reached the station Just In time
see the train coming in sight around
- bend, finging showers Of sparks, q
plancing colored lights into the qul
dewy fields. There was q brief pau
:. then the train swept on again, and
n. Rev. Amos Dale was peering about
the dark, with near-aghted eyes, for
person he had come to meet. iit'i !
vi. A slight little woman, dressed IN d
n mounting, who had been the only r
,ho son to alight from the train, came
reS ward the door Of the waiting .roe
in | stopped, seeing him looking thus, I
~ then stepped timidly up to him.
to "Ah!"said the minister, ''is this n
ION Emily Paynee" spoke each "
out slowly and distinctly.
The sYes, SIR" was tho reply. IN q "a