Morris tribune., 1881-03-31

we started. She expressed a preference
for black licorice, and I expended my mon
ey on that luxury, and shared it literally.
We came home hand in hand, and though
Hannah went over-shoe in mud and water
three times, she bore it with inimitable
good nature.
From that morning our friendship ma
tured rapidly. Sometimes Hannah was at
our house; sometimes I played in the Far
lev garrett: and sometimes when she had |
sore throat, and wore a preparation of lard |
and camphor- gum around it, we had per-
mission to play in Mrs. Farley's parlor
Whenever Hannah stole cookies and ginger
snaps for herself, she always laid in for me:
when Mary Sullivan made teas saucer pies
for me, carried them red-hot FROM the
oven to neighbor Farley's and Hannah and
l watched them cool with hearts that beat
as one, then while one-half the juice driz-
zled over my jacket the corresponding half
dripped on Hannah's apron. Hannah was
passionately fond of jooce!"
When school opened, Hannah and went
hand in hand, and stood by one another IN
days of adversely as well as days of pros
perity. Hannah being miserable scholar,
her days were mostly of adversely.
The months slipped away, and the years
grew apace. My father petitioned the town
authorities to fill up that mud-puddle In
in front of our house. The town authorities
gave every encouragement that the whole
| board" would be on the spot at an early
day, but we looked for them in vain. My
father made a second and third importantly
with like results. Then he pressed his
grievance upon their attention as gentlemen
and men of honor. AS gentlemen and men
of honor they gave their word that the mat
ter should be neglected no longer. We
lived upon that promise six months. Then
my father, grown irate, threatened to sue.
The board, becoming defiant, just wished
he would sue; they should like to see him
sue. At this retort my fathers feelings rose
to the summit of moral indignation; he
wouldn't sue; he scorned to lower himself
to quarrel with such men; but he would
pay no more taxes in that town; and ener-
getc preparations for our removal began.
Hannah and l were sitting upon the edge
of Mr. Farley's coal bin when l communi-
Gated to her my fathers decision. AS soon
as she saw l was in earnest she dropped
over upon the anthracite, and gave vent to
a flood of tears She declared that she
couldn't and wouldn't have me go. She
should die with lonesomeness, and she
wished she was dead A few tears of mine
drizzled over the bin and mingled with
Hannah's. Afterward she appeared rec
onciled, and manifested intense interest in
our preparations, obtruding her services at
our house until my mother declared she
should never be ready to go if that Farley
girl couldn't be kept at home.
The morning of our departure dawned at
last My father and mother went to the
depot, leaving me to follow, as had come,
on the last load of goods.
1t was an April morning succeeding a
orc fbo pf m fat tn =
er's mud-puddle ran high. Hannah sat
upon the old petunia mound by the gate,
sobbing. I raised her dropping form to
bid her farewell, pushed the hair from her
face, and gave her my last kiss She
clutched frantically at my jacket, but real
izing that delays are dangerous, l sprang
upon dry goods box in the wagon. The
horse, most severely afflicted with spring
halt, set off at fearful gallop. and we dis
appeared around the corner forever.
AS soon as circumstances would permit
addressed letter to Hannah, and soon re-
ceived reply of which the following is a
verbatim copy
My Dear George
now set down to let you know how !
am. l have had soar throat merely all the
time sence you Left Somebody has shot
our Cat School commences next week.
bred it. A new family has moved into your
House, there is too boys, Eddy and willy.
; If we never see each other again on urth
hope we may meet in heaven.
Yours Truly,
, HANNAH A. FARLEY.
! The letter also contained two blots and g
grease spot and was directed by Hannah's
! mother, wrong side up with care. I wrote
. her ouce more, but received no answer, 6
| failure which I attributed to her aversion tt
all literary labor rather than to any diminu.
= ton III the ardor of her affections.
f I attended school for the next three o.
four years, and then entered the wholesale
: mercantile business in the service of al
= uncle. l became a rising young man
Some of the time rose rapidly, as gaseous
a matter and young men between the ages OF
Is and % are in the habit of doing. Oul
f family also prospered. From three-ply il
9 our parlor we passed by easy stages through
: body Brussels to English Wilton, and We
t numbered the successors of Mary Sullivan
' by twos and by threes.
q Presently 1 arrived at that age wherea
e extremely witty people begin pointing at ;
n young man peculiarly sharp and origina
jests concerning the subject of matrimony
e At first the implication therein conveyed
that l had only to choose was gratifying tx
" my vanity; but by the time began to direc
any serious thoughts that way myself, 81
n much solid wit had become an insufferabl
e bore. There were girls in large quantities
J. and excellent qualities all around me, bu
S the thought of advancing to anything
= serious with any one of them always sug
" gested Hannah.
: My "reminiscences of Hannah were no
+, such that I could create an ideal feminin,
d character of her; but when a fellow has sa
!. in coal bin with a girl and taken alternate
sucks on as many Jackson balls as I hat
with Hannah, no subsequent experience
can ever entirely efface the impression.
e had a curiosity to know what Hannah hat
become. The surest way to satisfy thi
curiosity seemed to be to go and see her.
= accordingly went.
}. The girl was pretty. She had color ant
e frankness; she had grace and repose O.
manner. Her finger nails were scrupulous
r ly kept, root and crown, and her hair wa
9 glossy, as well as fashionably dressed
), The year we left town Hannah's mothc
o died; and after the pillows of aff1ictiol
e had surged over his soul about six months
:, Mr.. Farley again beheld the sun and took
n new wife. The new wife had taken infnit
o pains with her step daughter. The step
daughters present appearance, as compare,
b with her former condition, bore favorabl
: testimony for the lady's system. Hannal
a said that when we were children I ha,
S seemed like brother to her, and at ono
IS placed myself upon fraternal standing
n 1 INTERCEPTED her in regard to the occu
y pauts of my old home, and she finally con
g fded to me that she was engaged to tn
younger Wetherbee, the willy" for he
letter,
Iafterward saw him, and could but inward
Y ly applaud the discrimination that led he
even in childhood, to begin his name with
: small letter. He was an individual of from
I ITO to lis pounds weight, though what Their
n was of him was drawn out and judiciousl,
j distributed with view to making the mos
d of Strengthened circumstances. There ma,
: be no more ink in an exclamation poin
e than in vowel, but it is better adapted Il
a attract attention. AS to color, energy, ant
: vivacity, Hannah had enough to suppl,
I three just like him. Hannah's soon per
: ceived, was the philosophical form of en-
g gagged life. One evening when we went II
! walk, she said to me-
~ " Mr. Wothorbao hoe bic Faults. M IN.