Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-07-10
A R0YkRla LreK,
The Rontantic Story Of . Ches.
Ter County Lady's E=sspale.
Philadelphia Record.

| fhila0olpnla RECORD.
A few days ago an old man paid hi
last dollar for ticket from this city
to Limerick in Montgomery county
His long hair had been prematurely
whitened by the frosts Of fifty years
His coat was threadbare and shabby
Arriving at Limerick, he sturdily
tramped out the Vincent road, through
the long old bridge. up the rugged
mountain road, until he reached the
tavern Of the Seven Stars, overlooking
the lovely valley of the Schuylkill.
Under the sheltering porch of the
antiquated tavern the old man seated
himself, and was for a long while appa-
rently engrossed in melancholy thought
The tavern keeper, jolly and rotund,
was puzzled. His ancient looking
guest called for nothing, said nothing,
and appeared to have settled into a
do.nothing way for the day. After a
long while he asked abruptly:
Landlord, who lives over there?"
pointing to pretty farm house EN-
powered in a grove of chestnut and
willow trees.
THAT" said the tavern keeper, SIS
John r. Miller's place"
The strangers lips trempbled as he
gazed a moment over the rich fields of
ripening grain to the stone farm house,
and then said eagerly:
And the old man, Henry Miller,
where is he?"
I'm heaven, [ hope" was the reply.
Hes been dead these five years"
The wanderers head fell upon his
breast. He said nothing for fully five
minutes, and then, getting upon his
feet, he said slowly, Landlord, it's
been thirty years since | left this
place. | never saw my father since l
was seventeen years old. And SO the
old mans dead. And then the land
lord knew that he was talking to
Josiah Millar, whose escapades and
fight from the valley over q quarter Of
century before had become legend
of the neigkborhood. Henry Miller
in those days was counted one of the
best farmers in the township. His
broad acres we're the talk of northern
Chester county. He was rich and
respected. Josiah was his favorite
son, and was known as the most prom
Using lad in all the country about.
The lad was little headstrong, fond
of society, and was looked upon BY the
young ladies with especial favor. The
father objected to his intimacy with
one of the bellies of the section, Miss
Deborah Sleichler. She was, how
ever, older than the scapegrace, and
the old man did Rot like her. He
told Josiah so. As might be expected,
it soon transpired that Deborah
and Josiah loved too well, and not
within the statutes made and provided
by the commonwealth. There was a
terrible scene between father and son
when this was discovered. Josiah left
home that night thirty years ago, and
never returned until he came back to
be told that his father was dead. He
became a rolling stone that gathered
no moss. He lived a precarious, hand
to mouth existence, some times in
luck, with money and friends plenty,
sometimes without either. His six
brothers, in the meantime, grew up.
receiving the paternal blessing and a
start in life, but the black sheep gave
no sign. Deborah married a gentle
man from Reading, and now lives in
that city. With the in6rmities of age
there came to Josiah a great desire to
return home. He knew nothing OF
those whom he had left in the home.
stead. The old gentleman did not
forget his hayward son in his will, and
Josiah was left an equal share with
the other chill rem. He remained at
the tavern of the Seven Stars for some
days fully establishing his identity, and
has gotten his share Of the estate, with
which he proposes to settle down at
Safe Harder, Lancaster county, and
cultivate tobacco on farm be has pur-
ohaaad