Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-10-05

Wonderlngly.
/ Yes. they were to come to-day, :
said Hannah. "I received letter
from the lawyer last night"
How unfortunate said poor Kit
tie. AZ hoped to escape them. !
know I shan't be able to treat them
with common civility."
"But they haven't come,' said
Hannah, as the train steamed away,
leaving only an old man and dog on
the platform. IT suppose they
changed their minds"
81 am glad they did," said Kttie, as
she climbed into the wagon. ct hope
it may never be my lot to look upon
! the face of that hateful Ebenezer
Cranch."
The farmhouse was soon reached.
and the tears sprang to Kittie's eyes
as she noted the beauty of the fertile
fields stretching away on either side of
it, and the luxuriance of the shrubbery
in the garden. For she thought how
soon the place was to pass into the
hands Of strangers.
A Widespread table, loaded with
everything in the way of eating that
the farm could afford, awaited the
hungry travellers in the great cool
kitchen, where the large windows were
shaded by fragrant honeysuckle vines,
and the door screened from the sun by
stately elms nearly a century old.
But Kittie's brow contracted as
she saw that there were plates laid for
seven.
"You see, we fully expected Ebe-
nezer Cranch and his wife, said Mrs.
Wayne.
am not anxious to see the woman
who could marry Ebenezer Cranch, !"
said Kittie. "The man and the name
combined would be the death Of any
ordinary mortal"
When supper was over Earl went
out into the garden to smoke cigar,
leaving his wife to talk to her mother
and sister. And Kittie had plenty to
talk about, for it had been almost a
year since she had left home to take
charge of the district school near West
Canterbury. She was in the midst Of
an account Of her wedding when Earl
came suddenly in at the kitchen door.
The Cranches have come" he said,
abruptly.
"The Cranchesl'' repeated four femi-
nine voices in different tones Of sur
prise.
eyes; come into the parlor and see
them" said Earl.
Are they in the parlor? Did you
let them in? ?" asked Hannah. "I won
der how they happened to come at this
time. I know there is no train after
5 o'clock, and it is nearly seven
now"
"Oh, Leslie, what are they likep'
asked Kittie
The wife is very pretty lit le
woman" !" answered Earl. g But Ebene-
zer is great, ugly, awkward fellow"
laughing.
I knew it, cried Kittie. II had
an intuition that he would be like
that. You know I always said so,
Leslie"
"You'd better come into the parlor, !"
said Earl. "It isn't polite to leave
them alone so long," and he led the way
through the hall followed by the four
women.
"Where are they?' asked Kitty as
they entered the parlor for the room
was empty. "Oh, Leslie, how could
you hoax us SOP
Earl slipped his arm around his
wife's waist and drew her before a
large mirror which hung between the
two front windows.
This is Ebenezer Cranch's wife"
he said, nodding toward Kittie's reflec-
ton. aDon't you think her pretty
little woman? Bow to her and tell
her you're ashamed Of having abused
her So"
Leslie, what on earth do you
mean?" cried Kittie. Z Have you
gone crazy?'
Not in the least" said Earl. Sit
down and 7 will explain matters to
ycur entire satisfaction, I trust"
When they were all seated about
him he said:
my fathers name was Stephen
Earl, and was named Ebenezer Les
lie. after some revered ancestor, sup
pose. WhenI was only year old my
mother married Samuel Cranch, and
very naturally I was called by the
name Of my stepfather as I grew up.
We lived for several years on this
farm with Uncle Asa, and then my
father moved to Oregon. There he
deserted my mother, who died
a year later. I was old
enough then to appreciate the
wrongs she had suffered, and I prompt
ly dropped the name of the man had
learned to despise and hate, and took
my own. Inever had liked the name
Of Ebenezer, 50 thought I might as
well drop that, too. So 7 began again
aS ,aS1ia Earl and bavo I,oor ao1lod 60