Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-01-05
az that.s III eaaellI- raioinea Nab.


'.lf that's all, eagerly rejoined NAH
hon, eve can arrange that. Come. with
me, And the young man was speedily
ushered into chamber, where his host
gave him shaving materials. and left
him, to hear more definite particulars
about the encounter, nWhieh. ~ like
many men Of peaceful habits, -he<took
deep interest.
At the supper table, John Paul, in
evading minute inquiry. let them know
that he lived in New York when at home,
and gave them Some account Of tho
metropolis, Of which they had heard,
but never seen, and did it in a plain and
lucid way that showed he kept his eyes
open during his tramping, II & :,
After supper Mahlon Stacy and John
Paulsat on the Eeranda while the women
folk were clearing the table, and the
former, after two or three preliminary
hens, spoke his mind
Thee was looking for work, per-
haps, friend?"
Mo, Ican,tsaY that / WAS. -
Thee would take a job if theezeeald
get one, maybee' Is To r9r M
''ffiat depends on wtatit is
''Can thee mow?n
a smile broke over the Young man 5
face. Not very well, = he saftf T did
learn how TO swing "a seythe once
when~I--when I was 4eH a. farm for a
month in the hay season; but LIN not
an expert mower. 5s4..s 3a.sg
That might come by practice re-
Joined the farmer. you see, my man
al I. 81
was all madc-and when Imet thee
was going after some one to take his
place, and did not succeed. Thee might
be-of heipif tree-wuufcf, and wo1frf
give thee fair Wages. 40. 90. esETys
s'Weil, SIP, ii is now bHsiness for me;
but III do the best | can for YOU TIL YOU
can do better; and as for the wages,
We'll not differ on that. .#s
Then theelll stayz herey7 and we Ii
tackle the south field tomorrow. laex-s'
claimed the farmer, joyously. "Naomi,
thee II get room ready for friend Paul.
He's going to help with the hay.'
So John took service with Mahlm-
Stacy, or, as he put it to himself that
night, Il IN hired TO Rachers uncle, .
and he laughed at the same time as
though it We're the funniest thing pos
sible.
The haY=makipg Was over in three
days. but John, as they -allrcalled him
now, remained. He evidently knew
very little about farming, but took
teac hing kindly. He developed a great
knowledge of hcrses, their, needs and
wants, and altogether Mahlon was salts
fed with his raw hand The fourth day.
it rained so that outdoor work WIS
topped. The farmer and John sat in
the kitchen, the farmeri in u rather
downcast mood. John watched Rachel's
motions for SOME time, as she moved
about gracefully, and then took book
which lay upon the shelf, and began
reading. Mahlon smiled grimIy.-
If thee likes to read, he said, there
isANo Gross, No CfoWB, and Barclays
Apo7ogy inthe sitting-room. Thatsis a
foolish book of poetry that Rachel de-
lights in: But 1T can dg-no- one any
good. 1t is funpy@in parts, though
1t was Hood $, Poems I''Somc Of this
is by no means funny" said John, ''the
Bridge of Signs, for stance"
Il don't remember. win thee read
it out?n
John read the poem, and in a way
that no one there had heard read it
with feeling and force. 2
"Thee reads remarkably well, John, =
said Mahlon.
Poor creature" said Naomi. She
referred to the heroine, and not to John
Rachel said nothing, but bier yeyes
We're full of tears.
On Saturday John got two hours
leave Of absence, and returned with a
bundle, which he carried to his room.
The next day he came down to break
fast in Il new light suit. NfafTfon narte-
no comments, bur after breakfast asked
John if he would 90 with them to
Friends meeting, or to some other place
OF worship, or would stay at home.
We 90 TO meeting, of course; but
Rachels' father was Piscopal, and
Rachel goes there. Then there's the
Meth0dists and Presbyterians.
~ SHAH 90 to the Episcopal church,
said John.
AN Well, we drop Rachel at the
cr6s=-road always, and thee can get out
there - = T. =
So John walked from the getting-out
place to the church, which was mis-
sionary chapel. where the rector of an
parish gave service every
alternate Sunday There were few at
tendants, and the coming of a iine-iook-
ing young man made a sensation. !
When service was over, however, and
they all came ont, some one whispered
that the new conner was "'Mahlon Stacys
hired man, and the sensation died out.
Absalom Browning was waiting in
his buggy
"Shall | drive thee home, Rachel?"
he asked.
Thank thee, no. Absalom. / came
in the carly-all with uncle and aunt,
and they'll stop for me at the corner"
ITO he concluded. navt week I