Middletown transcript., 1883-01-26

"Thee reads remarkably well, John, z
said Mahlon.
"Poor creature ~ said Naomi. She
referred to the heroine, and not to
John.
Rachel said nothing, but her eyes
were 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 a new light suit. Mahlon made
no comments, but after breakfast asked
John if he would go with them to
Friends meeting, or to some other
place of worship, or would he stay at
home. We go to meeting, of course
but Rachel's father was Episcopal, and
Rachel goes there. Then there's the
Methodists and Presbyterians."
4" shall 60 to the Episcopal church, "
said John.
"Ah Well, we drop Rachel at the
cross-road always, and thee can get out
there"
So John walked from the getting-out
place to the church, which was a mis-
sionary chapel, where the rector of an
adjoining parish gave service every
alternate Sunday. There were few at
tendants, and the coming of fine
looking young man made sensation.
When service was over, however, and
they all came out, some one whispered
that the new conner was +" Mahlon
Stacy's hired man. and the sensation
died out.
Absalom Browning was waiting in
his buggy.
g Shall L drive thee home, Rachel ~
he asked.
{" Thank thee, no, Absalom, 1 came
in the carry-all with uncle and aunt,
and they'll stop for me at the corner. -"
Absalom walked alongside, however,
leading his horse and talking to Rachel,
and John fell behind. When they came
to the corner, Mahlon and his wife
were already there, and Absalom re-
newed his request. Rachel made no
demur, for Naomi said it would relieve
their horse with one less in. John
smiled to himself. The aunt favored
the counting.
The summer months came and went.
Absalom Browning came and went
once week, and sometimes twice, and
John Paul remained on the farm. He
grew to be favorite, and his activity
and physical strength, with his great
good-nature, made him popular with
the young men around. Absa1om did
not like him, however. With Rachel
he got along famously. She had been
his friend from the first, never forget
ting his opportune championship
Then he read so beautifully, and was
full of tales of adventure, for, accord
ing to his own account, he had Travelled
great deal. In his wanderings he
had picked up deal Of knowledge, too,
as leaked out bit by bit, and he bade
fair to make a good farmer, so the
farmer liked him, too. But Mahlon,
whose spirits had been getting lower
and lower, at length grew quite gloomy,
and his gloom was shared by his wife,
and even infected Rachel.
The cause of this trouble John Paul
learned one day from the talkative
clerk at the store where the Stacys'
dealt, and with it he got some Of the
family history. 1t appeared that Rachel
Taylor, the younger sister of Mahlon's
wife, had eloped and married with
Gordon Forsyth, gay and wealthy
young gentleman from New Y ork, who
had accidentally met and fallen in love
with her. Rachel had been "dis-
owned'' for marrying "out Of meet
ing,'' but worse followed. Forsyth,
who was on the downward course, soon
got tired Of his pretty wife, resumed his
dissipation, and was drowned while
drunk two years afterward, leaving his
widow with one-year-Old child
Rachel Forsyth did not long survive
her husband, who proved to have been
at his death bankrupt. He had man
aged to get Mahlon Stacy, who believed
in him, to become bondsman in a case
involving, it afterward turned out,
a questionable transaction. Mahlon
paid the Judgment, but was obliged to
mortgage the farm, which had been in
the Stacy family for four generations.
He adopted the little Rachel, sent her
to the West Town school to be edu-
Gated, and bit by bit accumulated money
sufficient to discharge the mortgage.
The bank in which he kept his savings
broke, and he not only lost his store,
but was unable to meet the interest fol
a year. The mortgage was in Other
hands-a rich New Yorker held it
and proceedings to foreclose had beer
begun. If Rachel married Absalom
Browning, who was rich himself and q
rich mans son, there would be no diff
Guilty. "They say that Rachel hangs
back, = concluded the clerk. 'Iraythel
guess she'll give in at last. That's the
way Mahlon I'll pull through, in my
Judgment. +"
John came home after hearing al
this. and found Absalom Browning
there. The young Quaker was got VI
quite smartly-in plain clothes, to bt
sure, but his shad-bellied coat was o.
the finest olive-colored broadcloth, ant
his broad-brimmed hat of the very best
beaver. He remained to supper, ant
was treated with marked consideration
by the farmer and his wife. Rache
seemed to be little embarrassed. JohI
glanced at her a little curiously, bu
she avoided his eye. The hired maj