Middletown transcript., 1883-01-26

1 6lUM1y r11A 4AODAAS5
goin', boss. But / say you amt man !;
YOU'RE steam-ingine, you are"
AS soon as the fellow had dragged
himself out of sight, John Paul took
mis- coat, and ff.33daiiHHg f..33daiiHHg en- en- inq4niry that
the girls name was Rachel, gave her
the message Of her aunt. He followed
her, at her request, to the house, where
he seated himself on the back veranda,
while Rachel, coat in hand, disappeared
in the kitchen.
In a few minutes she came out
g There is thy coat, friend, as good as
new it was ripped in the seam, not
torn, and-Oh dear There is that
vexatious Crumple in the garden
again.
Paul looked, and saw that a COW had
got into an enclosure not meant for
browsing ground, and volunteered to
get her out. 1t did not prove an easy
Job, however, and by the time he had
managed to overcome her lodges and
maneuvres, and finally got the brute
safely into the barn-yard, he saw the
farmer and his wife driving in, and
knew from her manner that Rachel was
telling them all about the fight. As he
came forward to reclaim his mended
coat, Mahlon Stacy met him with a
beaming countenance.
'Thee has placed me under obliga-
tion again, friend Paul, y he said. II
hear thee was obliged to resort to force.
1t is against the principles Of Friends,
but since thee had to do it, am glad
to learn thee did it well. A big man,
too, for think the one we met with
blood on his face was the one thee dealt
with.
''There was no trouble in handling
him, sir. The matter is not worth
speaking Of I am only too glad to
have been Of service to the young lady" "
With these words he moved off.
"Stay FRIEND" cried the farmer.
g If thee won't have compensation for
thy service, thee'n at least grant US
another favor, and take supper with
u.s."
The young man hesitated, but glanc-
ing at the woman, said: "I-I am not
in a fit condition for the table; I-''
"If that's ALL" eagerly rejoined
Mahlon, "we can arrange that. Come
with me.o And the young man was
speedily ushered into chamber, where
his host gave him shaving materials,
and left him, to hear more definite par
ticulars about the encounter, in which,
like many men Of peaceful habits, he
took deep interest.
At the supper table, John Paul, in
eyading minute inquiry, let them know
that he lived in New York when at
home, and gave them some account Of
the metropolis, of which they had
heard, but never seen, and did it in
plain and lucid way that showed he
kept his eyes open while he was tramp
ing.
After supper Mahlon Stacy and John
Paul sat on the veranda while the
woman-folk were clearing the table,
and the former, after two or three pre-
liminary hens, spoke his mind.
"Thee was looking for work, perhaps,
friend ~
"No, I can't say that L was"
"Thee would take job if thee could
get one, maybe ?'
"That depends on what it is"
Can thee NOW ?''
A smile broke over the young mans
face. "Not very well,n he said. II
did learn how to swing scythe once
when when I was on farm for a
month in the hay season but I'm not
an expert mower" ("
"That might come by practice,'' re-
Joined the farmer. "You see, my man
was obliged to leave me before the hay
was all made and when 1 met thee l
was going after some one to take his
place, and did not succeed. Thee might
be Of help if thee would, and | would
give thee fair wages. -
"Well, sir, it is new business for me
but I'll do the best can for you till
you can do better; and as for the wages,
we'll not differ on that"
Then thee'll stay here, and we'll
tackle the south field tomorrow ex-
claimed thefarmer, joyously. Naomi.
thee'll get a room ready for friend
} Paul. He's going to help with the
} hay.'
So John took service with MahloI
Stacy, or, as he put it to himself that
night, "I'm hired to Rachel's uncle, ,
and he laughed at the same time az
J though it were the funniest thing pos
sible.
The hay-making was over in three
days, but John, as they all called hin
: now, remained. He evidently knew
very little about farming, but tool
teaching kindly. He developed grea'
knowledge of horses, their needs ant
5 wants, and altogether Mahlon was sat
r isfed with his raw hand. The fourtl
day it rained so that outdoor work wa
/ stopped. The farmer and John sat il
. the kitchen, the farmer in rathe
g down-cast mood. John watched dRachel'
!: motions for some time, as she mOvet
a about gracefully, and then took bool
: which stood upon the shelf, and begal
$ reading. Mahlon smiled grimly.
S eff thee likes to read," he said
t "there's No Cross, No Crown AM
J, Barclays Apology in the sitting
T room. That is foolish book of poetr
b that Rachel delights in. But it can d
g no one any good. It is funny in parts
v though