The Hazlehurst signal., 1884-04-17

SophrOnia and her mother, VINO rc-
solved between themselves tO 'git as
much out OF pa as we can while hos In
humOr. for he amt so very often"
Mr.. Crane drew M Ia the station nj
train.time on "Wednesday, taking great
care not To damage his freshly painted
wheels He watched the incoming train
with the interest always belonging tn
those living at some distance from any
hallway. listened to the gong which
noisly assisted in proclalming twenty
minutes for dinner. and then became so
much absorbed in the arrangement OF
sundry parcels in his wagon-for his
wife had made out rather more COM
prchcnsive list of small groceries than
suited him that he was quite taken 10y
surprise when somebody stood beside
him with a
"Why. Mr.. Crane. i this you?"
WHY. Jcdge Ransom!" he eN
claimed. vigorously shaking his offered
hand. well. ii YOU hain't the last
man cal lated to see! Been in these
parts long?'
"No. Just come"
"Lelt your folks ali well. 1 hopc?"
THEY'RE all here e-sce'N
"Well, IL this don't beat air. said
Mr. Crane, walking towards them with
the Judge. Hope sea YOU well, Mis-
Ransom. m all the young folks. too,
but I've no call to ask about them
they ~ all growed like weeds. Travc'lin'
fur TO-DAY, Jedgc?"
- Mr.. Crane!" said Mr>. Ransom.
'arc my aunt>. Miss Percy and her sis.
ter. ut your housc?'
AT nay house? No. haven't seen
'em."
strange! They could not have re-.
ceivcd my card. then. I'm SURF they
would have been there II they had"
That's goOd"' said one of the
younger members ~ the family. "Now
We can 90 ON and meet the Parkcrs at
the Sca-Shorc.'
4 very animated discussion ensucl.
during which Mr.. Crane stood II little
10 one side. calculating in his mind
how the party could best bc divided in
To two loads for transportation To his
house. Then with shout the little
boys. with the nurse, returned 10 the
ear they had left.
Mrs Ransom. with plcasant-"Re-
member III kindly to Mrs Crane and
Mss SOphronia. followed. while the
judge. Just n the diners at the station
were also rcsuming their seats, made u
rush for the other end of the platform.
and hastily began re-chccking the bag.
gage which had been put OH
Mr.. Gran, went after him, with n
face which hal suddenly turncl blank
al the entrance Of n dismal doubt in his
mind. and which grew yet blanker as
the doubt rapidly took ON more and
more of terrible certainty.
"Why. look a'herr" he half gasped
~ the Judge saw the last trunk rc-
shipped, and just ~ the conductor
called "All aboard turned To him
with goOd.by expression on his face.
"Why-l thought | mean, we un-
dcrstOOd that is / had n notion. YOU
kncw.-when | seen you all. YOU might
bc a-comin' 10 make VI little visit"
"Wcll." said the judge. talking rap
idly. "wc had some thought of taking
you bv storm. AMI Mrs. Ransom wrotc
Ia her aunts Ia meet III at your house,
and il they had been there, Of course va
should have gone. hut since then the
Young folks have hcar,l from some
friends at the shore who urge u 20 20
there. so they want To 20 and your
happening to be here to-day. letting u
know the ladies were not with YOU, eN-
acily fixes things 50 that We can go on.
Good.bye, SIR
lie sprang uron the already moving
train, and Mr.. Crane stood open.
mouthcd, gazing after il rs ii pitilessly
>hricked and pulled on its noisy way
Out Of sight.
The song of the birds. the whispering
ot the winds in the trees. and the ripple
Of the little trout stream, had recently
developed hitherto unthought of charms
in Mr.. Cranes estimation. in view of
the fact of their being indirectly con-
vertible into dollars and cents through
the attraction they possessed for others.
hut their beauty had all departed ~
he slowly took his homcwarl way, dis
mally figuring up u long column in
which items Of grocrrics. carprting.
dishes and bedding stood prominent,
for the use of which he had now no
prospect Of charging any one at a profit
Of three or four hundred per cent.
"kecpin' poSto.llce amt no such pay
in business after all ~ was his sorrow
ful conclusion in the mater. "Ef that
kcard hadn't a-come. Phrony wouldn't
a. read IL. n the old folks al a.bcen
down n shouldn't a-goue to the de-
pot. N t'other folks vi a.been up.
'lt's strange how some folks good
luck does Hop over just afore its to EN-.
wish Phr0ny ii let that keard alone"
-SydIaey Ddyrc, rm lOa!h's CompdH-