Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-03-18


The first time saw Uncle Stanton
ne was standing at the open doorway
Il bis shop. rubbing his hands On !
leather apron. Els face was stained
with the black dust Of the forge, and
great beads Of perspiration rolled down
on his brow from under his confusion
Of hair hair 50 thick that / used to
wonder the possibility OF comb He
was short IN stature. with small fea-
ured face and restless blue eyes. He
was bent BY toll. and his careworn ex-
preston gave emphasis to nervous
habit Of twisting one corner of his
apron when no idled for while. He
was q shabby old man, but on d Sum
day &C was always called .'the Sabbath
at the Center" be would don
threadbare suit Of ill-fitting broadcloth
In which he was very i'll at ease.
Everybody about the Center-and for
that matter, everybody else FOR miles
away-knew him as "Uncle Stanton.
He was generally respected, and I
doubt Il there were any 50 well in
formed in the rise and decline Of the
old place. Yet he had not always
lived in the Center. Years ago when
Joe Wheeler died, there appeared to be
no one at hand 10 take his place at the
forge. Joe had built che shop in the
early days when the Center promised
to be much more than the pivot whose
radius was then marked by "KirBy
Run" and Deacon Greene's vineyard.
The dear old Deacon! can see him
now with his freclxled face, and hair as
red as the autumn color of the leaves
which used to fall from the big maple
tree IN front Of my old home. The
vineyard was on the side Of the hin,
steep enough to free it from stones
and brush, yet not 50 steep but the
Deacon could keep his foothold, and
work all through the hou summer days.
How often have seen him with his
head bObbing above the green leaves,
and how often have / heard him ask
for the folks at home, with Goods
blessing upon themr
Well, Joe had mended the wagons
and the ploughs. shod the horses and
been considered pretty handy for
many years, but it did not occur to
one that time would come when
Joe's tools would lie idle for the want
Of his hands to use them. Joe had
provided for this emergency. give
writ to Uncle Stanton. Marthy," he
said to his wife when he found himself
no longer able to rise. "He's sartin
sort Of man. and good one 10 take
hold Of the smithy. never seed
time when he missed the mark he
aimed at. and I've knOwed him, Mar
thy. powerful long while You see
we growed up together. he was on
common sharp. and likelier nine. but
I got the start somehow and went
away. and stanton's been trudging
along the same old rut
So il came about that four days after
Joe Wheeler had been put il the little
gard back Of the Methodist Church
whose steeplo covered with rusty tin
marked the Center for many miles, the
Biz. creeky doors Of the shop onca
moro swung open. the smoke OF the
forge was seen curling Out of tie tall
red chimney. and Uncle stanton CRATE
fuzzy welcomed bis liEst customer
we became acquainted easily enough.
ny frst VISIT at the shop was with
handsome gray Billy. who had cast
shoe. lean recall even now the noise
* lis hooEs As they clattered over the
oaken door. and the wonderment ex-
pressed il tie glance of bis noble.
bright eyes. a Uncle Stanton bent
down md critically examined Bis hool.
Bllly had great many friends. and /
believe Is was never decided which was
the hsskef animal. mine b the lean
dark bag which lhe nggEessive NJ.
Alnllsns ~ meat reddIsr constantly
lko1A
.&<.k 1888 S...1 s 44 49, ..s..s 81 g.