The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-09-30

to readlin' all kind o books. with laruiu'
in them that set his mind II wandcrn'. afd
then somehow Harry was changed like.
and didn't care for our old-fa~hiobcd
ways; he wanted to 20 10 the big city.
and at last one day lie went
"Did he run away, uncle ! asked.
j" run away and leave You
Yes, he run away, Davy lravin' Inc and
mother; mother who loved him and who
used to pray for him every night until my
heart would get to bleedin' He run away
Davy. He didn't come to u like the lit
tie man he used 10 be, but lac stole away
one night 1t was just after harvcstn' time
and then, but he never writ to us-ncycr
to mothcr,"
The old man touched his eyes on his
apron and drew hard on his pipe.
All this was years ago, but | haven't
forgotten the deep impression il made on
me--his sad. worn face, which seemed 50
much more troubled than ever before
and the nervous twitching Of his hands
all of which scarcely realized then.
can see it all now; we two sitting there
in theold doorway the sun setting back Of
the old hills, and the long shadows streak
ting the road that fell away from the shop
into the valley below.
makes you feel so sad, Listen there are
the cows over at the Dcacons; they are
coming in for the milking"
lie paused and then went into the shop
He rakcd the Goals at the forge and coy
cred them up for the night | fancy he
did so that might not discover his All
tation.
"lie never writ to US" he presently re-
suncd, but, Joe Wheeler did. and When
that letter came which told US how Harry
Our little llarry-had been put in jail
Tor crime, it broke poor mother down
But we never knew what came of him.
Thar was nothin' we could do; we were
far away
"Oh, uncle, and you have never seen
him since that timc?' | asked feeling Il
great lump in his thoat,
"Seen him, Dayr? Seen him? The
world is wide and the years have been
long, but Davy-
He turned away from the forge and
came near to me.
"Davy, seed face last night out ON
the road thar that KEEP me awake till the
light came in my windcr this morning.
| seed face that's II bin CROWN and Il
CROWN on me it twant a ghost, Davy
but it was him, him my Harry,
1t was dusk when left Uncle Stanton
that evening. helped him close up the
blacksmith shop and walked with him
down the road To Joe Whceler's old house
where Uncle Stanton boarded, and when
started back again to my own humble
home | remember that | was 81 full of
thought that mother, who waited me any
iouSly, said
"Davy, didn't hear your happy wills
tie rs you came along what makes you 80
late, child?
How well | remember next day with its
drizZling rain and the wet leaves of the
big maple tree which were tossing again t
my little window when | awokc: had
slept very late, and while | made my has
~ dressing mother called me. Deacon
Grccncs rusty top buggy was standing al
the door when ! went down and the good
old man was telling piece of news that
had aroused the Center to an excitement
which was not forgotten to this very day.
Uncle Stanton was dead.
I'VE don't know how it all was, Davy."
he said turning to me. "Most likely it
was his heart that did it, You Sce-wcll,
it wouldn't have been an hour before cam
delight when Marthy Wheeler heard a
noise in Uncle Stanton's room, but afOra
she could get her fiNins on and get her
old bones up the stairs il was all over.
Uncle Stanton was on the floor, gone be
yond help. The window was open and
the little box he used to keep his money
i'll WAS gone"
And this is all th,t ever came of it.
Nothing was ever discovered; nothing was
learned Of the thief. But somehow or
other when think of that summer eve