Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-03-14
A RUSTIC COMEDY.

III inc SNINEEllllEs lpl l't H. AllNtsi'll u u
NOrthumbran village ui Blackford ther,
was. half century ago. only one comfort
able booking binding Ou any gusly daS
in November. when the very trees uu the
hilltnp> seemed tu have IHrurd their shIv
ering backs tu the breeze that whlstled
through their branches and whirled away
the red tinted leaves in "a madrap dance
the Red Lion inn stood alone. with it,
comfortable ONcrCuat of imprrN lou,
thatch. retained lis aspect of quirI com
fort and toward evening the ruddy glare
Of its kitchen fire prrsSluGly inv lied the
toll worn cOtterS to for~akr their sculding
4 wives and hrawIjng children. their ecauty
fires and drasty houses. and enIuN It's CoIn
Portable warmth. And often at the SAINT
time there would he a hight al one uf the
two attic windows that pcrrrd ont from
the roof like pair of open gray eyes from
under lids Of thatCh For one of these
/ attic rooms was the faSurIlt resort OF
Adam Black, the thriving publican "f
. BlaCkturd He was greatly liked and re
spected IN BuCkfurd The worst that
could be said Of him was that hc was
rather hard and as a matter of fact there
! was little Of suitnvs> in his nature
In domestic life Adam was a martluet.
! He ruled his son, ,Alcck his red haired scrv-
ant. Bet. and even his niece, Kitty, with n
rod Of iron. Prompt obedience was the uu-
written law Of the household Oul! Kitty.
besides being the smartest, prrtticst, and
[ Cleverest girl in BlaCkford WAS 80 way
ward and spirited that not even her uncle,
who liked her better than ne liked any
/ body else in the world, was able to keep
/ her entirely under control
II WAS a great grief to Adam when he
/ found out that Kitty was in mood to
! throw herself away upon Willie Allan.
/ Not that re disliked Willie-nobody could
/ do that-but he thought him unlikely Ia
/ be a good husband, that Is, a thriving one,
/ able to keep his family comfortable.
! 1t was, therefore, not without reason
/ that Adam was set against his niece tax
ing up with Willie lie considered il
would tie throwing herself away. And he
believed that he possessed a powerful in
strument for enforcing his own view, for
he had full command of kilty's little
fortune-sometnInE ike 4IcO-lrft her by
her father. Adams elder brother, who had
preceded him in the occupation of the
Red Lion" Whatever it amounted to it
was all in the big box that stood in
Adams favorite attic room, for he had a
deep-rooted suspicion of banks, and, like
many other couatry folks Of that time,
held that his savings could not be safer
than under his own lock and key.
IF you marry Allan" h" said to Kitty,
and she knew that No nice srruples about
right or wrong would hinder him from
keeping his word. not a penny will you
get from me"
The truth was that he had quite another
l., 4. oil.
look beyond his son. AleCk, True, they
were cousins. but the prejudice against
cousins marrying was not strong IN the
neIgnborhood, and, then, what advantages
there were, Kate was a splendid man
ager, and Alrck. though he had not his
fathers spirit and cIeverne~s. was hard
worker and very Clreful-too care
full, some people said. for whereas his
father WAS only keen and saving. he Wa,
as mean and hard aS mjser. And &C
cordinEly, he spared no effort to enforce
his will. 50 that poor KITTY had hard
time of II, what. with her UnCle's threats
and the no more agreeable persuasinns OF
her money -grubbIuE >I!tuT. Yet she was
Tar too spirited to yield. and in her inmost
mind was resolved 10 have both the sweet
heart and the money. for who needed il
II was no fault i'll her eyes that her
lover cared nothing whatever for her for
tune, though she would scold and rate
him well for his Indifference. one winter
night. as she was returning from neigh
boring village. about three miles of, 10
which she had been sent by her uncle.
Willie qui'e accidentally met her. and
they had a happy walk homeward along
a lane, on the snow covering of which the
moonlight fell fair and softly, making the
hard wheel tracks glitter, and si.veriug
the half-b!ack, half-whitened hrdgerows.
Willie never before had seemed so true
aud earnest and loyal As Kitty poured
into his ear the story of her persecution.
Never mind, lass" he said, let him
keep the money. I've little, but I'm not
in debt, and if you'll but promise
to come TO the croft. ILl-yeS. Kitty-lll
sell every live thing have, and work day
and night for yuu-'
NO, no, Willie. there is no use for that,
but do you think I'll give up my riliIts to
please that wretChed AleCk' Its just
what he wants for me 10 marry you and
leave everything to him. He would he
pleased to see me quarrel with
uncle. for it's not me, but the money
he wants. But if he proposes again, do
You know, I've a good mind to take him
at his word, just out Of spite. That's the
worst could do to him"
Whist. whist" Willie interrupted her
with. you re jokin', lass, but dinna like
it. Say anything but that. You would
never leave me- for bit Of dirty gold"
would not" queried Kitty, who was
an incorrigiDle tease; "you'll maybe see
me make "A runaway match of il; aye, and
glad you would be after awhile 10 get
quit Of me But here's the door. If I'm
not away. III maybe he in the wood on
Sunday night" and she was off. leaving
Willie TO 20 home 50 thoughtful that he
quite forgot to feed his tame fox until
wakened in the night by its yelping
thing that had never happened III his lifr
before.
Business was very dull in the Red
Lion" next afternoon, and Adam retired
to his attic room. where Kitty had
cheerful fire. before which she sat knit
ting Adam referred TO Willie Allan with
a moderation and impresslvenesS his niece
had not expected to find. BARN" he
said. veil rue lifetime if We marry a
man like that 1t might be a rine twelve .
month, but after he'll get worse than
ever. and the work and anxiety II all fall
on you Better take man like Aleck. .
that you can depend Oh to keep yOu com
Portable. than one like Allan, thatll eN-
pect you to take care o him"
~Ah," replied Kitty. had Aleck been
the man his father is, | would never
have looked to another, but | can not
trust him
That's where you're wrong, lass
Sandy's a well bred lad, both on the
mothers side and the fathers There's !
not a better bred lad in Blackford. and .
blood is sure to tell. He may be quiet
but he's game. warrant you. / coulG .
.rr,.t lin, ,,-it Ii I'll LlNI. "