The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-02-17

| AENoEH0N-
The GRAuMAR KING.-My father vas born
on the farm nov owned BY G.. W. shober'
on the dreamy banks OF Buffalo Greek It
must have been near hundred years ago
but OF the precise time no man knoEeth,
and he himself seemed to have forgotten II.
He WAS OF Amish parentage, au honest,
frugal race. who then believed that even
the little learning within the reach OF the
early settlers. was a dangerous thing As
nearly the whole population OF che Broth
ers Valley were Germans from eastern
PeunsyIvania, the use and study OF the
English language found bat little encour'
agement. With these surroundings II IS
not surprising that, at the age OF eighteen.
when many nowadays commence teaching
he could scarcely read English, or speak II
so As to make himself understood The
correct thing for him would have been to be
a barefoot boy and 20 upon the towpath, out
he came too soon for tnat, as there was then
no canal. no railroad. nor even so much as
a turnpike in the county. Il was clear
enough that greatness would never be thrust
upon him and that he could achies 1t IN
any way seemed equally remote and lmproor
able. But who can look into the seeds OF
time, and say which grain viii grow, and
\ which will not" The ignorant youth, who
had never 50 much as heard Of nouns and
verbs. or fed on the dainties which are
bred in a book, was child of destiny for
it was he who in after life became the far
famed Grammar King.
The literature of farmhouse in those
davs seldom consisted Of more than bible
and hymn book. prayer-hook and the
almanac The bible was then read with
more diligence probably than at present.
The almanac was constantly referred to for
the changes of the moon and the weather,
and the moon for the proper seasons for the
various operations of the farm and house-
hold economy. Coming events were care
fully traced by the aid Of numerous signs
and tokens, and the study Of lucky and I'M
lucky days was by no means neglected.
Moreover. the folklore was largely made mp
of witch aud ghost stories imported from the
banks of the Rhine. and the cid Pennsylva-
MIA homes, wild, but fascinating and enjoy
able withal. especially when cracked with
nuts. or munched with apples and cider
round a log ire in the great chimneys then
in use NY lot was cast with a later gener-
alton, but in community where the old
time customs vet fingered. and the old fire
side tales, with the later additions. formed
part Of many an evenings entertainment
One occasion | remember well, though It
was nearly sixty years ago. Many wonder
ful things had been related by one and
another, when John SUNNY capped the
climax with a genuine witeh-story. a leaf
from MS personal experience. John sum
nv. famous for the weird and supernatural
some of my Elkliek friends must remem-
Der him, and will cestify that his real name
was John, and not ARsnias, and as tar as !
know be had never done anything TO make
him ashamed of it.
He said that, when he was yet young
man, ne had stopped one evening at the
house of woman, who lived with her fam
lily on the ragged edge Of the settlement
After entertaining him with genuine coGn-
try hospitality she strongly urged him to
remain over night, as 1t was getting late.
When be arose 70 depart, he saw a shade Of
displeasure pass over her eountenance; new
ertheless be continued his journey, and
thought no more about iJ. There had been
fresh fall of snow, bat the sky was serene.
and the round orb of the moon had already
scaled the eastern horizon. dis pathway
led through anarrow belt Of timber, beyond
which lay an old clearing no longer enclos- 7
ed for cultivation. Upon entering this he
heard peculiar noise overhead, and saw
reflected. between earth and sky, the wIite /
wings of a large hock Of ducGs, which .
wheeled around him, and yocIierating Loud I
lv alighted on a hiIioek not far from where 4.
be was standing He had not brought his
gun with him, but managed 10 mad club,
which be hurled towards them With all hIs
force. upon which they instantly dissppea7-
ed. and the scene was once more quiet Is
chureh-vard. Their was evidently some
thing uncanny about the business and
moreover he did not know but there might
be still worse in store for him. Walking now
more rapidly than before. he soon arrived at
the outskirts Of tract 0i forest.
The path was plain enough, outlined
As il was in the clear moonlight; bat he bad
scarcely left the clearing when it suddenly
became dark a. Erebus. and there arose all
around him the dismal wall Of a regiment ,
of eats, Of every age. sex and condition. ap-
in great distress Of mind Instant
" be felt every particular hair bristiing
,hivered As with an ague-fit. Just then, If
ne had been put TO il, be would readily have
AIKEN an oath that he would never deny
xoman again What If he should himself
De transformed into a cat, and be Obliged TO
st his victusls uncooked all the rest of his
1orn days2 Ordinarily, presence Of mind is
rood but what he wanted then was absence
IF body He longed TO sing the glad song
If deliverance anywhere, though it were
thousand miles away. Now there Is az in
tiQCt IN every bnfiir tudt runs. VI Nlccfrs VI
lies, meant TO serve IN time OF danger. Re-
nembering that the better part OF valor is
Iiscretion,' and yielding 10 the .lnpulse, be
ct his cowardly legs run away with him.
nd never stopped I'LL be had left the haunt !
q forest long distance behind him. Next
morning he returned to view at leisure, by Z
be daxn's early light. the ground be had
assed over 50 hHrriedly the night before. e
he forest was there, ani:the clear land be-
ond it, and the club he bad hurled still l
ticking in the snow but no other sign Of :
ny living thing, except his own footsteps :
. sparseIy distributed along the path bebad >
-aversed in his fight Now, John SUNNY
id not say the woman was witch. No
lore 20 / /; but Bles. me. it IS almost
,idnight. and I must TO bedl Pleasans b
reams, UScLE JOE. 2