Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-04-02

VI 10 letch her TO singing school o
aa''ay night meeting, then. STRANGER W,
Aaowed the first trouble of our lives
pnehoW we grew cold like, and befor,
- year was ended we did not speak
'He night Jim and | met at her house
was seventeen then, and Jim was Owe
1snteen and as big as a man. He had
saru, almost, and he was as handsom,
y picture. He didn't know that wa,
aere' or ! don't think he'd a called.
~a oeen there about an hour, and lust
Vlorc the knocker sounded Phillis had
~ me the old story we all Of us love t.
r'ar SO well, and | felt as happy and
Sht-heartcd as a lark. When Jim came
ana saw US sitting in the little old par.
\ he seemed to know Just what had
PPenod like a flash. For moment
sought he'd do something he'd regret
snetlme His face got 50 black and
'llen and his eyes got ugly. PhiIIis saw
too, soon as l did.
Jim, said She, her voice trembling
" little. Jim, want you and Bob
9shake hands and be friends
Then got up and held out my hand
ough, to tell the truth, | felt sort of
tvous.
JIM she went on, her voice get
ag stronger and her face getting sweet
ana sweetcr. i want you to love Bob
gam just as you used to, because be
.ase-l love him so much. Won't you,
an' for-my sake.
l wish you could have seen Jim lust
zen, stranger. Inever saw the good in
man fight so hard with the bad and
'ne out ahead in all my life before or
pee and never expect to again. He
sod there by the open window Just as
ned been carved out of stone. didn't
cow whether he'd heard what She said
mot, nc was 50 still. Then Just as l
about to take back my hand jim
1S 1t in both Of his so hard ] almost
lepped. Then he threw his arms
sand my neck, kissed me on my lips,
sped down on chair, stranger, and
% like baby. Phillis, the little
'nan, cried too, and there we all were
sFA our arms around each other crying
! women and not any of US knowing
sat we was crying about.
That settled things withsus. After
4 we was brother. just like we used to
I Well, it's Ions story, and / guess
s.svon't care to hear it all. So I'll cut
'ssi0fr. Nhen was twenty-one l was
auied. Jim was our best man. and nv
dest boy is named james Churchill
own. About "A year or 50 later jim
rrled. She was a cripple and sup
rted her mother doing sewing. But
she had been a royal princess jim
aldn't have treated her any better.
tier he got on the road he built her a
tile house near US and there they lived
ID there these little tots came into the
wild. About a year ago a little boy
cue to their cottage, but he only stayed
aiay or so, and when he went back to
we're he came from he took the little
nther back too, and these little ones
PEe left behind. Jim never lost heart
0ugh, but the blow nearly killed him.
3 stood up under it as brave as a lion.
ad you'd never have known from his
lee except that he didn't smile the wav
D used to, that he knew what sorrow
vs. One evening last week-it was an
eday with Jim-he and Phillis was ont
viking by the creek that runs through
7 meadow by the red barn. 1t was
" dusk and my little boy was running
Nahead playing in the snow when they
ac to the railroad crossing. Just as
y got there jim heard whistle. II
.@nt time for the regular train, so he
~nt watching for danger. 1t was a
4cal and it was coming round the
ave like lightning. My little jim was
r!lng on the culvcrt. Phillis heard the
%slle, she saw the boy on the track,
!. q heard the rattle of the engine just as
y was dream. Then She gave a little
yam and fell down on the road in a
.fat-,
East Creek" called out the conduct
as the train stopped again in the
Oh! Uncle Bobl" cried the little
'slen by my side. "Look out the
sl0w There's Aunt Phillis and cous-
I ,n and there's grandpa and grandma
4, Iiia. a iunny long black wagon that
LOOK Look" she continued as the
/. 'l gathered together his charges and
eu ior the door. "They are putting
- aack box in the wagon, and Aunt |
sl' IS crying awful hard"
IS replied the farmer as he brush |
N. 'ay =. tear from his eyes. Eyes,
b. : 'm Churchill, stranger, in that
Denlam'a NortErop IN Graphic.