Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-11-12
THE OLD SLEIGH.
elizabeth
taCominpu

"Lizabethp'
Coming"
"Therc, mother, old speckle has re-
turned thanks at last" holding up a
plump, white egg that would do credit
to any queen of the poultry yard.
"Wcll, l alters said that hen was
thankful for past mercies, though your
father would laugh every time I said so.
Liddy Stephens has jest been here. She
wanted to see you, but you was gone so
long, thought you must be down to
Miss Pennclrs."
eyes, met her as she came through
the yaid.'
"she didn't tell you the news, did
she2"
'She told me Will Marston had re-
turned from California"
at does beat all bout that boy Seems
Jest like the piece o poetry you read
sometimes about the feller that went off
and stayed SO many years, and then come
back and took his mother out o the
poor-housc-only it's the father this
time. The very worst of the deacon's
six, it called him, and that's jest what
Win was then Inever believed he had
anything to do with that scrape down o
the village. Liddy says he is terribly
rich, and is going to take care Of his
father. The deacon must be glad, for
guess he stayed with Caleb most as long
as he can comfortably. They say he's
going to marry Sam Mller's daughter
Ruth. You see, when Bob Miller went
cut the for his health, Viii found him
out and done little kindnesscs for him, and
when he was too sick to write home,
viii wrote for him Part O. the time
Sam was sick hisself, so Ruth answered
the letters, and he fell ia love with hel
in that way. There didn't anybody but
the ssIuacor, and the Rtiiers Know ne yvsss
coming. Sam drove down to the
depot aud carried him up to Caleb's
Guess they was some surprised to sec
him."
There is no knowing how long Mrs
Allen would have gone on, her tongue
keeping time to the busy click clacll o
her knecdles, had not Mr. Aliens steI
sounded on the walk.
L zabeth never talked much, and tho
mother did not mind her silence to.
night. A slight quivcr about the sensi
tive mouth alone told how keenly the
words were felt, and the sigh of relic
which escaped at the welcome sound o
her fathers voice was lost in the nois,
made as he entered stamping the snow
from his boots.
"Why, father, does it snow2 l beer
so busy talking | hain't thought to lool
out of the window for some time"
eyes, it's begun to come down righ
smart; shouldn't wonder if it was goo(
sleighing by tomorrow"
"You don't think it's going to be
long storm2"
Mrs. Aliens face had an anxious ex
preston as she asked the question, 70
a long storm meant days of exile TO
her
"No, sh'll be surprised if it dom
clear up by Tomorrow noon-so's Liza
beth and l can take ride to the village
that'l be treat, won't it, darter?" an,
the smile that lighted up his daughter
face pleased him better than any answe
could have done.
"Guess I'll get the old sleigh out Be
Smart's been down to the city and h
says he saw lots jest like it; it's fv
years since Isent Jim down to the vii
lage for the new one, and it's never bee
out since. Pm glad it's come int
fashion again, for never enjoyed my
self complete IN the new one-alway
felt little above my station, and Far
mer Aliens laugh rang through the oil
sitting room at the fitness of his re
mark.
"Well, 'Lizabeth, you get supper o
the tab.e, and I'll tell father the new
while he warns his feet. He's ben dow
to the wood lot all the afternoon, an
hain't heard nothing of the strans
things that has ben happening u
here"
Having arranged things to her sati,
faction, the stockings, Mrs Allen ha,
dropped on the entrance of her husband
continued to grow under her deft fingers
while the news lost none of its interes
with repetition.
That night, after 'Lizabeth had take
her candle and said good night, Nj
Allen sat for some time looking at tn
fire, then suddenly broke out:
Mother, don't you think 'Lizabct
looks kind o peaked latelyl The
she don't seem to eat as much 9
usual"
There, father, you're always frettin
bout that girl. | don't know wha
you'd done if you'd had six, like YOU
brother Jonathan"
81 didn't know but the news abor
Will might affect her some. 70
know they used to think so much Of cas-
other"
'NIaasy, father! That was years an
years ago, when they were children
'Lizabeth's too sensible a girl to let
feiier hike viii Marston to disturb hel