The Republican journal., 1886-11-11
The Old Sleigh.

There, mother, Old Sprecklc has returned
thanks at last holding up plump white egg
that would do credit 10 the queen of any poul-
try yard.
"Wcll, alters said that hen was thankful for
past merces, though your father would laugh
every time said 50. lildy Stephens has jest
been here; She wanted TO see You, but you was
gone 50 long that | thought you must be down
to Mis- PcnneIr>."
"Ycs, l met her IL, She came through the
yard"
''Shc didn't tell you the news. did >he:"
'.>he told me Will Marston had returned
from California;
at does beat all bout that boy-secms jest
like the piece O poetry you read sometimes
about the fcllcr that went off and stayed 50
many years and then come back and took his
mother out o the poorhouse-only its the
father this time. The very worst of the
dcacon- six it called him, and that's lest what
Will WAS then. | never believed he had any
thing to do with that scrapc down to the
village. Diddy SAYS he's terribly rich and is
going to take care of his father: the deacon
must be glad, for | guess he's stayed with
Caleb most as long as he can comfortably.
darter Ruth. You see, when Bob Miller went
ont there for his health Will found him ont and
done little kindness for him. and when he was
too sick to write home VIII wrote for him
Part o the time sam was sick hi>>elf Ruth
answered the letters and he fell in love with
her in that way. There didn't ANYBODY but the
deacon and the Miers know he was coming
sam drove down to the depot and carried him
up to Nalcb>. Guess they We're surprised to
see him..
There was no knowing how long Mrs. Nlcn
would have gone ON. her tongue Keeping time
to the busy click-elack of her needles, had not
Mr. Aliens step sounded on the walk.
Llzabeth never talked much, and the mother
did not mind her silence Tonight. \ slight
quiYer about the sensitive mouth alone told
how kCculy the words We're felt, and the sigh
of relief which escaped at the welcome sound
of her fathers voice was lost in the noise
made a- he entered, stamping The snow from
his boots.
why, father. docs it SNOW: ben 50 busy
talking, | haint thought to look out of the
window for some time
"le>. it, begun to come down right smart;
shouldn't wonder if it was good scighn- by
tomorrow.
You don't thnk lis going TO be long
Storm:-
Mrs. Aliens face had an anxious expression
as she asked the question, for Il long storm
meant days of exile for her.
mo, | >l'll be surprised if ii don't clear up
hy tomorrow noon, 50 'lizabeth and | can
take ride to the village; that'll be treat
won't it, darter|' And the smile that lighted
ZIP his daughters face pleased him better than
any answer could have done.
Guess I'll get the old sleigh out. Ben
Smart'> ben down to the city and he says he
saw lots jest like it. lis five Years since sent
Jim TO the village for the new one and its
never been ont since I'm clad IFS come into
fashion again. for | never enioyed myself
complete in tile new onc-alwavs fell n little
above my station" And Farmer Aliens LAUGH
rang through the old Sittino-r0olu M the fitness
of hi, remark
"Wcll. 'I.izabeth. YOU get the supper on the
table. and I'll tell father the new, while he
warns his feet. He. been down to thc wood
lot AL the afternoon and hain't heard nothing
of the strange things that has been happening
nm herc'
Having arranged things 10 her satisfaction.
the stocking, Mrs Allen had ,lropped on the
entrance of her husband continued to yrow
under her drft fingers, while the news LOST
none Of lis interest with rrprtitiou
That night. after ,i.ilabrth had taken her
candle. and said rood nirht. Mr., Alien Sat for
some time looking al thr fire. thru suddenly
broke ont.
"Notber. don't Won think 'Iizabetb looks
kind O peaked latGh> Then. She don't seem
TO eat as much as usual
..Thrrr. father. voI'rc ALWAYS frrttiny 'hout
that .tirI. don't know whaf you'J n done if
vou'd had six. like your brother .Jonathan."
II didn't know but the news about VIII
might affect her some. You know they usrd
to think 50 much of each other"
..Nn.sy f,tb,r' tb,t ,va. vn,rs ,uI ,.n,r.
ayo. when thcy were children i izahnth's foo
scn.ihI,, a ~rl to Ipt 4 frllrr iLr Viii ,listnrl,
her When he stopnoI writin,, tn hnr shr rnv.
him mn Shes worked h,r,} tn, ,Ia, and :, 5"od
ni,rLt.r ru.t win hrin,, bnr ronnI :: 70NN'
Thprr .rnmrd mnfbin,, morn tn ho sail so Iva
tool a linht and ,rorno5laI to ,,,,, n,.', ,Ii',,
safe far thn n;yht Inf Iona .ftnr his ,,ond Wiz
WAS osInrp ne lny awake fhmkiu,y Of thn mia
fncr lis duIrbtri. had lifted for tn. Good ni,ht
liz.
y iz,hntb wa. NAT liloI,. IA .,ot tl,o. str.,tb
her mother tlou,rht from, . ni,lt,s ,n.t Jntil
thr tirst ra,s nf mornin, 1irl,tnd m fine Ifa.t
She Inv thiEliu,, nf thn all in,,y XII I;,,in1r
thnu, n,.ar n,rain shn nouIJ mar ,n,,n,,la, ~
time When shn and Viii had NOT seemed to
hplnn, tn rYrh other
When thcy were cbilIron he had drawn ber
to and from school on his sled SaveJ her the
largest lalf of his apuic or oranGn and fo,,aht
MI her battles with a yiror worthv of an oI,len
Enio,ht Wha, tLn y.ars in tLni;. dirht n,aJn
them no lnnrnr rbifIrnn II ,yo. oIy-avs Vii
whn At the 'Io.. If mnntin'r ar .in,ri,,,te,boni
drew her arm throu%b hi> with M air of
nrnnrietorsh;n .nL stactnI for the Allan fam,
Aftrr his mntL"r'. ,antb hn baj nor ,hn.an hi.
associates wisrIv Lmt in Snitn If Srorn and
nunosition vithnut i. .oi ,aIianno L hnl .l,,u,r
td linn anI t,nStoJ ''' ''''''
Thrn came tLr affair at tha viu..,o Ono
I,rIE ni,ht a. nartv If ,.ou'rhy h,J mr@lar ;rto
Snirn pns.or Earn tin tontha % th In,,l of