The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-11-02
GRANDPA'S STORY.

$50 it seems Fred HAYES has finally
Tilted Fanny Howe, " said Grandpa West,
one rainy morning, as he stood shaking or
the drops from his great coat on our
kitchen stove
Yes" replied I, as 1 filed pan with
apples and prepared to cut them, "and
more shame TO him, too. Brought her
clear mp to an engagement, and then left
town with another girl, and without one
word TO Fam
''Shame.' repeated good Grandpa West.
with an indignant fash from eyes blue
and clear as at twenty-one; its a dis
grace to any Christian church 70 let one
Of its members 90 on so. Time was when
he wouldn't have gone scot free as he has
now"
But what could have been dones" I in
quired.
Done? He'd have the full broadside
OF church discipline on his shoulders fifty
years ago. He ought TO be dealt with as
Harmon Page was, concluded grandpa,
meditatively.
"How was that?" inquired I, interested
at once.
81 wonder IL you ever heard that storyr'
said he, with n curious glance understood
better afterwards. 'See here, it's q rainy
day, and mother won't be expecting me
home. Hand over a knife and / II help you
with your apples and tell that yarn at the
same time"
Well pleased with the plan, took
another pan, ana our fingers flew as
grandpa went on with the true and au-
thentic history of Harmon Page.
''You see" he began, ''all this happened
fifty years ago, and AmityyiIlc wasn't
then the slow going, dun little place it is
now. 1t was comparatively new, and was
as lively and enterprising as the new
places of the West are to-day. There were
a good many old aristocratic families
though, and l tell ye they held thoirheads
high. The very meetin' house slips had to
be gauged accordin' TO the rank and buyer,
and l tell you old Deacon Avery would
never have got the scowl ont ofhis forraId
If Squire Page had happened to oLavea seat
in front of his.
Deacon Avery hada daughter-aquiet,
gentle girl, with slight, graceful figure
and face-well, you don't see such faces
nowadays; a clear, fine complexion, ,witha
delicate pink trembling up into her lips
when she was spoken TO- Her eyes were
great limpid wells, changing with every
thought, and her hair was a soft chestnut
brown, waving about her face in its own
wayward style.
'She was lovely girl, became profess
sor young, and was always to be seen in
the end Of the deacon's pew every Sunday,
rain or shine She'd never had much com
pany, for there was kind OF digIilied
reserve about her that kept the fellows AT
a distance. But when she was lCus bout
eighteen or twenty Harmon Page began
to 90 with her.
He was handsome, spirited chap,
lively and fuu of talk, and as different
from Mercy Avery rs two persons could
well be. But they loved each other; there's
no doubt about that. Mauy's tho time I've
seen her grand eyes sparkle and pretty
checks flush at HaImcu's witty speeches
till she Wa really brilliant. And Inc, with
all his TrCud spirit, always grew strangely
gentle with Mercy.
80, in spite Of the rivalry that had al
ways existed between the two families, 10
one would have disturbed the two, bad IL
not been for Virginia Wake. she was "a
cousin Of Colonel Ford's FIRST wife and
came there visitin' from the South
''ElIg .Lia was called a handsome girl,
with her brunette face, flashing black
eyes, and heavy black curls she was never
tired OF lingling around her neck She
had good deal, too, of what you call
style and Amityville folks who didn't
know a. much OF the ways OF the world as
they do now were completely fascinated
with her taking ways. Theyoung fellows
Il particular hoYered around like moths
around "a candle.
.'An except Harmon Page IIe had en-
CRged hinl-elito Mercy, and q first gave
the new conner the go-by. The Pagesaud
F0rds had q family feud Of q good many
years standing, which kept them apart
for one thing, and Virginia had plenty of
company besides Harmon.
But / suppose Harmou's indifference
piqued the girl, and she snubbed the other
boys and exerted all her charms on II5r-
mon.
she came in tho fall, and along about
Christmas time The ncighbors began TO
notice t5at Virginia was mighty thick at
the Paz,ez
'IAc Two houses were pretty Dear to-
getl.er, Iii shs sed 10 rur oye.. TO Aiolher
Pages ca some excuse or oth-r ,.fluty
times a day. Perhaps 'twan't strange that
Harmon began TO be hattered by it. Tie
had as good "a turnout as any chap IN the
place, and he got in the habit OF taking
Virginia considerable.
''You see Positions everything in moro
cases than cUe, and Virginia was right
there handy, wnile Mercy lived at the top
of one of our oI,-flsLioned Connecticut
hills, with Il dreadful hard road leadingto
it
Whether she knew how mach Harmon
was takin- tie other girl WASH known;
some thought not. She diol'J get out
much, exc, pt 10 meetin' that winter, and
she had enough of her fathers spunk
about her net 10 let on that ale SAW lar
men foolin' with Virginia Wake 1t the
noouin's.
"Therc was splendid sIeighing that sea-
! so:.--Jhc Lind we doa'J have these days
and some ol the young folks wanted to
have = general sleigh ride. 1t was put off
| from time TO time, till twas finally set
n .rr - zrs.fr- II.
''II was she night Of the regular weekly
! pruycr meeting, and after the time OF the
| ride was all s-ttled Harmon, who was the
| only professor in the party, tried q little
| to have it changed. Bat Virginia y axe
| declared, with a wicked shake Of those
! jiuEiinS curl=, that she could say her pray
! e-s iast s,s Ny,ll II q sleigh IS she could
cooped up in that stupid barn ola meeting
| house.
Everybody thought afterwards that
! she fixed the ride for that night to show
| Mercy very the power she mad ever Har-
mon Page.
We'll, the party started from Amity-
Vile long about Eve o'clock. They We're
! all ia IA bis two horse load except Virginia
and Harmon.
she had arranged for them TO go ahead
in his cutter alone, and I'll admit they
were a splendid looking couPle-he with
| his iiue eyes and teeth, and she in rich
| crimson hood tlat set OFF her beauty to
| perfection.
| ..Our route-for j was one of the party
lay straight up the hill towards Deacon
Avery's. Just as we turned into il who
should've meet but the deacon aud Mercy.
'sILey were late, for the meeting was
alus appoint d for early caudls lighting;
bit Nelcv had probably waited awhile
or Iarmon. Who or ayear back had taLca
her t. Thursday meetiu' Is regular as a.
! Gay came TcHEG-
she sat a,p straight aua queeuiy beside
her fttler as they passed, and seemed nos
10 hear the malicious sally Virginia called
/ out 10 .ier.