Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-10-04


mark.
One day. toward the end o. Feb
ruary. the receipt Of Gst package.
addressed ia the same manner, further
stimulated his curiosity.
Him. h. m1ttered, guess Abner's
20; valentine from his Western
sweetheart Wa. he won't come fur
1; to-day. that sar;ia, hs added,
CHANGING out o, the window at the
whirling FURRY o. the snow-fazes and
the deep drifts along the road
But he hal scarcely been en-
gagged 1--WE minutes in sorting the r.
mainder % the mail. when the door
VA flung open and Abner entered.
shaking the clingInL snow from his
back and shoulders as a dog scattels =
shower Of water drops
Here It's. Abner,~ said the post
master. holding out the parcel. Guess
ye must hev wanted it purity bad to
come out in sech pes<y blow e1
this
But the expression Of the farmers
face did not encourage further face
tiousness, and the Official. who ais kept
the country store" hastily dropped
the subject and hustled about to put
up the list OF groceries Mrs.. Richard.
had sent by her sou. Yet. though
{ silenced. the worthy man was all the
more certain that his surmise was cor
rect, and ere long mysterious rumOrs
I that Abner Richards would soon bring
4 wife to the farm begun to be whisper
I ed abroad.
On the evening Of the day the parcel
had arrived Abner entered the kitchen
and. holding photograph before his
mothers eyes. said abruptly:
Did you ever see any one who
/ looked like this2" Mrs. Richards took
the picture. rubbed her spectacle-. re-
placed them ON her nose. and DELHI
erately scanned the face before her-a
bright. sweet face. with large clear
eyes. thick LOCKS OF hair clustering
I around a broad forehead. and a mouth
singlIlarly charming in expression
wall Abner. / dunno ez / do she
said at last. slowly and cautiously.
An yet - the cheeks was holle- in
stead % round. an the face more
I peaked. Il say it favored Lily COBB.
I There's sunthin' bout the eyes an
I forrid. ony in Lilys days gals WIZ
more sensible an didn't fix their hair
in sech a snarl But who j. she. Al
ner2 It's sunthin' new under the sun
fur you ter be- hevin' gals pictIrs.~
Her eyes -parkled eagerly.
Her name i Lily Cobb. too. She
lives in Kansas. replied Abner. crrtly.
Kansas She NAV be some kin T.
Lily then. forzino Her father had o
cousin who moved out West long ago.
before either you or Lily WIZ born.
\ smart. likely Teller. too. We used
ter keep comp'ny little. bl, twan't
no use talkin'; the farm had % 90 20
a Richards. an just before your father
an wuz merried he weat away. TIL
gals his darter. mcb be. no she mus,
be- his grandfather SUI How tim.
does fly! But where did sc get hey
pictur, Abner? Is she visitin' any o
The Cobbs herc2"
Abner hesitated. Standing "a little
beyond the circle % light east by the
shaded lamp on the worb-staud. She
could not see the sudden lIu,h THAT
crimsoned his face a. ne sid hur-
richly, ignoring her question
Mother. you have been urging me
for years to bring sit. 70 the farm.
What i'll could persuade name
sake his faiteriug voice grew
strangely gentle-'.to come this spring
to brighten the old place.
''Land-sakes. Abner. III almost
given up hope Of ever hearin' sech
words from you. cried h. mother.
her keen eyes glittering with taars.
shes young fur you. OF course. bat. >
she added earnestly. "ef she s Heze-
kiah's grand-darter. should say
I was clear leadin' Of Providence. y
Three months had passed; instead Of
Sie feathery snow flakes that had filed
the air when Abner Richards brought
home the photograph. the pink petals
Of the apple-b.O,soms were drifting
from the boughs Of the tres in the old
orchard ut every light gust of wind
that blew. Within the house Mrs.
Richards was moving busily about.
busting articles already spotless. but
pau-ing almost every instant to glance
out Of the window. Ii was. indeed. n
gala-day to her-thl- bright spring
morning. for she expected each mo-
ment her son and his Western bride
Hezekiah Cobb's granddaughter.
She heard the sound Of wheels. aud
ere she could reach the door Abaer
was standing on the Threshold. gaz-
ing proudly at the pretty. bright-faccI
girl by his side. who. in her close
fitting brown travelling dress. relieved
BY scarlet silk hands erchief and
scarlet feathers IN to brown hat.
seemed a human prototype OF the gay
little robin red-breasts caroling in the
elm-tFee- outside the house.
Ms. Richards had uueoaseiously ex-
pected to see Lily Cobb's pale com
vPleXion and golden hair. but the brides
thick locks Were the hue OF a ripe
chestnut, her round checks glove
with health. and her gray eyes. fringed
with long black lashes, sparkIed mer-
rily.
There was an instant's silence rs he
Two women gazed intently at one
another. then the young wife fmpul-
sively stepped forward. and. throwing