The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-08-25
AN OLD-TIME GIRL.


Tilted Fannie Howe" said Grand pa
West, enc rainy morning, as he stood
shaking off his drops from his great
coat on our kitchen stove.
Yes" replied l, as filed pan with
apples and prepared to cut them, ''and
more shame to him, too. Brought her
clear to an engagement. and then left
town with another girl, and without
one word to Fan"
'Shame!' repeated good Grandp pa
West, with an indignant fash from eyes
blue and clear as at 81; sits disgrace
to any Christian church to let one of its
members so on so. Time was when he
wouldn't have one scot free, as he has
now"
But what could have been doner
inquired.
'Done2 He'd have hal 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 l, inter-
ested at once.
Il wonder if you've never heard that
story" SAID he, with a curious glance
der,tood better afterward. "See
here; it's rainy day, and mother won't
be expecting me home. Hand over a
knife, and I'll help you with your ap-
pies and tell that yarn at the same
, time
Well pleased with til, plan, took
another pan, aud our fingers flew as
grandpa went on with the true and au-
thertic history Of Harmon Page.
You Sec" h, began, "all this hap
reaed fifty years ago, and Amityville
wasn't then the slow going, dull little
place it is now. 1t was com paratively
new, and was as lively and eaterprising
as the new places of the west are to-day.
Thero arc a good many old aristo-
cratic families, though, and l tell
you they held their heads high.
The very meetin' house slips had to
be gau,ed accorlin' to the rank of the
buyer. aai tell you old Deacon Avery
would never have got the scowl out Of
his forrard if 'Squi:e Page had hap
pencd to have seat in front of his.
'Dea Avery had daughter, quiet,
gentle girl, with slight, graceful fig
ure, and a face--well, you don't see
such faces now days--a clear, fine COM
plexioa, with delicate pink trembling
up to her lirs when she was spoken to.
Her eyes were great limpii wells,
changing with every thought, and hel
hair was e soft chestnut brown, waving
about ner fac, in its owa way ward
style.
"She was lovely girl, became pro-
fessor young, and was always to be seer
in the end of the deacon's pew every
Sunday, rain or shine. She never had
much company, for there was kind o.
dignified reserve about her that Ike
the fellows at distance. But wheI
she was long bout IS or 90 Harmon
Page began to so with her.
"He was a handsome, high spirited
chap, lively aad full of talk, aud a
different from Mercy Avery as tw,
persons we'll could be. But they loveC
each other; there's no doubt about that
Many's the time I've seem her gran,
eyes sparkle and pretty checks flusk a
Harmon's witty speeches till she wa
really brilliant. And he, with hi
proud spirit, always grew strangel
gentle with Mercy.
$50 in spite of the rivalry that ha
always existed between the two fami
, lies, no one would have disturbed tn
two had it not been for Virginia Wake
She WIS cousin of Col. Ford's frs
wife, and came there visiting froi
Boston.