Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-03-16

i
the face before him as though it had risen
| suddenly from the dead
! But at that moment an officer LAYING O.
firm hand on the excited old mans shoulder,
ordered him quietly to his place.
* = *
| John Sampson coming out of Deacon Ma
! sons barn, where he had seen the waiting
herds bountifully fed and stalled for the
night, was hailed by a rural horseman riding
up to the door.
Heres letter fer ye, John. Bein' at the
postoffice, jest tux a notion to inquire fer
| We. Thought mebbe We was too busy to go
yerself. It's from New York" explained the
| self elected postman, as John, with cold
thanks, put the officiously delivered mail in
his pocket. Thought mebbe it was from
the Deacon" pursued the bearer, with baffied
| curiosity.
John, carefully adjusting the paddock and
! turning the key on the deacon's possessions.
MAIDEN remark; but as the horseman wheeled
! away with an irate "Get up,' he drew out
| the letter, tore it hurriedly open, and read,
! with stern compression of his auburn
| bearded mouth the following communion
| ton:
OKE STREAr PoLI1sE STAsHuN,
Jan. 26, 1888.
| DEER JoHN-Ive fownd her, but line in Trouble.
! I've been robbed. I've lost al my mummy can't
+! git home no moren she coud. The poor child is
all broke up. She don't want ennything but to be
forgot by evrybody She wouldn't let me rite to
you no moren nothn if she knu but line in
Trouble John an you're my best man. Plese to
send me 20 dollars an lie settle with yew when
git home Send it to this place. can ask a IA
vor of yew kwicker than of most any body els
fertlcklers When see yeW. Your loving friend,
EBEN G. MASON
John crushed the letter into his pocket
with a sterner setting of his jaws
''That's what I'll do" he said, with COM
ment on the impulse that had seized him.
and he strobe off to his own quarters on the
adjoining farm.
Charlie" he called, as he stepped into the
wide farm house kitchen, ''can you and Jim
attend squarely to things here and at Mason's
for the next twenty-four hours?"
"You bet p responded a lank youth, with
more brevity than elegance
'Mother," pursued the resolute John, who
appeared the motive power in the establish
ment, ''please hurry up supper. 1 want to
take the evening train to New York.
"Why-why, Johnm calculated the mother,
at once on deck for action. "What starts
you off to New York this sudden?'
Business"
'It-is it the deacons I just felt sure the
old simpleton would get into some scrape,"
commented the youthful Charles
"Green as fresh sap Spite, We know" OBJ
served Jim.
But John was off on his hurried duties of
preparation, and had no explanations to
Offer
When, a little later, he came back, equipped
for his journey, and sat down to the hasty
meal which there was only his mother lust
then present to share, she said again timidly:
SIS it the deacon, John?"
eyes"
And-and"- She did not venture to
repeat the name which had been forbidden
topic.
"Yes," again assented John.
John, didn't think you'd be troubling
yourself to look after herr" was the reproach-
full retort of Mother Sampson.
''I'm not troubling myself" returned John,
swallowing very hot mouthful of tea
John, you know her good name is gone
Forever" .solemnly warned the prudent wo-
man.
''Some of us Christians ought to try and
give her one, them" mildly suggested the IL
rational young man.
"John, when young woman is deceived
and led away there's no hope"-
'Mother, what is that fine story about the
prodigal song' interrupted John, moving
back his chair.
OH but that's very different, john
"You mean," said John, jumping into his
overcoat and tucking down his muller, 'syou
mean the prodigal daughter may go to perdi-
tion.n
"Johnri
Mrs Sampson sat down in shocked sur
prise. This was profanity.
ttWall we'll John finished tho Iocf b,,ftou
and turned with his hand upon the door.
"Take care of yourself, mother, and look for
me back tomorrow evening. Good night.
Don't worry"
And John was off.
Record doth not say whether it was found
necessary in Mapletown to send any one
after John.
There is now meek, sad little woman in
the deacon's house, who brushes her hair
smoothly back, and wears the plainest and
poorest of gowns, and works at the hardest
tasks as though there were some atoning
power in labor
The good rural folk who look after the
morals of their neighbors report that "John
Sampson goes to the deacons about as he did
BEFORE
They do not explain the significance Of
''Before.n
The women say John is a fool.
The men observe a Sphinxlike silence.--
Frank Leslie's.