Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-19

Avery's Just as we turned into it who
should we meet but the Deacon and
Mercy.
"They were late, for the meeting was
allus appointed for early candle lighting
but Mercy mad probably waited awhile
for Harmon, who for a year back had
taken her TO Thursday meetin' as regular
as the day came round.
"She sat up straight and queenly be-
side her father as they passed, and seem
ed not to hear the malicious sally Vir-
ginia called out to her.
eve, in the back team were near
enough to catch the scornfuI glance she
threw from those deep eyes, gray as steel,
that night
''As for Harmon, he turned white to
the lips, and for mile hardly answered
the banter that Virginia kept up. After
that he seemed to grow perfectly reek-
less, laughed and joked louder than any
of the rest, and was SO careless that he
drove on q stone wall; and we, following
were all upset in heap together and had
hard work to get tied up SO as TO make
our way home towards morning more
dead than alive.
1T was sorry day for Harmon Page.
He was waited upon by church com
mittee, headed by Deacon Avery, who
denounced his whole conduct towards
Mercy as unchristian and highly incon-
sistent in church member.
''Ee didn't have much TO say for him
self, aud they chUcched him on the spot.
He was pretty down in the mouth, but
kept up some hope till he saw Mercy
Avery.
"He had refused to see Virginia Wake,
and that night he went up the familiar
hill to Deacon AverY's stone house.
''Mercy herself came to the door calm
and self possessed, as if nothing had hap
pened, and showed him into the sitting
room. There was a steady light in her
gray eyes, though, that made Harmon
tremble, and without beating ABOUT the
bush bit, he came right to the point
and asked if all might be forgiven, and
forgotten, and they become as good
friends as before. He worked himself
into passion, cried, and took on child,
they said:
"But, law it didn't move her an atom.
She had the genuine old Avery grit, if
che was mild hammered, and she told him
that, so long as the church had put him
out, she, of course, couldn't in conscience
take him back.
cha pleaded and entreated until 10
o'clock at night, late hour in them days,
but it didn't make a mite of difference.
She wouldn't overlook what the church
had considered a gross breach OF faith.
He went out crushed man, and from that
time his spirit seemed to leave him utter
~"
"And what about Virginia Wake,''I in
terrupted, unconsciously cutting my own
finger in my interest.
"Oh, after the girl had done all the mis-
chief possible, public opinion towards her
changed 'mazin' quick, and she left town
in few DAYS, and was never heard from
again in these parts"
"And Harmon Page; what became of
him?"
"He never got over the shock. He be
came silent and melancholy, and finally
had TO be taken to the Retreat. He grew
worse, and the sight of handsome women
with red cheeks and black curls would al
ways thro " him into the most violent tan
trums. He died in the asylum, at last"
"Now, think that was real mean," said
I, Wrathfdlly winding cotton around my
bleeding thumb. eff Mercy Avery hadn't
turned him off his life might not have end
ed SO sadly. / think she ought to have
taken him back"
"Ah, hs," said Grandpa West, quizzi-
cally; do you mean thatf"
Certainly" said I with dignity, "why
shouldn'tI?"
ooh, nothing" he replied, "only if she
had, Harmon Page would have been your
grandfather instead of me-
"My g1andfather-why them" said I,
in some confusion. "Mercy Avery must
be"-
"Meroy West, your grandmother" said
grandpa. chuckling me under my chin.
Confess, now, that 'all's well that ends
WE'LL"
"I SUPPOSE SO, !" said / Reluctantly.