Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-03-16

was handsome young feIler. Twas
! only nat'ral that | would be proud of
him when | compared him an' his
: easy manners with the awkward
farmer boys.
"Zekel's oldest sister, 'Tildy Ann,
made no secret of her rejoicin' tha
we were promised. calm me sister
at the singiu's, quiltin's an apple
parin's. an all the girls courted him
'cept Annie Boon, who allus acted as
if she hadn't a sc cond thought for
him. Everybody supposed we'd be
married by the time l was my OWE
mistress, but some way Zekel
didn't get on IN business. At twen-
ty seven he was still unsettled as to
his future occupation. After study
for few months law, medicine and
for the ministry-he changed his
his mind an imagined be could in
vent some wonderful machine which
would bring him fortune, an Tidy
Ann said she shouldn't wonder if he
did; that Zekel was smart enough to
do anything he was mind to. Faith
er once quoted to me, Unstable as
water. thou shalt not excel | knew
what he meant, an spoke out tor Ze-
kel, sayin' his intellect was of high
er grade than the clods around US.
Only give him time, an he would
excel.
About this time 'Tildy Ann and
Mandy Harker died with pneumony
fever, brought on bein' caught in u
drenchin' rain on their way to the
wooden mill where they'd been to sell
their wool. Mandy's last words
were; 'You'll-fnd-the money-'Zs-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS He
explained to me that he was on the
eve of sucoeedln' with his invention
an needed little money to finish it,
an Mandy had undertaken to get it
for him.
81 had my feelin's hurt more'n
once durin' the next few weeks hav-
in Zekel called selfish an never do
we'll 'Zekel heerd their talk, too,
an one old farmer advised him to
quit dreamin' aa' put his band to the
plow, or his other sister would foller
'Tildy Ann an Mandy. 'Zakel said
nobody 'ceptin me understood his
hopes an aims; an then l spoke out,
tellin' I'd alters stand by him no mat.
ter what happened I'd never forget
we were promised. An thi. seemed
to cheer him wonderfully.
, His foks began 70 DE anxious for
IA settle 10 home of our own.
Our farms joined, and Mr., Harker
said we could cunt on 40.acres apiece
Of good mellow land, an it wouldn't
take long to put us up q hewed log
house good enough for snybody's
home. / was willin' to this arrange.
men +; but 'Z-kel wanted to start in
better style, an pictured city life so
nice that | came to think as he did,
but | never stopped spinnin' an wea-
vim articles for my wedding outfit.
I'm those days l was happy. An
ME helped me with my weddin' prep
srations. an every day 'Zekel came
to look on. One June afternoon An
ME anne were in our orchard sprink-
lin linen that was bleachin' on the
grass l felt 80 light-hearted, the
world seemed so full of joy and the
birds sang 80 sweetly!
"Oh, Annie. why don't a lover
come s-wooin' you? 1t is so sweet to
be loved, an you are so much pref
tier than roe, and its 80 strange that
lover doesn't fnd you OUT said |
not hearin' 'Zekel's step, an entirely
unaware of his presence until Annie's
bushes caused me to turn about to
find my loyer listenin' to my silly
words.
"To hide my bushes, 1 ran down
the bill into the garden an gathered
handful of damask an cinnamon
roses; then buried back, in my vani-
ty thinkin' 'Zckel would count the
time long uotil I was with qim. As
| walked slowly up the hill | saw in
Annie's blue eyes a new light. 1t
was like the expression of one who
had gained her hearts desire
Though all of thirty, she looked go
sirlish in her white dress. the yellow
braids of hair shone like gold, an ev-
cry movement she made was graceful,
l felt keenly the contrast between US
| took liltle paius with my own at
tire, thinkin' more of my work. /
was homely aud | knew it, 'Zskel
saw the contrast, an l think then an
there yielded to Annie's fascination,
as never came to our house after ward
an in one week, without word of
of warnin', l heerd 'Zekel an Annie
were married.
1.-The Harkers came to see me, and
in my bitterness l rejoiced when 1
saw thet 'Zekel was not forgiven by
them. Neither he nor his furrin.
painted wife shall enter that door
She, the jezebel, has caused him to
act the william; now let her bear with
his weakness were his fathers
words
"a few weeks after the weddin',
after the Sunday service, 'Zekel an
Annie attempted to make friends with
me, but scorned to touch their out
stretched hand After that ] grew
cynical. rejoicing as the years wore
on that Wekel's home was q cherries
oDe and that Annie's prettiness was
gone. One by one the Hsrker girls
married, movin' westward with their
husbands. The mother went to sleep
one afternoon an walked in another
world, the mortgage on the home
stead was forclosed, an | brought
home father Harker, givin' him my
own fathers vacant place beside the
old hearthstene.
"The past fifteen years bad not
used 'Zekel an Annie kindly, aud
folks said it WAS punishment sent
on Annie an him for their treachery