The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-12-13

MNXkhfv1 buDboQucnb petfi-
VNlVNVy tent would ever
have dared to fol-
low the amateur swineherd's example
Philip Hayn was not q prodigal; he had
spent none OF his inheritance except as spe-
cially ordered by his father, and his only
ground of self rsproach was regarding an
affair about which the neighbors had no
means Of obtaining information; yet the
| special efforts made by the family to mani
fest their joy at rcgaining him wore unequal
| to the task Of overcoming the disquicting
effects Of the neighbors' tongues.
The dreadful man who had caught Phil ON
the train had spread the news Of the boys
return, so next morning the road from
| tho village to Hayn Farm presented an ap-
| pearance as animated as II an auction had
been announced I'm that vicinity, or II some
| one had been found dead in the woods. Men
| old and young, wives and maidens, and even
little children, devised excuses for visiting
tho farm People who came from the other
direction were already supplied with the
standard excuse-thsy wanted to borrow
something; those who had really borrowed SO
often as to doubt their welcome made heroic
efforts to return what they had already Dor
| rowcd.
To escape the succession of visitors at the
family Of pigs Of which his little brothers had
informed him, but Just above the fence limo
| he saw two pairs Of eyss-wfth their attend
ant heads, of oourse-that had been lying in
wait for an hour or two, after the manner Of
that class of countrymen, evidently among
tho tast offshoots from the brutes, who APP
| parenfly have an inherited animal apprehen-
| sion OF harm should they enter the den of any
species higher than their own.
"Guess you didn't so any pigs like them
| down to York; shouted the owner of one
pair Of eyes, while the other pair opened as
| il they would ensulf the returned traveller.
| Phil nodded his head negatively and precipi-
lately retreated to the barn. where he found
| quite a respectable old farmer studying the
beach wagon.
"Reuben reckoned mebbe he could gimme
| q bargain IL I'd take this of his hands" he
said, by way of explanation, $50 thought
I'd take look at it," The old man shook
the wheels, tapped tho bed, examined the
iron work closely, remarking, as he did so:
Reckon, by his wantin' to dispose of it,
that them city folks amt comm here next
summer to be druv down to the beach, eh7"
81 don't know" said the unhappy youth.
He was grateful to the old fellow for not
looking him in the eye, like witness teaser,
as he asked the question, yet he longed to
kick him out of the barn and lock the doors,
so that there would be one less place for the
enemy to lie in wait He returned to the
house, and entered the kitchen just in time
to hear feminine neighbor say:
~ s'pose he'll wear his new clothes-them
that Sol Mantring fetched word about-to
church on SundayT
Phil abruptly got an ak and went to the
wood lot; his first impulse was to take his
gun, but half in jest and half in earnest he
told himself that he would not dare to have
arms in his hands if the torment was to con-
tinue. Yet even while In the depths of the
ancestral forest he was not safe, for, on the
hollow pretense of tracking a dog who had
been stealing sheep, a neighbor followed Phil
to the woods, found him by the tell tale blows
of the ak, and had him at his mercy for full
hour. The visitor had mentally set apart
half day for the work.
There's one way o. gettin' rid of this raft
o. people," said Mrs. Hayn, who rapidly be-
came as indignant as her son at the persist
ency with which people brought Lucia's
name into conversation. Zone would s'pose
that the world had got back to the way it
was in old Father Adams day, as far as gals
was concerned an there was only one female
that anybody could take notion 10. They
come a-pesterin' the life out o. me, just as If
I knowed any moro about it than they do
which don't" Then the anxious mother
looked slyly, and somewhat reproachfully, Fat
her son, who flushed and said
Tell Us the way Of getting out of it,
mother, and at least one of your children will
arise and call you blessed"
"Why, it's to have the minister an his wife
to tea. It's manners, an pretty much every
body knows it, not to disturb anybody the
day they're goin' to have the minister"
"Let's have him." said Phil, eagerly; "I1l
do anything to help you get ready-beat
eggs, stone Misunderstanding but 60 to the
store for nutmegs and be caught by the pro-
pristor and all his customers Say, mother,
why can't you invite the other ministers too,
on successive daysr'
"You will wear your new clothes, though,
when the minister comes, won't your asked
the old lady with somo tmidity. "You know
hain't seen em on you yet, an I'm a-dyin'
to, though hain't liked to put you to the
trouble of dressin' up on purpose, KNOWN
how men hate to try things on"
Phil promised; he could not resist his
mothers appealing eyes. As the old lady
prophesied, the family were not annoyed tho
day Of the supper to the minister. Phil's
conscience was not easy in anticipation OF
the expected guest, for he knew he would be
questioned about the appearance of noted
Now York divines whom he would be sup
posed TO have heard, whereas the only SER
vice he had attended was at the Tramlays'
church, the pastor..of which had no notoriety
ut all
Perhaps it was to punish his youthful par
ishioner for neglect of religious privileges
that the good man questioned Phil quite
closely about the Tramlsy family and deliv-
cred thoughtful analysis of the character Of
the oldest daughter, with comments upon the
probable effects of marriage on various quail
titles of her nature. After each statement he
appealed to Phil for confederation, and on
his way home confided to his wife TINT he be-
lieved he had fully prepared the dear young
brother for what he might expect should he
take the important step upon which in all
probability he was resolved.
Phil endured with becoming fortitude the
minister's remarks about Lucia, and the
whispered but not unheard comments Of the