The Columbus journal., 1889-05-01

On the door and l(rA Baldwin INST him
With . puzzled look On her face. but
gave him a kindly good morning" and
when he entered Helen herself offered
him tho great armchair.
The pale face and troubled eyes Of the
girl were kind enough, but somsthing IN
them sent . pang Of pity into the old
mans softening heart He had always
said il was only the money Win might
get that made her partial 70 him, but
during the day he had thought there
might be something else, and now he
knew there was
'Pretty fair weather for tho time o
year, he at length said, after IN swk-
ward silence in which the measured tick
Of the old clock seemed to gain In voa-
ume at every swing.
He would not have said even this had
he known what the weather was. for .
strong spring shower had been gathering,
and was about to break On tho cottage.
A moment later Il did break, and what
to do or say next the old man did not
know.
When he came in they were about to
spread the table for dinner, and after
some delay country manners demanded
that they should proceed. Farmer John
watched them closely, hoping q third
plate would not make its appearance on
the snowy cloth. But it was placed
there, and when dinner was ready Mrs.
Baldwin with q pleasant smile asked
him to sit up and eat with them.
In vain the old man declared he was
not hungry-that he had just eaten .
very late breakfast-and that he hadn't
. very good appetite anyway. The rain
kept pouring down, and in spite Of him
self Farmer John found himself seated
at the table with Helen and her mother.
As soon as they were seated Mrs. Bald
win glanced quietly at her neighbor, and
then proceeded to ask plain, old fash
ioned blessing. Farmer John had asked
blessing-but that was before the new
barn was built-for somehow during the
hurry and worry Of the time, blessings
were often left out, and finally dropped
altogether. To be sure they were re-
newed the spring little Ben's sleeping
place was changed from the warm room
of the kitchen to the narrow bed in the
old orchard. but only for . year or 90.
and now it was never DONE
Perhaps the old mans conscience was
disturbed by this omission-we cannot
say as to that-but somewhere in his
crusty heart there was q lingering re-
spect for those who did not omit it that
gave them q warm corner where warm
corners were exceedingly scarca Nor
cen We say whether It was this or the de-
sire to say something in the right place
that caused him at the close of the bless
ing to astonish his hostess with q very
hearty amen.
OF course Mrs. Baldwin and her daugh-
ter were puzzled as to the object Of the
old mans visit. Mrs. Baldwin thought
possibly it was some matter Of business,
but his evident embarrassment about in
PRODUCING it was inexplicable.
Helen, who never thought Of John
Sanbourn except in connection with VIII
Sanbourn. feared his visit boded no good
for the absent boy.
But they had not long 80 wait.
II do know but might jis' 8 soon tell
ye what l come for first as last. Taint
no pleasant job, I know, but felt 3
though didn't do jist right toward ye
in the matter bout Will, an l want to
tell ye that I'm ashamed NV myself. l.
was too hasty altogether"
This was not exactly what he had
meant to say, but it was all he could say.
and it had to do.
Mrs. Baldwin, greatly astonished, man.
aged to say that there was nothing for
him to be ashamed Of. They always be-
ieved he did what he thought would be
for the best, and had no reason to think
he had done otherwise in this matter.
Helen was too much overcome to speak,
but when the old farmer extended his
hand and asked her to overlook the past
and he would do better by Will, the
dark eyes filed and the girlish form
shook with emotion.
Farmer John had winked hack . good
many tears in his day, but this proved .
little moro of that kind Of work than
even he could manage, and one after an
other the great tears rolled down his
face.
Mrs. Baldwin was about to make some
further remark, when a step on the front
stoop attracted their attention. and in
moment more Will Sanbourn stood be-
fore the astonished trio. Helen sprang
toward him first, but Farmer John was
q close second, and grasping him warmly
by the hand extended q most hearty wel
come.
An hour later the sun broke through
the clouds, and shortly after two men
could be seen lodging the puddles along
the road leading by one of the best farms
in Central Wisconsin. One Of the men
was a little bowed. with one hand rest
ing ON his back just where two wide,
knit suspenders met. The other q little
taller, upright and strongly built, was
trying to keep up with him. Which was
happier of the two it would be hard to
tell.
It is just four years today since then,
and Will, with a strong hired man, is in
the same back field, mending the old
pasture wall. The other boys are away
at school, and as we are passing so near
the old farm house, let Us peep into the
open door Of the long front room.
The two elderly ladies by the window
we have seen before. And the restful
peace on the face Of one Of them tells
that the time when "'twin be all over
with" has really come.
A young woman with dark, earnest
eyes IL fitting back and forth to the
kitchen helping the girl with the dinner,
while every step is taken lightly, a. of
and on furtive glances are cast toward
the well worn lounge in the corner. For
d<s,NA ss<,aa 900 a ohaahl,x O old us&l.