South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-11-07

FRIDAY. NOVEMBER =. 1890.
Fused By Fire.


Ebenezer Parsons. commonly called
Eben, had taken advantage OF q
stormy day in the midst of the hay
ing season to- take his horses to the
village b'acksmi b TO be shod, and
also some tools to be repaired or shsr.
pened, and was now ON his way home.
The farm wagon Path. worn in' o ruts,
between which the short young clio.
yer grew c urageously, rae for some
distance alongside Of the pituresque
vine or bush hidden rail-fenoe that
separated the Parsons Ian from that
OF the Buckleys, until 1t reached q
spring whose almost icy. cold water
bubble jcyously ca from a graseliy
hill -ple. and ran down 10 a slender
pu. ling stream until IL became lost ia
the Hi chceck swamp. From the
spring the farm road turned sharply
TO the left, and up the hill-sid be-
tween two Of Eben's own fields to the
low, broad, sloping rooted farm
house. old in days. as We count age in
this country, but stron. er than many
new houses, and far more p:c,ur.
esque beneath is understanding
elms, and half hidden in wealth OF
lilacs, syringas, snowballs. June 70
ses, end LEAKAGE of that beautiful Till
tartan, the hop vne.
Tue rain had almoet ceased, and
Eben oii not in the least mind the
light driszle which had wetteG his
red flannel SHIFT until il chung tightly
20 his 1.-THE, ii mlY knit. and graceful
figure. Comfortably riding along,
guiding With one hand the horse be
meath him, and with the other lead
ing, or rather pretending to lead, the
second horse, which would have fol-
lowed his mate as we'll without .
touch, Mr, Parsons was In specially
good spirits, for he had hail day OF
rest. and heard the neighborhood
news. and exchanged opinions on the
prospects OF tho c,ops and coalition
Of the herds with his brother far mers
and had come to the CONCLUSION that,
on the whole, his own business was
likely TO prove as prosperous as thai
OF any ofthe others, and had perceiv:
ed witE satisfaction, as he r. de by il
that Jason Buckley's corn Was a trifi.
less promising than his own, hsv NJ
been planted on low bit of land, toe
cold AMI wet fo7 eo:n during ihi'
co,l, wet sumner.
Yes, said Eben to Lins IL, turn
ing in the saddle and resting his sin.
envy brown hand on the sleek back
OF the dapp'e gray horse he VAS rid
ing. while be scrutiDized the corn
fie dyes. Jason's corn lnaks mighty
yeller and min:hin'. He'd or er ha'
put hisn on tn upland. as did mine
Git up. Bslder. old Eel er What ye
I.standin' here fur, nippiu'r' 8 II Y,
bad'nt tasted grass in week 2
So, content with himself and hi
circumstances, and smiling az b,
thought OF the welcome that he woul,
surely get when he reached his oWI
door fIom his comeIy wife aud GLAD
hearted children. he went on wills
Ting a slave or singing g catch unti
he came to the turn Ia the road BY
the spring.
Tue sight or this spring, 50 limo
cent AMI smiling, like cLlld's haPpy
face. always brought lrown up i
hanhsoms Eben>s snn-brownrd fea
lures, for il had been the subj ct o
dispute for sky years or more be
tween the ancestors VI Jason Buck.
ley and his own. The Patsonses as
serted that in the lifetime of Grand
father Parsons Waa q mild
tempered. meek sort Of man, a dea-
con in the church and superintendent
in the Sunday school. a man alto
gether too good for service, as EbrI
sail-the spring hail un loubtedly be
longed 10 the Parsonses. But ole
man Buckley, who held in slight es
teem his neiglb RS business quail
ties. aud thought that the Lord ough
not to have trusted him with the car,
OF so much of this worlds goods ha,
set eovetous eyes upon the ever flow
lns and almost ice C I'D spring y,
useful place TO stand the chu,n I,
make the butter fi;m In hot weather
and so handy to water The cattle II
winter, !" hen all the ponds aud s'ream
we're from over, and hal so CROOKED
! his rail-fence around IL that il nos
lay within the Buckley Enclosure.
Deacon Parsons. holding literal,
to the admonition TO give the Goa
where the cloak has been taken, re-
/ fused to take any steps for the re.
c very OF the spring. uotll at last olt
man Buckley beld Il by right Of pos
session.
The son OF Deacon Parsons. who sue
ceeded in the inheritance Of lis faith
er,had proved TO be OF different stpd
was by 10 means a meek SORT OF man
IN fact. Having his fathers stronl
IDEAS OF right and wrong, bO
nOre Of his humility, and being fifm.
" assured that eternal Justice alwayi
lay on whatever side II snv contro.
ycrsy he had taken HE stat d. he hat
not besitated 10 make il warm on
all possible occasions Tor old maI
Bockley's son George, who had bough
the rights Of tho other heirs 10 hil
fathers estate, aud held himself en-
titled TO the spring, which he baC
been taught, OF bad taught himself
to believe had never belonged 70 lhl
! ParsOnses.
'Ef old Deak Parsons had bad
right 70 tho spring. Why n tliuuder
didn't be make his right good wheE