The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-06-29

and sat down near the door on Q soap
box.
City chap come to your place on the
stage, didn't they, Mr.. Jenkins, hayg'
asked Postmaster Sparks.
Yep replied the landlord, pulling a
straw from broom and transferring it
TO his mouth.
"Boston?"
mop
"Springfeld 'spose1"
mop, neither. 'Twa'n't Springfield"
"Twa'n't New York;
"Yep, twas.
Coin to stop longP"
Didn't say"
Landlord Jenkins exercised his teeth
on the straw, waiting for somebody to
take up the line of examination that the
postmaster had temporarily laid down,
and as no one seemed ready TO do SO he
added after a pause: "But have an idea
he is
How SO, landlord queried the post
master, masking his burning desire to
know under an affected indifference.
s.Wal, said Jenkins, ssthis here mans
name is Wellman, with Theodore to the
front of it, N he comes from New York.
He brought some new tangled fishing
rods long m says he's goin' to try for
trout. HUH then he goes n asks a
string of questions ten rod long bout
Squire Stockwell. Says he knowed some
of the family, but never met the squire;
wants to know ef it's the proper thing to
L. l.,
family is enjoyin' good health; looks off
at the mountings when slyly says as
how Annie seems to miss her boarding
school, and then he asks the names of all
the hills roundabout, IS eff he didn't care
dried pea about the Stockwells; N
after supper asks the way to Stockwell's
house n goes there. Pears to me faint
trout he's come down fishin' for.
As a matter, of course. all Posket knew
before another sundown that Armies
city Teller had come TO town on spark
ing Grand Squire StockweIl not
suspected it from the nature of Mr.. Well
mans call, but he was made to see the
matter in its true light by several of his
neighbors during the day following.
With all the town he had looked for
ward to Annies marriage with Daniel
Hardy as a foregone conclusion and it
seemed like questioning the ways of
Providence to suggest different order
for their lives. The affair troubled him
seriously and his anxiety was by no
means lessened when, after supper, he
saw Wellman strolling up the graveled
path that led to the front door. 1t was
one Of those evenings, too, on which
Daniel was certain to call 1t occurred
to the squire that something ought to be
done--but what?
For several minutes he fidgeted I'M
easily while Mr.. Wellman chatted Of his
days sport with the rod. He was indeed
a handsome man, tall and well proper
toned, and his smooth cheeks and re-
fined features looked none the worse for
the scorching that a day in the open air
had given them. He talked entertain
ingly, too, and. what was better, like an
unassuming, honest man.
Presently the squire rose and excused
himself in the best way he knew, and
went out, leaving his wife, who was also
disturbed about the situation, to enter
tain the probable sutton Annie was
there, to be sure, but her face was grave
and her tongue inactive. Squire Stock
well wandered out to the front gate and
gazed earnestly down the road He was
right. The sun had but just gone down,
and the figure he had seen tramping
sturdily down the hill that of Daniel
Hardy.
Two or three commonplace remarks
passed between them, and Daniels SOM
Der face grew dark. The squire began
to wonder why he had left the house to
intercept the visitor, and at last he
asked, with great effort:
Hear any news when you came
through the village, Dan'lg'
Eyes, ! did, squire, an / s'pose that's
what you're standin' here for, an not
lettin' me in.
s'Wal, Dan1, amt goin' todo no in
terferin', M Lord knows you'll be well
come to my house the blacklist day in
the year. You know me, Dan'l, an /
know you. 1t 'peared to me that praps
eff you knowed, you wouldn't keer to
come in tonight
The squire's rugged face was luminous
with compassion. Daniel gave one glance
at him, another at the darkening hills,
and asked:
SIS he in there with herr"
"Yes, Danl, he is, but understand me,
SO furs know, nothin' has ben said be-
tween EN- S should change matters.
Nothin has ben said to me cept bout
fishin' an railroad sheers. We hain't had
no chance to speak to Annie. but eff it
comes to pint, Dsn'l, you shan't be the
sufferer. No child o mine shall play fast
N loose with likely young man s she's
BEN practically promised to for years"
esquire Stockwell, rejoined Daniel,
and there was rough, grating sound in.
his throat, ''there shall be no forcin' of
Annie where I'm consumed. Eff she
can't take me after what I've done and
ben, eff this man S I've heerd about has
ben film her mind with what amt
true, ef-wall, the long an short of it is,
Squire, I've waited, m kin wait again.
''Said like a man, Dan1," exclaimed
the Squire, though he gained but dim
notion Of what was passing confusedly
in the young mans mind. snow that
you know how things is, do you want to
come imp
Ja...L - $780,. - II. III