The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-05-31
FUSED BY FIRE.

L UDID ID I1nE.
by HELEN EVERTSON SMITH.
Ebenezer Parsons, commonly called
Eben, had taken advantage of stormy
day in the midst OF the haying season
10 take his horses to the village black
smith to be shod, and also some tools
to be repaired or sharpened, and was
now on his way home. The farm
wagon path, worn into ruts, between
which the sholt young clover grew
couTageously, ran for some distance
alongside OF the pictures que vine or
brush hiiden rail fence that separated
the Prisons land from that OF the Buck
'evs, until it reached a spring whose
almost icy cold water bubbled joyously
out from a gravelly hillside, and ran
down in slender purling stream un-
til it became lost in the Hitchcock
Swamp. From the spring the farm
road turned sharply to the left, and
up the hill side between two of Eben's
own fields, to the low. broad, sloping-
rooted farm house, old in davs, as we
count age in this country, but stronger
than many new houses, and far more
picturesque beneath its wide branching
elms, and half hidden in a wealth of
lilacs, syringas, snowballs, June roses,
and LEAKAGE of that beautiful utilitarian,
the hop-vine.
The rain had almost ceased, and
Eben did not in the least mind the
light drizzle which had wetted his red
flannel shirt until it clung tightly to his
1.-THE, firmly knit, and graceful figure.
Comfortably riding along, guiding with
one hand the horse beneath him !; and
| with the other leading, or rather pre-
tending to lead, the second horse,
which would have followed his mate as
well without a touch, Mr.. Parsons was
in specially good spirits, for he had had
a day OF rest, had heard all the neigh
borhood news, and exchanged opinions
on the prospects of the crops and con-
| ditions of the herds with his brother
farmers, and had come TO the conclu-
sion that, on the whole, his own busl
ness was likely to prove as prosperous
as that of any of the others, and had
perceived with satisfaction, as he rode
bv it, that Jason Buckley's corn was a
trihe less promising than his own, hav-
been planted on low bit of land, too
cold and wet for corn during this cool
wet summer.
"Y-s." said Ehen to himself, turning
10 tie saddle and resting his slnewy
crown hand on the sleek back OF the
dapple gray horse he was riding, while
he scrutlnized the corn field-"yrs
T4son's corn looks mighty yeller anc
minchin'. He'd orter ha' put hisn or
tn upland, as l did mine. Git up
Balder, ole teller What ye stapdin
here fur, nippin' S if We hadn't tasted
srass i'll a week ?"
S.. content wiki hi,ns If and his CIR.
cuas,aucrs, AMI. smI'ing as he though
# the welcomz that be w uid surel'
get wten he reached his own door from
his comely vile and glad-hearted child
r~n. and he vert on whlst!ing stav'
or singing a catch until he came to th
turn in the road by the old spring.
The sight of this spring, so innocen
and smiling, like child's happy face
always brought frown upon hand
some Eben's sun Drowned features, 70
it had been the subject of dispute TO
sixtv wears or more between the anCes
tors OF Jason Buckley and his own
The Parsonses asserted that in the life
time of Grandfather Parsons-who wa
a mild tempered, meek sort of mar
A deacon in the church and superln
tendent of the Sunday School, ma
"altogother too good for service a
Eben said-the sprirg had undoubtedl
belonged TO the Parsonses, But oil
man kley, who held in slight esteer
his neighbor's business qualities, an
thought that the Lord ought not t
have trusted him with The care OF S
much OF this worlds goods, had st
covetous eyes upon the ever fowin
and almost ice-cold spring, so useful
place to stand the churn to make tn
d butter firm in hot weather, and S
p handy to water the cattle in winte
when all the ponds and streams wer
frozen over, and had SC crooked h
rail fence around 1t that it now la
within the Buckley inclJsure.
Deacon Parsons, holding literally t
the admonitlon to give the coat wher
the clo,k had been taken. fused [
take any steps for the recovery of tn
spring, until at last old man Buckle
held it by right OF possession.
The son of Deacon Prisons, who sue
ceeded to The Inheritance Of his fathe
had proved to be of different stuff; wa
1 by no means a meek sort of man, l
fact. Having his fathers strong idea
of right and wrong, but none of his hr
~, i lo,,o Ex,,l,, o,c,xaJ tL,