The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-10-25

VA
week.
Rebecca Bugs was certainly not a ro-
mantle name; not half SO pretty as that
Of Pearl Pelisse, who lived ON the next
farm east of the old Buggs homestead In
Pennsylvania. But Pearl had freckles
as large as shirt buttons, snub nose,
high cheek bones, hair tho color Of her
fathers big copper kettle in apple butter
boiling time, and last, but not least in
her list of disadvantages. Miss Pelisse
was cross eyed Her other physical
blelnishes she had been able to conceal
from the too critical world as soon as
sine was old enough to wear long gowns.
Pearls only pride centered In her name.
But what indeed is there in q narnei
That small, red, squirming hairless thing
which Jacob and Rebecca Buggs, six
teen years before the opening of our
story, had called Rebecca. had grown
into the sweetest, loveliest bud of q
woman ever seen in Adams county. And
when she hlttered from the accoinnlo-
slation train at Morgan's Mills on that
june day, she appeared to the score of
rural loungers on the platform like an
angel just dropped down from the sweet
fields Of Eden.
platform, trailing a scent of violets as
she went. The youthful station agent
forgot the dignity Of his position as he
watched her coming toward him, and
would have run away most probably
had his strength not failed at the SUI
prelne moment. 1t was a clear case of
hypnotism.
s.Can you tell me how far it is to
Tofs<(fx rz44frtrat ,svf. how srnf
theresn she asked.
The agent, after q fearful struggle
with his Adams apple. SWALLOWED it
and stamnered:
There is Farmer Buggs now. a-settin
on yonder chicken COOP
Rebecca turned quickly, eagerly, it
may be, and shot a swift glance at the
man s.a-settin on yonder chicken coop"
powte Il was an old man, with sunburned
se face and iron gray hair. a fringe of
white, bristling beard circled under his
chin. and he was dressed in the rough
habiliments of the farm.
He sat with his shoulders rounded and
one leg half suspended in brace made
by his clasped hands. In this position
he was when Rebecca stepped from the
train, and he never changed it while his
eyes followed her up the platform In
deed, all eyes in that idling crowd had
made the young ledy q common target,
and the old farmer was not an exception
to the power of her magnetic presence.
He saw her 9paralyize" the station
agent; saw the latter stammer a reply;
saw the girl turn and look at him; mo-
ticed her eyes widen under some un-
known emotion; became aware that she
was approaching; knew that she stood
before him, her eyes roaming over his
body from the ten-year-old hat on his
head to the three dollar pair of cowhide
boots upon his number eight feet.
s..Are you Jacob Buggs:
The question came in voice that was
like the music of Bill Geiger's flute.
II am Jacob Buggs, miss, at your sar-
vice., said the old man; and then his
under jaw dropped once more in silent
alteration of the grand goddess before
him.
What Immediately followed laid him
ont as cold as a tenpenny nail, he after
ward confessed
This lovely stranger dropped her tray
cling bag at his feet, threw her arms
around his neck, printed a kiss upon his
forehead, high up near the space where
the hair long ago had grown: choosing
this spot, probably, because it was the
whitest she could find, began to cry
softly and sobbed:
81 am Rebecca! Take me home to
mother" not noticing that her act had
created panic among the depot loung-
ers.
Tho old man arose with precipitation.
He was six feet in height, and Rebecca
being but five feet one was compelled to
LET go her hold around his neck to pre-
vent being suspended by her arms.
Great ganders! You don't say so.''
sputtered the old man. sYou Rebecca!
Wen, what1a mother say"
Take me to her, sobbed the girl
Come along" was the stolid reply.
'Her Rebeccal Well I'll be dog dasted
eyerlastini Why, mother'n drop in a
tit when she sees the gal Her ReDeccss
And by the time the canaille Of the
station at Mergan's Mills got their Sec
ond wind, Farmer Bugs old gray mare
was dashing away from the station at a
four-twenty pace down the Gravel Creek
pike hitched to Jacob Bugs red spring
wagon, in which sat Rebecca going
home to her mother.
When the farmer and his strange guest
had disappeared around hill IN the dis
lance, the crowd came out of its trance
and the seven days wonder became a
source of discussion. Three Saratoga
TRUNKS were discovered upon the plat
form, and one Saratoga trunk in that
out Of the way place would have been 4
sensation. Three constituted material
for turmoil.
They We're marked; with the initials
a. b., and evidently belonged to one
person or party.
Late ia the evepingsoN the same day
Farmer Euggs hand came TO the sta
ton with tie checks forsthe tlireetrunks,
loaded them upon the ihay wagon and