Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-26
Copyright All Rights Reserved.

y
pretendln' to be readin' by the moonlight
though l know he couldn't see line. He
I hailed me an said he'd been set down there
by the Grantharn coach, out somebody he'd
expected to meet him hadn't come, an he
thought 'twant no use to wait for 'ern any
longer. Said he was afeard he'd freeze to
death out there, an could he hire bed and
place for the night We was too fur from
nome to turn back, an as l couldn't let the
poor critter freeze, why there want nothin'
fur it but TO take him into the sleigh an
fetch him here"
Everybody having declared that Dan had
done just right, he introduced the younger
stranger as Mr.. Nathaniel Howe, who had
been engaged to keep the district school,
which was to open on the morrow.
HE come to board to our house this af-
ternoon," said Dan to 'Biiah, $50 had to
bring him with u.s.
That's just right" said 'Biiah eI'm
glad you did, - though at the same time he
feared the schoolmaster's presence would
spoil the pleasure of the evening
At the mention of Mr.. Howe's profession
the boys and girls had ceased their chatter
and merriment and had assumed faces of
doleful length and seriousness. Suppressed
murmurs of discomfort might have
been heard on every hand. All
were agreed that "Dan Carver ought to
a-knowed better than TO bring the school
master there to spoil all the fun Priscilla
presently whispered to her brother to take
MIR. Howe into the forenoon and introduce
him to father and mother and the rest of
the old folks. "An' if l were you, reckon
I'd leave him there she added. Biiah
was not slow to act on this suggestion, and
the pedagogue had no sooner left the room
than joyous merriment again regned
among the company.
supper was now announced and the fore
room and the endroom poured forth their
occupants into the long dining room, where
1t was soon found that there was not suffi-
Gent accommodation for all the guests.
Consequently it was decided that the ed-
er!y people, the schoolmaster and the
youngest OF the young folks should sit at
the first table, because the older young
folks preferred to wait and eat by
themselves. There was one exception,
however, for Hannah Lovejoy, when she
saw the schoolmaStor placed near the head
Of the festive board, had seated herself
through inadvertence, perhaps-immedi-
face of Dan Carver, Miss Hannah's escort,
assumed a very queer expression and a
very high degree of color, %.!-:c,, sou may
rest assured, were not unnoticed by Miss
Priscilla Bigelow.
When ample justice had been done to the
great loinS of beef, roasted turkeys, geese
and chickens, three CT four large puddings
tard and pumpkin pies. which comprised
the supper, the elderly people returned to
the forenoon, whose hearth was plenti-
fully adorned with mugs and pitchers Of
cider and great bowls heaped with mellow
apples-red, yellow and greer-while the
young folks quickly cleared the dining
room of table, dishes and chairs and Pre-
pared for an evening of games.
What was the dismay of all when Mr..
Nathaniel Howe, the Schoolmaster, walked
in from the forenoon, and how quickly that
dismay changed to delight when he slapped
Bijah Bigelow heartily on the back and ex-
claimed IN CHEEKY voice: ''Well, old fel-
low, what's the programme for tonight?
Blind-man's buff. forfeits, or whatl Don't
let's waste the time.n
This cheerful suggestion was quickly
acted upon, and in ali the sport that fol-
lowed the schoolmaSter proved himself as
much of 4 boy as any one present. The I'M
known old gentleman had found his way
from the end-room and had established
himself as before on his quaint oaken chair
by the tireside. Busted with his reading,
he seeTed to notice nothing of what was
going on, and no one paid the slightest at
tention to him.
First they had game of forfeits, and
then one of blind-man's buff. In the latter,
Dan Carver couldn't help noticing that
Hannah Lovejoy always Numbered into the
SAINT COIuCI WIN INC
Even when she was blindfoided she al
ways knew where the schoolmaster was,
and would catch nobody else. If you had
brushed against her, as many of them did
on purpose, she would have made feint of
Selling you that would nave insulted your
and would instantly have made
of in the direction of the SchoolmaSter
Mr.. Howe must have thought it was not
fair, and doubtless told her so when they
nj hob i,,I no,
window curtains.
Many times that night did Dan Carver
wish that he had not brought Hannah Love
Joy and that Priscilla Bigelow might forget
that he had done so.
The noise and laughter of blind-man's
buff drew the elderly people to look on, and
at last Mrs. Bigelow could Withstand the
allurements of the game no longer. Slip
ping off her shoes, she joined in and ran
about more lightly and quickly than any OF
the girls. Her example was soon followed
by the other old folks, who seemed to enjoy
the sport immensely.
The fun was at its height when suddenly,
above all this mirth and noise, there rang
out loud shriek-a cry so shril that it
must have been uttered by woman, and
yet SO wild and piercing that none could
tell if 1t were an expression of terror, joy
or sorrow. Every member of the company
became silent and motionless as suddenly as
if thunderbolt had descended upon one
and all. They glanced toward the freside
whence the Shrek had seemed to come, and
there on the hearth strange sight met
their gaze. The unknown stranger-old no
longer, but young and handsome, with
brown, curling hair instead of the white
locks which had hung about his shoulders
was clasping the fainting form of Faith
and covering her unconscious face
with kisses.
"'Tarnel heavens! It's Amos Bradford
come back from the gravel" shouted old
Bigelow when he had recovered his voice,
of which surprise had temporarily deprived
him.
1t was, indeed, Faiths sailor lover.
What joyous time ensued! How they
all laughed and cried together for Joy!
present had known and loved
the gallant young sailor, whom all had
as dead for eight long years.
How they all crowded about him to shake
his hand. It's a mercy that in their eager
ness they didn't shake it off.
With Faith restored to consciousness, sit
ting by his side and holding his hand, blush
ingly, silently happy, and her glorious
beauty more radiant than ever, Amos told
them all his story. A long-continued and
terrible storm had wrecked the vessel after
the captain had lost his reckoning and had
no knowledge of where they were. Float
ing on a SPAR he was picked up after pc
riod of terrible suffering by boat which
he had at first thought manned
by cannibals. They proved to be in
habftants of one of the Marshall
e II l.,