Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-01-10

what perplexed. 1T be lad told straight
tale, but we didn't know how true it
was
"Ju,t so, but he is clear. If any one
is to bame, it'sI. I'm ready to pay all
costs and charges
"Weli-but who are yous'
Here are papers that will prove who
and what am. You see there has been
some oil boring going on down in these
hills, and was sent down from the
North by a arival company to watch things.
lay around quiet for month, when
they made a strike. | was thirty miles
from rail or telegraph, and had to get
there at once to send the news. So l
got this lad, whom none of yon know, to
| hire the best horse to be had for love or
money. Then l took the horse, paid him
of and we parted. When got to Knock
| Ridge, the nearest station, | found
| would have to keep on to Richmond. l
! left the horse, wrote back to Forster aud
| went On by rail- Next | read in the
papers that the horse was missing ind
the poor boy in Jail under charge of
taking it; so back I came to Knock
Ridge, found the horse and here am.
guess my letter must have gone
wrong, as no one had been to get the
nag"
These facts being proved, and all
charges paid, the youth was at once
released Then the stranger, whose
name vas Derrick, took the boy aside
and said:
my lad, I'm sorry l was the means Of
getting you into this scrape, for you did
me favor. If you care to go North with
me and buckle down to steady work,
Ill put you in the way Of making man
of yourself.
I'll 60, said the lad, "on one con
dition"
4 hope it is a good one"
$50 do !, sir, I've been goin' down
hill nd | know it, but the other day |
met some one who has always belved in
me through thick nd thin. If 60 with
you, it is only to come back by'nd-by, i,
when I've done something to show
her-God bless her that she was
right.
The shrcwd Northern man looked
puzzled, but soon smiled and held out
his han1.
II see no harm in that Only sticl
to this resolve, and you'll como out al
solid ytt
It was winter at the toll-gate. Wit
bad weather and worse roads, the toll
decreased and times grew harder Aun
Narsy, feshy and quite helpless, di
little else but worry. Uncle Solon
view of things was now more gloom
than ever. If Milly did not despond,
vas because of hope time failed
ban:sh. and faith reason could not de
stroy. Had. she been as the wise are, sh
might have learned to despair but HI
ING in many things like babe, ST
worked and waited, and was not III
hapny.
But it chnnce1 that QUE blustel
ni-rnt. another buggy 'lrew ny at Il
gate, and as Milly Jane came out, a vel
u dressed lad jumped down and claspt
her in his arms. At the first sound
his voice she shrank back, sayings
% ''It-it's the-prisoner-"
. "No, Milly-no prisoner now-thar
God. It's brother Ned-come back
) never to leave you again, if you'll let h
stay"
, Miuy put up her hands and felt
D. face, his head, his arms, while MI
questioning shone in her slghtless ey'
"a Then, as the welcome truth at last ma
% itself felt, her face rippled into smiles
"Ned-Ned"' she cried, pulling h
into the room, where Aunt NarsT Y
1e making coffee and Uncle Solon
ID propped up with pillows. Il knew h
os come-the good Lord want goin'
keep him from me-al~ays. = Tan
Blade.