The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-08-27

a. Gf farm servant,
~ \ IF holding by a
zEas halter a large
and uncouth ploughhorse, stood be-
tore the shut doorof a battered wood
en- building, the surroundings OF
which at once proclaimed it to be a
smithy, although through the chinks
IN its weather-beaten walls no forge
fire cleaned nor CHEEKY hammer rang.
The plough man, astonished to see
the place shut at an hour long after
that at which the blacksmith usually
started work, retired pace or two
and gazed up at the chimney; and
not seeing even the faintest trace of
smoke issuing thence, he turned and
looked about him with a puzzled ex-
preston on his face. A man break
ING stones on the other side of the
road noticing the farm servants be-
acknowledgements, and latter the
usual morning salutation, proceed
ed to explain what had become of the
blacksmith. We will give that ex-
PLANTATION In our own words:
Hamilton Armstrong was the name
of the blacksmith in question. His
workshop was situated close to a
Uayside station on the main line of
one of the great Scotch railways but
at a considerable distance from any
town or village. Being, however,
kept pretty busy at work for the
neighboring farmers, and being con-
sequently well-to-do, and having.
moreover, rs his nearest female neigh
Dor very pretty girl the daughter
of the porter at the station, it was
the most natural thing in the world
that he should wish to make her his
wife Unfortunately, this was more
easily determined on than done, for
he had q rival This rival was the
driver of a goods train which was al
most daily shunted into the siding
near Sarah's house, to allow of pas
senger express passing, and he took
advantage ofthis momentary respite
to chat with the porter's pretty
daughter Whether it was because
he was far-away bird that his feath-
ers seemed fairer than Armstrong;
in Sarah's sight, Or whether he was
intrinsically man of more worth.
the gossips-for there were gossips
even in those solitudes-were not
agreed Rightly Or wrongly, Eowev-
er, Sarah gave him the preference.
Having made up his mind to ask
Sarah to be his wife, Armstrong was
not long il finding an opportunity
for doing SO. Though he knew he
had rival, he was hardly prepared
to hear from Sarah that she had al
ready promised to marry Duffy. the
engine driver. But Armstrong was
not going to yield without making a
special effort to win her. Hepleaded
long and tervently with her to retract
her promise to his rival, whom he
was persuaded she had only accepted
because he had been the first to ask
her. But Sarah was quite sincere,
Duffy being really the man of her
choice; and Armstrong pleaded in
vain. ....
For the next week or two the
blacksmith moped about, and did
scarcely any work. On the day
OF which Sarah's marriage was to
take place he left the smithy in the
evening, and went wandering in
to the country, returning late at
night. Next morning he went away
again, now walking with uneasy step
along the quiet country lanes, and
now sitting dejectedly by the road
side, muttering to himself. The
neighbors soon came to hear of his
strange behavior; and it was whis-
pered that he must have gone out Of
his senses, as an uncle of his had
done under similar affliction.
That was yesterday" the stone
breaker wound up, "and he's away
along the road by the railway this
morning, They should look after
him, or he'll be lying down in front
OF some train. or jumping down into
the deep rock-cutting and breaking
his neck"
If Hamilton Armstrong had not
gone mad, as the people supposed.
he certainly acted like a madman.
Stung to the quick by his rejection.
ne bad no heart for his work. He