Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1891-12-10
Mechanwtwn Frederick County, Maryland Thursday December TO- 1891

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the Standard of the Lord in ever so tri.
fling a matter. Thee knows best, faith
er. We will starve before we will bar.
ter away our souls
| Seba Simmons said not word. He
merely sat quite still, and stroked the
shining bronze bands of her hair with a
loving hand and when at last she was
silent, he gently repeated the Scripture
words:
81 have been young, and now am old /;
yet have not seen the righteous for
saken, nor his seed begging bread"
'And now, father said Rachel, cheer
fully, i will toast thee bit of bread
when the fire burns up bright, and
make cup of tea. And if thee has
any more copying from the law office to
do, l will help thee with it, for the ev-
enings are getting so nice and long
now.
Such foolsl growled Lyman Carson,
the real estate agent. The old rattle
trap Of place ain worth five thousand
dollars if it wasn't handy to the corner.
And here old Father Simmons refused
nine! Point blank refuses it
Make it ten, shrewdly suggested the
vulture faced man, who, in the interest
of the National Lottery Company, was
endeavoring to drive the bargain. Or
even eleven. Our folks are not disposed
to skimp, If everything cal be made
suitable
"Twoulln't be Of any use. said Car
son. The old fool has got what he calls
scruples. Hang scruples, say. Here
be is, over head and ears Ia debt, with
out any visible means of livelihood ex.
cept daughter who works IN a worsted
store-house all mortgaged and every
thing out of repair-one would think
he'd jump at the chance
'Well,' contemptously uttered the
vulure faced man, he must be fat"
'The fools ain t all dead yet, said Car
son. angrly. expectorating into a tin
spittoon which occupied the post Of
honor in the Office. Come. if you re
got to look elsewhere, there's no harm
in considering that shop in Carminent
street
The rext night Rachel came home an
honr earlier than usual.
I've got news for thee. father. she
said, sitting down beside his chair and
passing her arm fondly around his neck.
Mr.. Walden has cut down expenses and
discharged nine of the hands and l am
one of the nine..'
Thee Will have more time to help me
with he copying, said Friend Seba. smil
ing family.
But, father
Thee has not told me all, daughter
said the old man, simply. Thee has
kept something back. Can tell it in
the tones Of thy voice.
Rachael laughed little tremulously.
Thee is right, father, said she David
Postley has ask I'd me to be his wife,
/ thought said the old man, that
DAVID was to be married to his employ
ers daughter.
No, father SAID Rachel Eliza Pen
infer would have liked it. I think but
David does not care for Eliza Penifer.
He says-he says, father, that lie likes
me
Old Seba Simmons caressed his daugh-
ters hand.
And yet,' said he, Friend Pennifor
is rich, and can give his daughter for
tune, and we are poor folk. But. all
the same. Rachel, I think David has
done we'll 1! A good daughter, they say
will make a good wife =
He says whispered Rachel, that he
will come here to live, thee does not OBJ
ject to his opening a -four and teed store
on the ground floor. He has some lit
tie capital saved up, and
He will be son to me daughter,
said Simmons. Thee may tell him So.
Everyone In the neighborhood mar
yelled that David Postly could prefer
Rachel Simmons to Eliza Pennifer. who
had snch fine black eyes Of her own,
and wore a diamond ring to match, on
her plump forg finger, owning Il piano,
and having been educated at boarding
school But The little ripple of public
opinion had hardly subsi'ed. and the
blue gilt painting on the sign ID. Post,
ley Flour and Feed was yet new, when
fresh topic OF conversation arose in
the neighborbood.
Nobody s'posed the Eleyated Railway
travel was comm that way spIuttered
Lyman Carson, or we'd bought out
the old Quaker at twenty thousand dol.
lars, and made him believe we were 60.
ing to open upa mission school on the
n ,i,,.& ol, ~