The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-04-16
CHATTER 1.

They had named III place we'll those
sturdy old Eoisythes who, for three gen
erations, had drawn from its soil the rich
fruits of an ineXhaustIble fertility, re-
decming the broad acres from the will
delness, and building and improving I'M
til the square mile OF field, timber and
! brookside resembled some notable En-
glish grange.
Where the many gabled house stood,
the thrifty naples shut it in to nest
foorc with golden-hued fallen leaves,
and famed iy crimson beauties still
pendent 10 the mother stem, Haunting
their gay tintings like vari- colored ban
. rers.
II was now, when tho giorie6 of the
harvest still ingcre /, when each field
looked like some swept lawn, and the
i ! arm groaned with golden store. and ma
ture, man and beast seemed resting for
later battle with winter and storm,
that Maple Leaf Farm looked its best,
and it was now that sta.wart, iron-knit
John Elliott, gazing across the feGced-
il parad Sc of his hopes and ambitions,
/ thrilled proudly.
Ten years agone he had brought his
motherIess child, Ruth, to the farm, to
be welcomed by old Godfrey Forsythe,
his dead wifc's bachelor brother.
:" / wrote for YOU" the sad-faced re-
cIuSc had said, because the farm was
going to ruin. AID You have the vigor
AMI the ambition to redeem it. | am
failing daily. | Civ" you the use Of the
place as virtual owner while YOU live.
After that and he gazed Affect )nately
at go!den-h haired little Ruth-"she shall
bc ms heiress. and her husband shall
carry on the work yCu begin"
And then 81 offr"y forsythe had kissed
the w0nd, Keyed child who SO reseinbled
his cad sister, had retired 10 the gloomy
stone residence ne owned in the village
o. Ridgeton. mile distant, and dropped
out OF their lives as fully as though he
had gone to foreign parts.
A recluse, an invalid, once a year he
came 10 the farm, once a month Ruth
visited him in the hermitage, where he
seemed 10 dwell only to brood over Il
broken past
They told of a love episode in his
career that had left him in its wake only
heart ok and sorrow. She had Tilted
him, but he could not recognize the
coQuette in the fair being who seemed
al angel to his blinded, longing gaze.
She had welded another. They had
lcth died, leaving Il son, Ralph, and
whpn John Elliott came to the farm old
Geoffrey had said To him:
L make but one restriction to your
exclusive control of everything. \ sense
Of duty impels me TO keep her boy out
OF the ro0rhouse. You are TO take
Ralph, make q man Of him, and some
day, may be, he and Ruth"
Grim John Elliott understood, and
Ralph had become a member Of his fam
iIS, to all eyes, except the blind ones of
Godfrey Forsythe and John Elliott, de-
yeioping traits of secrecy, cunning and
rudencss that carried out the defective
training of a deccltful mother and a
reckless, unprinciplod sire.
Since then the years had gone on, each
one adding to the beauty and value of
Maple Leaf Farm, and John Elliott might
well experience a flush of joy as he sur
vayed his goojlv heritage that bright,
glowing afternoon.
1t took time to get the hang Of
things, he murmurcd, with self-gratula
ton, but l managed it, There isn't a
farm in Il days journey that equals this.
The last year has mended every broken
fence, propped mp every crooked barn.
and the protits-I shall be rich before l
die, very riCh,'
Farmer John spoke truly. The last
year hal been a golden one indeed. In
his stubborn pride he took all the credit
for il, but his was not the hand that had
wrought the change.
lie half guessed it, as a tail, manly
fellow Of about twenty-five came from
one Of the granaries.
Mr. Elliott, the wagons will be here
for the wheat Tomorrow" he remarked.
Very well, ven can attend TO it. And,
say, Dalton. we had better cast up ac-
counts Tonight.
The young ma bowed with a dignity
that told of pas, career considerably
above the level of fam culture. Farmer
John turned and watched him with a cal
culating eye as he strolled toward the
road.
L can't make him out, he muttered.
Il never could. | never Will. He came
here, quiet and gcntlemanly. year age,
an asked for worll-no friends, no ref
er~nac- He thrashed like a bound
hand, Tut III wager H. never saw fail
before. Then put him in charge of the
men. Then he began To- help me out
with my accounts. and he's been a
jewel, earning double his wages, saving
Inc four times as much, and always the
quiet, Icnt!emanly, unasSuning fellow
threat Goshen it never struck me be
fore. But suppose it is him him that :
al thn bottom of the new mischief I've
4ecutrlt7
Farmer John brought his sinewy fist
down on The fence till il Quivered, under
tie force u Il new and overwhelming
idea.
Black "a thundercloud grew his
broad, byonzrd FACE. 50 lately wreathed
with smiles Of satisfaction.
Some one i at the bottom Of it.
Some ones rohIing me Systematically.
II cant he him. hur-who knows? He's
a stranger: h. knows where the keys
are. and-III watch
Iuttering. btar -browed. the farmer
took his way slowly towards the house.
Tho sun had gone under n hazy cloud.
the first torerunn"r of damp weather.
Nature was in sympathy with the dark
shadows that Il" impression of a wilfUl
suspicion was about II east about the
peaceful home.
Paul Dalton, the young superintend-
tnt, aiI unconscious Of the web with
II, Ii warn ana wool OF steel that fate
had jl-t begun IL weave for him, walked
on till hn reached the grove OF naples
lining toe road
arm John adiudgcd him mystery
AMI Farmer John was right.
1U glance at his expressive face, in
tells a., eyes. expansive brow, daiutily
! shaped hands, told that NJ hal not al
. wavs taeu a tiIler Of the soil.
Something in the half-veiled eyes
spoke I hidden past, Of ambition
+ tliuurted. of a soul heund II iron-ike,
,,uo"m. 1ouising duty for the sake OF
( others.
Something, too. just then awoke the
/ sentimental in the heart OF the mex
I pl.eah!e mystery OF Maple Leaf Farm
! that would have made hard, practical
4 Farmer John stare in wonder had 1t
I been TIL r..
{ Visiting softly L" himself. Paul DaI-
I ton. .sl: ncin% down. saw some tiny flow
4 cr~ gray,ing at his feet.
H. leaned over and picked two ot
. them. They wer" vioIy-js. late slayers
/ sheltered ~ II" protecting hedge and
! aaurisaei by the rich damp soil arouue