The Forrest City times., 1892-05-27
FORES1'ALLED.

He was a wldower. his wife having died nearly seventeen years ago She had left only one child. a dark-eyed. impulsive little fellow of seven. who was the apple of his fathers eye. Immediately after his great bereave- ment Miss Dolly Stiles. maiden sis ter of the deceased wife had come to care for little Joe and act as house. keeper.
 Miss Dolly was a gentle sweet-tem- pered body, and would. no doubt have made model boy out of her nephew. But the Judge over-indulged and spoiIed little Joe to such an extent that his aunts corrections and disci- plines always kindly in their nature. counted for naught Still impulsive and wayward as the boy was. no one was able to influence him quite so greatly as Aunt Dolly.
 Joe loved her as if she were his own mother and several of the neigh bors declared that Judge Carpenter ought to have married his sister-in- law. believing that had he done so the boy would have turned out better. When Joe was Is he was sent off to high school and Dolly Stiles went back to her old home. When he spent his vacations at home it was re- marked how reckless he was growing. deprived of Miss Dolly's gentle infiu- ence.
 Joe remained two years at high school then the judge sent him away to college. The first year the profes- sor reported that he was very studi- ous. but he fell in with some wild as- sociates. became indifferent about his studies and at last disobeyed the rules of the college and was expelled. He came home. and the judge de- bated the subject of making his boy take up farming, as an occupation to tone him down. But Joe soon fell out with blowing and before he was Fl ran away from home.
 The Judge tried hard to recover his boy. He followed him as far as Den ver where he lost all trace of the runaway. He employed two good de- tectives to continue the search then returned home. But nothing could be heard from Joe and it became the belief around his old home that he must be dead.
 It was near sunset when Judge Carpenter stopped his carriage before a neat little farm house. embowered in trees. on the side of a gentle hill A lovely girl of about 20. with hazel eyes and rosy cheeks came singing down the path. She stopped sud denly on meeting the judge aud she colored up with pretty confusion. Good evening. Mr. Carpenter" she stammered; Fl didn't see you.
 Good evening. Miss Alma re- turned the judge taking her plump little hand and holding it longer than seemed at all necessary. You had started some place?"
 Only after the cows she laughed, recovering herself
 You are very sweet cheerful | girl. Alma. and deserve better fate than the hard life which is yours. , said the judge kindly and seriously. Thank you, Mir Carpenter You will find father enjoying his evening pipe in the garden n and she tripped away to the meadow. leaving the judge to find his old friend. Alma Herricks father and Judge | Carpenter had been comrades in the late war; They had formed friend ship in camp which had strengthened with their years. Both men were widowers. each having but one child. But while Carpenter had been success full in accommodating riches Amos IIerrick had seemed to go behind and had it not been for the timely help of | his friend he could not have retained the pleasant little farmhouse where he and Alma lived. Judge Carpenter found Amos Herrick smoking as he paced up and down the broad paths of the well-kept garden.
 T was just thinking of you. Joseph" said Herrick after their frs: greetings had been exchanged. T was thinking about that money owe you. My crops are almost total | failures this year and it was my greatest hope to make good payment this summer but don't see for my life how I m going to do it. Joseph and his head dropped de.ectedly. Don't let that worry you. old boy. idNc ptOpoSitioh to oucf oy WulCu you may cancel that debt which you harp on so much and at the same time make me very happy said the Judge earnestly
 Il know you are surprised and I would no doubt have been surprised myself had anyone suggested such a thing to me yesterday; but sitting alone to-day l realized my need of some bright young presence to cheer my life and home. Immediately l thought of your Alma as the one per- son in all the world 10 do this. know we both thought once that this would be brought about in a different way. think there was tender at tachment between my Joe and your Alma but my poor boy is gone" If Alma had consulted her own feel ings she would have declined Judge Carpenters proposition. much as she respected him; but her father was | growing old and there were his num- erous obligations in one way and an- other to the Judge. SO she hushed the promptings of her heart and said | .yes."
 The wedding was to come of in the early autumn. Judge Carpenter took a boyish delight in perfecting all nec- essary arrangements The day be- fore the wedding came. aud Alma | Herrlck wandered by herself down | the meadow in har favorite ratraat ;,,