Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-08-30

LlgnI lOau To-Day, Aunt Nance.
Only one passenger, and guess she's tho
one you're looking for"
A young girl, her plain black dress
and hat covered with dust, stepped to
the ground. Aunt Nance embraced heI
warmly.
"You'ro sister Lucy's Marcia!" she
exclaimed, excitedly. sT know without
asking. You're reg'lar Doolittle, and
you don't know how glad I am to sec
you"
"You don't RELY look right strong, z"
Aunt Nance said, while Marcia Was eat
ing the elaborate dinner prepared ex-
prcesly for her. ''But, la my dear,
you'll look like another girl after a sum-
mer up here in the mountain air. I've
GOT nice, gentle saddle horse that ,nu
can ride round the canons on, and I'll
take you over to the hot springs for a
month, later in the summer, Oh, you'll
have roses enough in your cheeks, and
be so plump you won't know yourself 10
three months ]"
Then she suddenly asked in softer
tone, "Where is your brother David,
Marcia5"
Marcla's smile gave place to q pained
and troubled look.
81 don't know, aunt" she said.
"Don't know2 Why, how is that?''
'It is more than year since we have
heard anything from David" said Mar
Cit. Then she added, "That is one
reason why I wanted to come West,
Aunt Nancy, besides what the doctor
told me about my health. I think
David is out here. did not write
anything about it, for I thought would
rather tell you all about it myself. /
thought you might understand the story
better, and feel more kindly towards him
if I told it to you"
Z. 1t was a brief and sorrowful little
story of boys waYwardness that she
told, not an uncommon story of natur-
ally well-dispOsed boy being led into
wrongdoiug by evil companions, and
finally running away after bringing dis
grace upon his home,
GAN we have known for nearly two
years is that he Is out in the West. We
heard once OF his being in this State. II
could only find him! am sure ht
could get be saved. He is so young,
not yet twenty"
"pll help you find him." said Aunt
Nance, earnestly. "We'll begin a,
once. 1 know all about the stage.
drivers about here, and people in nearly
all the mountain towns. If he's any.
where in this part of the State, well
4,H hfr, innrt Norr;ol- asr',
name"
The mountain summer soon came on
in all its soft and tender beauty. Mar.
cia lived out of doors much of the time,
She rode on horseback down into the
grassy gulches, or far up to the mount,
ain SUBMITS, where the snow lay in lit.
tie patches throughout all the summer
days. Soon the color came to her
cheeks, her thin shape grew rouuder and
fuller.
The night OF the nineteenth OF
August was one long remembered by
the dweilers on that mountain side, anC
By those IN the gulch below. They &c,
ferred to it long after ward as "the time
of tho big storm
| hINSA oCC sum u eNtI!ll dS l4llS IL dll
the years I've lived in the mountains, ,
said Aunt Nance, as the night came OF
with a terrible roaring of the wine
through the canon..
Few travellers spent the night ut hel
| cabin, and there was no one there tha
night but Aunt Naucc, Marcia and Kat
Dooley.
At nine o'clock the wind abated it
fury. At ten it had died away SO tha
no sound was heard but the pouring o
the rain. Marcia and Kate Dooley wen
to bed.
It was eleven o'clock when Aun
Nance, rising to go to bed, stopped sud
denly, threw up her head and listene;
intently.
The rain was falling softly now, an,
high above its gentle sound she heard
voice shrek out as it in mortal terror
Then she heard mems voices shoutin
wildly.
"What in the name of wonder is go
ing on up there on Taylor Mountain q
this time of night" che asked of herself
"a she hurried to door and looked ou
into the darkness.
She heard the cries repeated, and the
seemed nearer now. She had hear
cries at midnight before in that will
and lawlcss region, and she knew wha
too often they foretold.
"Dear, dear!" she said, with more c
irritation than Of fear in her voice, 81
wonder when this country's ever goin
TO get so folks'll live as if they was civ
lizedl There's mischief going on u
there! I saw them Taylor Mountai
boys whispering together and lookin
savage when they were down h ere
dinner to-day. I've notion to--who
thatl"
The rear door room had opened sue
denly, and been closed in eager haste.
Aunt Nance turned quickly. Befor
her, his back to the door, his hand
spread out upon it as if he would hol
it against all resistance, stood hatle!
an2 coatless young man, his cloth'
drenched and tattered, his face ashe
pale, his eyes wild and staring, while b
slender form quivered with fear.
"Oh, please come in and shut thi
loorl" he cried, stretching out one han
imploringly. They're after me-tho'
men arel Can't you hide me' / haven
done what they say have. Hide nj
hide mel"
Aunt Nance slowly closed the doc
but seemed to hesitate.
"Ma'am," said the young man, 'I'7
been wild for long time, but am il
; nocent of this wrong, and if you'll he
save me I'll live a right life from th
moment. III go back home to-morro
back to New Hampshirel"
"New Hampshirel" Aunt Nan
caught eagerly at the words.
She closed the door, walked aero
the room until she stood within fo
of the trembling fugitive, and looked ;
into his face, her own heart beatil
wildly.
l care you from New Hampshirei" S
asked, slowly.
"Yes, yes-oh, are they comingf"
"From what town. she aske
eagerly.