Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-02-26
A YANKEE COUNTING.

II any one was better known than an
other for miles around the village Ct
Conway, IL was Deacon Harding. TIE pll-
lar q the Methodist church and the
sirsctest s<lectlnan the New Hampshire
village had ever known. He lad never
married. and some foiks said be WA TO
NJ al. aud That al he ,houglt about Was
putting AZ ypoily share 81 this worlds
gods 10 has cT,<iit in order that he might
nske better provision fer the oonlfaodi-
tis~ Of the next. but then people VIII
talk
II was therefore matter of consld-
cradle speculation among his fselghbcrs
when the deacon wac reen 10 stop occa-
sionally a. the Widow Martins cottage,
ard many and varied were the con5oc-
lures about the outcome. The widow
was plump. rosy checked and god na-
trrei, and her Gear Departed having leff
her more than two wears before she WIS.
as she believed herself. fully qualified 10
be considered among the elisables 81 the
little world IN which she lived. She had
heard swhat woman does noty) of her
neighbors' talk about her, sui beng n
that happy disposition which does not
bed the stories Dame Rumor occasion
ally circuiates che kept ca her way re-
gardless Of all the gossips said.
The widows cottage was an inviting
spot when the snow lay pulled Up in great
masses in the roadways and ON the noun
tain sides and the mercury was away be-
low zero. A bright light always shown
from the windows while the hickory logs
cracked and spattered ia the wide, open
fireplace. Everything about the place
was 80 neat, clean and wholesome look
ing that one felt al home the moment he
crossed the threshold At least that j.
what Deacon Hardin thought as he came
in sight Of the cozy home Of the widow
while On his way 10 meeting Of the town
board.
The deacon was feeling Ct III and ont
Of sorts generally. and somehow his
ideas had been travelling for weeks past
in direction decidedly singular for such
a confirmed bachelor as he All ap-
pesred 10 LEAD up 10 one object. and thai
was the Widow Martin. The deacon
was getting ON dangerous groand. but
be didn't seem 10 know IL. lie had al
ways said there wasn't q woman who
could catch him. lie had lived so long
without one that he was not going 10 DC
taken in by any of them ut his line 81
life. Not he, and ne grew several inches
higher every time he Rugged this conso-
. ION 10 his breast.
l. II this particular evening he was
unaccountatly lonely and dissIGriied.
Everybody who WIS anybody In Con-
way was full Of rest and cheer and Just
brimful Of happiness. The spirit Of the
holidays was everywhere. but the deacon
was alone. There WAS uo one 10 welcome
him, no one to greet him at his home,
except, perhaps. his old hou~ekeepcr who
was deaf and III tempered enough 10 sour
the biggest cask Cf cider IN his cellar.
1t was no wonder, then. that as he
reached the Widow Martins cottage he
determined TO stop just for a chat with
her and 10 warn himself before going TO
the meeting. That was all. II he had
been told there was anything else on kis
mind, he would have thought the sugges-
ton ridiculous. The widow heard tie
eeacon's blackboard stop-in fact. sle
had seen HIM coming up the road-anl
there had been a hasty glance over the
room. and jest peep IN the looking
glass On the mautel % see If everything
was in order. long before the deaoors
voice was heard On shc frosty air and
tie Wheels had ceased % rcyolve ia front
Of tie cottage. BY the time lac had