Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-04-06


but one, for 1 found at my board.
ing house a long letter from her
"Sam, dear, grandfather is very
determined, and you'd better not
come over this week.
"IIs all about those two little
boys you know 10 Maine in the
poorhOuse. You see l had an
Uncle Tom, who was grandfather's
Oldest son. lie turned out to he
very wild and a great trial to
grandfather, and he nearly broke
grandfdther's heart. After awhile
he married an actress, aud they
went away and never were heard
of for years.
rGrandfather is an awtully proud
man, and he was mortified TO death
at the way Uncle Tom had acted.
lie had been expelled from the
church, and that was great blow,
and finally, when he brought home
his wife, that was the finishing
touch.
"She was black haired, ami she
Redeemed her cheeks, and she was
rather handsome, but loud talking
and not like grandmother.
"GranGmOther tried to bear with
her, bnt one day she was lmpudent,
and Uncle Tom stood up for her
against his mother, and grand
father got angry and turned them
both out of doors.
"In three or four years a letter
came to grandmother from Uncle
-, written from Maine, saying
Iuat his wife had died, and that he
was very Ill himself and didn't ex'
pect to live long and that he had
two little boys whom he had called
Tom and AbJah, after himself aud
grandfather, and that they'd have
to 90 to the poOrhOuse if something
wasn't done for them soon, and
would grandmother tell grandfather
how matters stood and how UDcle
Tom repented of what he h I'd done
GRANDMOTHER actually didu't
dare to tell grandfather, though
her heart ached for her boys so
she copied it all dOwa and sent 1t to
him anonymously. He was as
angry as he could be and cursed
Uncle Ton.'s wife for bringing the
name of StackpOIe to the poor
house, and Uncle Tom for being
not only bad, bat weaF spirited.
"I disowned him when | sent
him from the house." he said, aud
his children and he may die in the
poOrhouse before I'll raise finger
to help them
"In about a week she saw in the
newspaper the account of the man
found dead, and his name, Thomas
StackpOle, was found in his pocket.
Grandmother plucked up cOur-
age and pleaded TO have the child
dren brought home, but grand
father wouldn't listen to her and
forbade any one mentioning the
subject again.
"He seems to grow worse as
time goes on, so when you spoke OF
your knowing two boys named
Stackpole in the poorhOuse he be-
gan to hate yOu, and he hated you
ever since. That's the only reason
he has for not letting us marry
IL exclaimed when you told me
their names, because / know | had
somewhere two cousins, Ton and
Bile, but l didu't know then all the
story as | have told 1t to yOu."
Sam, dear, grandfather is going
to send me to boarding school right
away, so l caL't see you"
Tnen came some tender words
from the dear little girls loving
heart, and l decided that some
thing must be done and that al
, once.
The next day that was in town
received note from MOllie telling
me the particulars. She WAS to &c
r to a boarding school 100 miles
away the next day on the D O'Clock
= train, AID her grandfather was Il
t 60 with her.
| lad been thinking all nigh
over plan, and | resolved to pu'
it into ex' cution, for as to MOllir'I
l going away so far from me it wal
' utterly out of the question.
: First, wrote long letter Il
Mollie, describing the whole plaI
| and giving her minute diIectloni
e as to her part in it. This [ dis
4 patched by a messenger whom
= could trust, with directions to Civ,
a it to Mollie herself.
d Then Travelled all over town t
get leave of absence for the mex
Y day. ! was going to take the mex
8 day Oft anyway, but l thought ~
rather get it honestly If 1 could
n / got permission for Joe MC