The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-11-28

Tsf EzxNzAlYNW was man Of sixty
- - =. and much broken
in health, as his STOPPING shoulders
and attenuated frame showed. John
Brand was young giant of twenty
eight, handsome, with certain say.
age kind of beauty, for his straight
{ black hair. heavy brows and piercing
eyes made him look more like an
Indian than white man. There was
s q savage scowl on his face this morn
ing, too, as he swung his axe, sending
Its keen Elade deep into the wood at
every blow.
81 wish ye would go with us. John, "
said his father, after hesitating mo.
ment, gently laying his hand on his
sons shoulder. Brother Eben will
be right glad to see ye, an ye know
we never get over there 'cepting at
Thanksgiving"
Eas ssI hate holidays" growled John,
throwing off his fathers hand roughly
/ and continuing his attack on the
s wood.
Mr.. Brand walked slowly away and
Z climbed into the two-sested
wagon beside his wife and little Billy.
His appearance contrasted greatly
with that of his wife. She was not
! more than thirty-five and was plump
and good looking. The little boy,
nearly Eve years old, sat between
y them.
Here are the reins, father" she
d said, and smiled up at him, brightly.
: She knew that he was greatly dissp-
I pointed by Johns refusal, although
& she was rather glad herself to get
away for one day from the surly
& fellow.
The back seat of the wagon was
piled with extra wraps and hampers
Of pies and cakes to 'tpiece out" at
4 the dinner, should brother Eben's
folks be short; but there was plenty
of room for John if he would go. The
Y farmer turned and looked at him, but
q the axe was going faster and harder
than ever, every blow saying as
plainly as could be: 'I hate hoi-
y daysl" Little Billy was impatient to
start SO Mr.. Brand reluctantly
tsclucked" to the old horse and they
b ratified ont Of the yard.
It was crisp November morning,
3 the ground frozen as hard as q rock
and 9 brittle covering of ice over all
Z the puddles and in muddy ruts. The
trees on the mountain-side back of
the house were bare of leaves and
their branches sighed and shivered in
/ the wind. John Brand threw down
e his axe and gazed after the retrestiDg
3 wagon with lowering brow.
Ten years before his mother had
died. He had loved his mother-al-
s most worshiped her, in truth-and
) her death had made him feel very
] bitter against the fate which had
y taken her away. His father had never
had any great share of his fierce
2syoung hesrt-he was so much diff
4 ferent from his mother. But they al
! ways got along well together, and for
Z the next four years, instead of strik-
q ing out for himself, as he had in
! tended, John put his best exertions
! into the work of running the great
q farm.
! There were two hundred acres of it,
& woodland and meadow, hill and plain.
& It would all be his some day, so there
4 was no use IN Johns going off for him
self, 80 his father said, and John was
accounted fortunate fellow indeed
by the neighbors.
3 But change began to come over
his father. John was slow to suspect
! the cause, although the neighbors, as
I nelghbors will, saw and understood it
B from the first. John had been so
wrapped up in his mother that never
/ for an instant did he think that his
t9 father might see some other woman
whom he might wish to make his wife.
I. It therefore came like thunder-clap
when the farmer told him that he was
about to marry neighboring farmers
daughter, young woman not much
more than half his age.
John did not oppose the union by
4 words. His fathers determination
seemed, in fact, to have made him
dumb. He only looked his scorn,
: anger and contempt, and from that
/, day was changed being.
I & His socisbility and wit had enliv-
ened almost every gathering of young
people in the region since his arrival
t at manhood. These gatherings knew
him no more. He refused every invi.
tation, retired within himself and
!. brooded over the wrong which he
fancied had been done his mother
memory and himself.
He would not even attend his faith
er's wedding and when Mr.. Brant
brought his bride home all traces oi