Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-10-11


platform, where the stranger sat, lean
ing against the wall of the station,
and clambered out of the wagon.
'Are you Mr.. Tom Coleman?" he
asked, producing the telegram as he
would letter of introduction aud
handing it to the other as an evidence
of good faith on his part.
The man took off his hat, brushed
back his grayish-brown hair and nod
ded. Then, as if fearing that that
silent acknowledgment of his identity
was insufficient demonstration, he
added:
''Yes, am. Who are you?"
'I'm the general manager Of Miss
Abbie's place" John answered, with
touch of resentment at the brusque-
ness of the speaker. '.She sent me
down to meet you. Arc you ready!"
For answer the gentleman climbed
up to the seat beside the driver, and
twenty minutes later he followed John
up the path to the hall door; it was
as grave dignifed exponent of an
old-school politeness that he met Miss
Abbie on the threshold.
"My dear aunt" he said, taking
both her hands in his and drawing her
toward him. 81 am glad to see you.
Can you honestly say as much?"
That clannish little woman's lonely
heart was filled to overAowing with
tho Joy of having some one who called
4 self by the family name come into
her life and greet her affectionately,
and her ever-ready tears trickled down
on his strong white hand.
"Ah," she cried, forgetting that she
had no nephew, never did have
nephew and never could have
nephew. "You are welcome, indeed.
am more than glad to see YOU"
At dinner, when Tom Coleman sat
opposite his new found aunt, he had
an opportunity to study her mi
nutely.
"Do you know, Aunt Abbie," he
said, ruefully, ''it makes me feel like
an overgrown schoolboy to address
you SO. I had you all pictured
in my mind. You were to be at least
fifteen years my senior, and l am
forty. Yet here find you still in the
thirties, and as pretty and fresh look.
ing Us girl in her teens. can't ac-
count for it. Had not already known
that you were much younger than my
father, and only haif-sister, would
think had made mistake and got
switched off on side track some
where"
Miss Abbie's face flushed and she
was on the point of making confes.
sion of her poverty stricken condition,
SO far as blood relations were con-
cerned, but the delusion Of fancying
herself communing with some one
bound to her by ties of nature was
sweet and she hugged it to her heart
and let the mistake drift on for future
reparation.
"There are many things 1 want to
know about my fathers family" he
said to her that evening, 'and you, of
course, are the one l look to to
straighten out the tangle of circum-
stances that has been vexing me for
several months. When are you ready
that each of us should turn biogra-
pher"
"Not yet" she said, hastily. eff
there are any unpleasant and unan-
swcrable questions troubling you put
them aside and let thugs take their
own course for time. We will con.
slider them by-and-by."
81 bow to your superior judgment,
my dear aunt" he said, with mock
humility. "When. in your opinion,
the proper time has arrived, let me
know"
1t was two weeks before he broached
the subject again.
81 ought to go away to-myrrow or
the next day." he commenced abrupt
ly one evening, when they sat on the
steps watching John at work among
the rose bushes, "and before leave
think it only just that you enlighten
me on the family history in general.
But perhaps ask that you will con-
slider it point Of honor that l take
the initiative and tell you what I know
of my father after his family lost sight
of him. / should have done this in
the beginning, but you will remember
that my attempts to lead up to any
such conversation were discouraged
by YOU"
He paused.
eyes," she murmured, 81 remem-
member. Go on"
81 have but little to toll. and shall
say that without any attempts at rhe.
torical establishment. was born in
the far West. When was less than
year old my father died. My mother
lived but short time after that and
| was brought up-if bringing up you
could call it-by her people, who had
moved to a neighboring town the year
before. From somebody, l presume
1T was my father, had inherited con-
siderable independence and ambition,
aud as soon as l was old enough
commenced to try to make for myself
a way in the world. How far I have
Succeeded you can perhaps be the best
aNd most impartial Judge. 1t was
ony within the last few years that
veentertained any active interest
in ny fathers family. One day
asked hQ old woman who had been my
mother Snearest neightor and closest
friend if AZ had ever heard either OF
my parentspy anything about his life
before he cAs West, and she told mo
that just preNNps to his death he had
spoken to mNNpother Of Judge in
l, st. Louis to WIN she could write II
sho ever found Unnecessary or expe-
vent to mako anyS Suuiries about his