The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-05-16

Ontii Onc STdl, HutuIuuht tNtuluB
Mary and her mother came back from
brisk walk to tho village, and found
a stalwart, sunbrowned man sitting
opposite to Miss Abby, by the red
glow of the fire.
The old womanTrose up, in an odd,
uncertain way.
Ladies'" she said, fumbling in her
old snuff-box, "this is my nephew,
Cyrus Dabney-he as ran away from
home twenty-nine year ago come
Michaelmas Day, and we all supposed
was dead Cyrus, these are the ladies
who are so good as to visit me here. /
don't quite recollect their names, but,
then, my memory amt as good as it
used to be-and after all it don't mat
ter much. Nothing matters much
nowadays!"
And Miss Abby sat down and fell
into a "daze" again, as il all necessity
for conversational effort we're over.
Cyrus Dabney stood up-a bronzed,
bearded giant, with dark eyes and su-
perb stature.
Ladies, / beg your pardon !" he
said. "But s'posed when / came here,
| was coming home. l knew nothing
of all these changes. never could
have dreamed that my cousin would
let this old creature go to-the town
poorhouse. ! don't know who you
are, ladies' with husky rattle in his
throat, "but / thank you from the
very bottom of my heart for giving
her n shelter in her old age. And ii
money will pay YOU for it"
at will not! I" said Mary, sharply.
Gs if the words conveyed n slur.
"No, I s'posed not" said Cyrus,
with sigh. "But I've plenty of
money now. The dear old Gunty shall
live like n queen all the rest of her
days, for she was good TO me when
all the rest set me down for "A black
sheep. I've made my fortune out in
Panama, and I've come home to re-
deem myself" ;"
"I have heard of Cyrus Dabney,"
said Mrs. Miller, gently.
"Aud I'll venture, ma'am, you
heard no good of me-" said the young
giant, with short laugh. "lll not
deny that ! was Il wild boy enough,
but there wasn't any actual evil in
me, let folks say what they would.
And now I've come back "A rich man,
aud there's nobody to bid me welcome
home except old Aunt Abby, out OF
the poorhouse.
He could not long have made this
statement, however.
All the town was up TO bid the rich
Government contractor welcome to
Tewkstown within twenty-four hours.
| Human nature Is human nature every.
where. But Cyrus Dabney cared
littlo for the friendly overtures OF the
old neighbors.
Aunt Abby was the only person for
est grief was that the old woman re-
fused to leave the old Dabney farm
house TO live in the stately brick man
sion which he built on Prospect Hill.
And then he asked permission TO
deck her little bedroom with the
curiosities he had brought her from ths
isthmus, and in tGcking up draperie'
and arranging shells and old silver
coins he and Mary became friends.
Friendsl She never knew that il
was anything else, until one day old
Aunt Abby took strange idea into
her head. And Mary, holding ricl
Oriental cord for Cyrus Dabney tc
loop into knots for picture frames
heard her introduce Mrs. Miller to
neighbor rs "My guest, Mrs. Miller
the mother of the young lady tia
Nephew Cyrus is going to marry"
Cyrus looked at Mary Mar,
dropped the ball of cord and turne,
crimson.
"Mary," he said, "say that it shall
be SO. For love you-yes, love
you! And i can't live without you
love. Aud-and You were good to oil
Aunt Abby when all the world turne,
against her. sometimes think, Mary
that you must be like one of heaven
angels !"
And this was how they became en-
gagged.
They still live in the old farmhouse
the happlest of married lovers, an
Aunt Abbey firmly believes that the
are all her guests, for to her the worl
stands eternally still-the world tina
is SO full of bloom and beauty to Cy
| rus and Mary Saturday NiOht