The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-01-22

May Frances, oughter know how high
his feelin's is; fer when yo' par died
an let nothin'n the wide world but
you an er passel er debts, you remem-
Der how he said: Lucindy, / see the
Lords hand in this; He don't mean
that you shall be by yon'se'f no mo-
when business keeps me late in town,
ner that thar sha'n't be some er yo'
name ter sing tribble in Ashbury meet
in'-house when hit pleases Him ter
take away yo' voice."
"Yes, / remember" the girl said
very low, with sort of catch i'm the
words. She was a pretty creature,
wholesome as the spring, with blue
eyes now dim and wet, hair yellow and
olive looking as the silk of young corn
and checks as delicately pink as fresh
opened wild-rose. She did remember
only too well the day of desolate mis-
cry back of it the merry, kindly, easy
| going life with the father who was so
unlike his sister. If they had had but
dinner of herbs, love and mirth gave
sauce and SAVIOR to it. By contrast,
she fairly hated the stolid prosperity,
the grinding plenty about her. She
would run away from it out of hand,
only there was Alan-and hope.
As if in answer to the feeling that
was not yet conscious thought, a knock
fell on the front door which stood wide
open. AT once the red setter gave q sharp
sonorous bark that changed to a howl
of welcome as tall young fellow came
through the passage with II covered
eartned dish in his out-stretched hand.
"Howdy, howdy-bless my life.
May Frances, come out yere here's
Alan Keith come ter see us Set a
chair fer i'm, an give i'm er fan-that
new turkey-tail one thar by the man
tel-shelf, an er drink er water too. /
know he's hot an thirsty. Who's
this fer, Alan-me? Oh, thanky
It's the beautifulest white honeycomb
that ever | did see" Mrs. Southall
said volubly, affecting not to notice
how the young folks had Redeemed at
the touch of hands, nor the tremor in
Alan's throat rs he greeted May
Frances. Finding the pair speechless,
she went on:
''Take off yo' apron, May Frances,
an set an rest erwhile. Iincey can
tend ter the rest o the cookin'. 4" Then
to Alan: ''I jes had this girl max
in pies. / don't want We ter think
I'm ever goin' ter put drudgery on my
own flesh an blood. May Frances
amt all the niece I've got, but I'm
bound ter say She the best. Thar
amt no sort er work that she can't do
an amt more'n willin' ter turn 'er
hand to-"
ado hush, Aunt C-Lucindy, |
mean," Mary Frances said, imploring-
ly. 1t revolted her unutterably, this
parade of her excellencies to one whose
Judgment OF her meant all the world.
He looked over at her with little
embarrassed smile; then, seeming to
take courage from her distress, said,
with half twinkle of the eye:
'Tm mighty glad to hear it, Mrs.
Southall. I'm such a lazy fellow my
self want to know all the industrious
girls who could take care of me, if |
could persuade them to have me-"
"Oh, so you are going TO turn Nor
mon ~ Mary Frances said, laughing.
"Well, if you get about six real smart
wives, maybe you'll live in clover"
"No; I'll try it with just one" Alan
retorted.
Mrs. SOrthal laughed indulgently.
Mary Frances had fetched a spoon, a
china saucer, and a crisp tlaky biscuit.
Her aunt was eating bread and honey
with the satisfaction of child. Be
tween morsels her eyes went from one
to the other of the young pair in a way
which made it plain that the course of
their true love would ran smooth as
she could contrive it. Fidgeting with
her bit of honeycomb, she said:
well, amt afraid er missin' my
dinner when come ter see you, Alan,
not even ef yo' wife amt a great work
er. With the start you've g0t-hOuse
an land an stock-I don't believe you
could fergit how ter work ef you tried
ever so hard"
"You jus wait an see. I'm gettin'
so triflin' I'm fair field fer missionary
enterprise Alan said, with another
laugh. "An' that reminds me-" he
went on, needless of the shadow on
Mrs. Soathall's face, ''that | came
partly to ask if | mightn't come back
tomorrow an help get you over to
church it's going to be great day
this first SInday-an' you know we
can't possibly DO without you in the
choir"
"Why, | didn't know | wus seeeh
stake in the fence" Mrs. Southall said,
her face heaming. II amt never done
nothin'-only my duty. You know,
my grandpaw wus one er the first
stewards when the meetin-house WIS
built, an the bishop hisself told me,
when | went up ter Conference last
wear, that he'd never seen ernoth-
er class-leader with the power in pr'ar
of Brother Bascom-that's my father.
An ef my poor brother did fail away
from the Methods way he staid an
Episcopal ter the last. May Frances
thar WIS baptized an infant the same
as me. Though | know our righteous
ness is filthy rags, that works won't
save none NV us no more'n they did
the thiefo on the cross, / do feel sorter
proud ter think how | an my folks
has tried ter do the will er God, not
with eye service as men-pleasers, but
because it wus all done in His sight"
"You came next to the presidin'
elder way ahead of the circuit rider;
we all knew that" Alan said, gayly,
THAT'S why you must be there when
we try the new organ"
"The what?"
Mrs. Southall sal 50 upright that the
pan fell out of her lap, sending fusil-
lade of shelled peas all over the floor.
Her finger clutched the spoon so hard
the handle bent visibly, the saucer
tilted to drop honey on her purple cali
co front. Her face grew almost as