Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1896-01-10

ISSSg2TEZHWfSS sky as Dlue al
NggaS5MlMN|ESS though there
ISgTMI5%#lN%SSS never could be
0WoU'0 w y another cloud ir
it. I came home across fields from
Nellie Hobart's wedding, when my
foot caught in the grass, where some
boys had tied it, and down I fell,
twisting my ankle aud hurting my
head so that for while I knew moth.
ing.
At last I felt some one lift me of
the ground, and opened my eyes tc
see that it was a great, swarthy, black.
eyed girl of seventeen or so-a girl
with oil her tangled curls tucked under
address, which wss not ladylike, but she
had the voice and manner of a lady,
and she asked me very kindly if ]
were much hurt; and, seeing that
was, picked me up in her strong arms,
and carried me through garden gate,
and into little parlor, where she
laid me on sofa and bathed my head
with rose water, and told me to keep
up my courage for "Gideon had gone
for doctor"
That name told me where was. ]
was under q roof that l had never
thought would shelter me, no matter
what came to pass. I would have
risen and gone away, if 1 could have
stirred from the odd old sofa, for this
was Gideon Leeds old homestead, and
here dwelt the children OF the man
who, sixteen years before, had been
hung for the murder of my Uncle
Matthew. was but baby when it
all happened, but / could remember
how the whole village was astir in
search of the missing man, and how q
body was found, at last, in the beart
of Alcott's woods, and how the facts
that there had been a quarrel between
Gideon Lee and Uncle Matthew, and
that Gideon Lee owed the latter
money, and how they were last seen
together quarreling in Gideon's gar
den, where bloody handkerchief
marked M. G. was found soon after,
brought Gideon to the gallcws. Per-
haps hearing the story afterward from
my grandfather made me fancy I re.
membered it; but, at oil events, the
name had learned to hate was that
of Gideon Lee, and now it was the
child born on the day Of her mother e
death, the very day on which the faith.
er met his awful fate, who lifted me
from the ground, dusky Madge Lee,
who had never found''a playmate nor a
friend in the village, because of the
ban upon her fathers name, and Gid
con, the SOD. who had been old enough
to understand it all at the time, who
came in with old DR.. Humphries soon
after. They were not poor people,
The gray stone house was substan-
tial one, and the farm had prospered
in Gideon's hands, and there were
more books and pictures and tokens
OF refinement within than country
homes generally boast of; but even
the farm hands spoke contemptuously
OF the "son of the man who was
hung" and the servants who were
hired by Madge Lee were not natives
of the place.
And here was !, Matthew Grey's own
niece, lying under the roof, and like
forbade my removal.
II must go home-I must go away
from this house," / said, angrily and
feverishly.
And Madge. looking down on me as
an Indian princess might, with her
dark eyes aglow, said, in bitter
voice, "Never fear, Miss Grey, we'll
not murder you." and somewhat
abashed me, naughty as I was. Grand
pa was away from home, or l think
even the risk of my life would not
have kept him from taking me home
aud l grew i'll and delirious, aud
Madge Lee nursed me as q sister
might. aud Gideon was kinder than a
brother. He found sweet flowers
dripping with dew in the woods; and
he sang. as | never heard anyone sing
before. those Scottish ballads that are
lovelier than any other music ever
written to my mind, and il ended by
my loving them. So when was well
enough TO go away. took Madge's 3
hand in mine and said. "How shall
ever thank YOU for your tender care
ot nef
"And she answered; Agnes Grey.
the only gratitude | ask u belief Ia
us. Tho people down there. aud she
pointed with her brown hand toward
the town. 'eali Us the children of u
murderer. We are the children of Q
laartyr instead. never saw my
father. but ga both know that he i
innocent. Your unels Matthew-for.
give me. but il is the truth - was a
Wild, bad fellow. tie qusrrelsd with
my father. not father sith him, aaal
the debt was paid. And for The
bloody handkerchief. he had cut hi,
hand and uaboand aud washed il aud
lisi u al afresh ia mothers very
sight that day. Doa't be ~ cruel a.
/ ~ doubt il. Agaes Grey"