Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-08-02


gentleman to himself all the AFTERNOON
, ma'am."
But can't relieve Patsy for an hou,
TWO. Mr.. Kenneth l don't care about
the school feast; and If you will let her
go, Will stay here and try to amuse Mr..
Strother till she returns"
You're main good, ma'am," says tn.
girl for the second time, as she takes nd.
vantage OF the permission extended to
her and runs down stairs, leaving Della
alone with old Simon Strother.
| CHAPTER XXlII.
As soon as Patsy has disappeared, De
surly companion.
| Shall l read to you, Mr.. StrotherT
"What'n ye be arter readin'r' he asks
II will read anyu ing you please, Mr..
Strother. Do you t e any interest in the
news? l have to-day's newspapers with
me-"
Ma, ma! l care nobbut the news"
| Would you like to hear a chapter ou,
Of the BibleY'
ma. ma! care nobbut the Bulk"
| What do yeu care for thenT'
Il care nobbut ae thing. Ye'd best gana
four way"
But have promised not to leave yol
alone, SO l must stay here till Patsy re-
turns"
| "Ay! Dinna fash me Them
| And the old wretch places his elbows OF.
his knees and his head upon his hands,
q nd closes his eyes in intimation that lie
considers the interview, so far as CONVEX
sation is concerned, to be concluded.
/ Rv apI hv noliO rncollS anpntf'S
,ertion that the old creature frets soreiy
a fter his native land, and makes a second
I effort to interest him.
"You have been in Scotland, Strother?
| "Aiblins / have-conseederin' it's my
ain country"
do you like it better than England?'
"Iabbe do"
| "Would you like to go back again;"
"Ay! but there's name left at hame as
zen me noo."
"Ahi that makes a great difference.
does it not? But you have good friends
here to love you and look after you, and
beautiful place to live in. Do you ever
20 to church, Strother? or to the kirk.
As you call 1t In ScotlandY'
| As she puts this simple question, "a
/ transformation seems to pass over the old
nan. He has been ordinarily 0tclligent
hitherto, but now he suddenly eollapses
md becomes incoherent. His little blear-
ID eyes roll wildly; his hand is clinched;
and the saliva bubbles from his mouth
and drops upon his grizzled beard.
"The kirk-the kirkT' he utters, excit
edly, "whaIl harm the kirk? Muster
Gray maunna do it, and the storm
maunna do It, for the water will come
doom and pit 1t oot. And the poor nun,
wha'Il dream the puir auld mon wha' $
been twenty year aboot the place and
been main car'ful, and aye dune his duty.
could max a meestake ut the lairst. fe
saw Muster Graw do 1t, didna ye noo!'
he exclaims, making dash at Della, who
is backing toward the door, with serious
thoughts of beating a retreat downstairs.
''Ye maun say ye saw the earle DO It, or
I'll max ye greet for the day we ever
met"
"Of course 1 saw him do it-everybody
saw him do it." she replies boldly, for she
can gather his meaning without compre-
bending his words; but don't excite your
self in that way, Mr.. Strother, or you may
make yourself ILL.,"
"Iul illv' he calculates, slowly, as he
wines III sweat off his forehead with a
ra eeed cotton handkerchief. "Hae been
weel sim the day? But twas an awfu'
starm surely. Emo to burn the grondest
adifeece that mon ever raised. And puir
simon was only the clark, and couldna
no expected to ken the reason Of the fire.
Twas an awfu sight to see 1t burn, with
the flames leekin' oop the rafters and the
roof, and cracklin' through the beeldin'."
"Of what are you speakingT says De-
lin, curiously. Have you ever been In .
6re, Mr.. Strotherr
The old man eyes her suspiciously. and
becqmes silent.
I love to hear a story. and you tell 1t so
WE'LL"
"Ay! But ye want to drair the secret
frae me, and ye wullna do II, m! ma!
Slmon's a puir auld mon, but he can keep
, secret wi the best o thum."
"IndeedI / don't wish to know your
secret, Mr.. Strotber. I only want to hear
about the fire. Was il In Scotland"
ma! ma! 'twasna In my ain country.
mt twas an awfu' fire. But Muster Gray
lid 1t, and ye saw him do 1t, and ye Gamma
20 back frae your spoken word.
"Of course noti do not wish to do 90
"Weel then, ye maun be content. If ye
saw the earle do 1t, ye ken a aboot the
hre. ana neeO ndut " tcu ~ SS'
She laughs quietly at the trap the cum
ling old creature has set for her. and re-
turns to the contemplation Of her book,
little thinking Of the import Of Mr..
IStrother's secret Is to her.
Presently he fdgets about on the top
# his bundle, and she asks him II he is
| comfortable.
"Wht don't you sit In a chair instead
,f on that great packet, Mr.. Strothef
I'm sure It must be . very hard seat"
att does weel emo for me-"
~But II would pack away 30 nicely IN.
Ter the bed and your room would look al
the tidier without It." ;.
"AyI but consider It's best whar II
"I suppose there's a box inside that
wrappingr
"Aiblins"'
| "a hox with clothes in 1t. Do you never
cake off the covers, Mr.. StrotherF
Il. no need to TAX them of
| .Do Won never want to look ut your
| treasures. then|
"I dinna ken what you're speakin
aboot." or,v.
got in that parceEweii' tne D'oA'' "
Whatever they may ber
CHAPTER XIV. -,
Simon Strother springs up from M
pcrch like a jack-in-the-box, ana come,
down again upon the packet. giar'he
his visitor. Lo,
.yrhe buiks! the buiks! what do ye kei
aboot the buiks7 was main car tu. q