Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-01-22


pacity for hOcus pocus. The latter
skipped n generation, so the Sawmill
passed out of the family with other Ill
gotten goods, and the present proprl-
etor of The Elms was born poor.
His first success was a rather shady
transaction in coal lands, and after.
ward he associated himself with pow
erful men and rose with them.
The present Mrs. Kelvin comes of
good family, but is herself Il sharp,
shrewd, selfish woman. She has little
beauty of character or person, and her
husband has none, but from that union
has sprung as fair and lOvable a girl
as ever gladdened the eyes and the
heart of a man. Nature performs these
miracles once in awhile. In the Gem
etery where | had just been walking
the very sweetest roSebush grows from
the dust of the sOureSt rascal ever lald
away to rest there. | refer to Ezra
Walmsley, the miser, and / shall have
occasion to speak of him later, for the
claim that he made to the Stoughton
estate during his life is an essential
he lies, at any rate, and there is the
rosebush to prove that his dust is as
good as any mans for rose culture ana
this despite the well founded legend
that he sold his right hand to Satan
and paid the forfeit
While skirting the east wall of The
Elms l caught a glimpse of Donald
near the south gate. 1t was no sur
prise to see him abroad at such an
hour, for Donald is an early riser. L
like that habit. The world looks best
in the morning, and early rising argues
appreciation. Moreover, it shows cour-
age and a healthy view. | have heard
q cynic claim to prove that life is not
worth living by the fact that q vast
majority of all humanity put off living
as long as they can every morning,
lying abed to the last minute and coax
ing sleep, which the Latins called "the
image of death" If the cynic had
possessed q logical mind and had linn
tied his conclusion to the scope OF his
evidence, I would have been willing to
agree with him in the proposition
which he really had established-name-
", that the life of the sluggard is not
worth living. That sort of person new
er wants to get up and begin the day.
Donald is no sluggard. He often
joins me in my morning walks, but he
has not shown a fondness for the Vi
cinity of The Elms, and l was sur
prised to see him lettering by Kelvin's
gate When 1 turned the corner of
the wall, l saw that Donald was talk
ing with Amy Kelvin, and this was an
explanation of his presence which was
harder to credit than the original phe-
nomenon, unexplained, as often hap
pens.
l was not prepared to believe that
they had met there by accident, still
less that they had met there by design,
but it must have been one or the other,
for there they were. Little Miss kel-
vim was sitting on rock about the
size of buShel basket, and her back
was supported by the wall. Donald
leaned against tall stone pillar Of
the gate and looked down into the
girls face. Their manner indicated
that they were busily blowing the soap
bubbles of youthful sentiment, fragile,
beautiful, floating away on the air,
not meant to be handled like the toys
of later years nor even to be remem-
bered except in the aggregate.
Neither of these enviable young crea-
lures was so placed as to be readily
visible from the house, and yet
would not wish to say that their posi-
tions were taken with the definite idea
of avoiding observation. 1t was GER
tain, however, that both of them knew
well enough what Mr.. Kelvin would
think of their meeting.
l was quite near them before they
noticed me- Then Donald looked up
and saw me, but he showed no sur
prise. Indeed. surprise was the rarest
Of his emotions. He gave me n CHEEKY
good morning, and Amy greeted me
very ,prettily. She has something OF
the old fashioned shyness and defer
ence toward her elders such as | do
not see too much of nowadays The
modern young woman seems to me to
have paid a price for the three or four
inches of stature that she has gained
over her grandmother. She finds per-
haps less that she can look up to.
While we were praisinG the beauty
of the morning we We're interrupted
by a grinding sound Of feet-I had al
most said hOofs-upon the gravel walk
within the estate, and, glancing over
the wall, we saw Mr.. Kelvin stridug
toward the gate. Amy looked at Don
aid almost us if she expected him to
run away. but he smiled in that gentle
way of Is that makes his face so
handsome and slowly shook his head.
Kelvin came boisterously through
the wicket that is beside the main
gate and then turned, holding it open
with his left hand. Donald instantly
raised his hat and slightly inclined his
head while Amy passed before him,
looking up at him out of the corner Of
her eye and murmuring "Goodby" in
very dainty fashion. The wicket closed
behind her with an angry snap, and
Kelvin wheeled about.
81 don't want this to occur again."
said he to me-
WHAT" said /.
81 don't want this boy hanging
around here" he replied. Il don't ap-
prove of him as an associate for my
daughter"
you are very foolish" said l, "and
poor judge of human nature. Good
morning. sirr'
"One moment, uncle, please" said
Donald, laying hand upon my arm,
and then to Kelvin: "Will you tell me
why you object to me"
Kelvin grinncd.
81 don't think much Of mind read.
ers," said he.
'Have you any objection TO Il mind
reader if he really is one?" asked Don
aid politely.
There's no such thingw snapped
Kelvin. 'Do you take me for an old
womanF
G1No,, oo ~ no nr11u ohfont 70 mo -oiI