The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-02-22

was asleep. Often not q person would
be visible the entire length of its main
street, cooled by three rows OF naples,
one dividing 1t II one shading each
of the two sidewalks formed of narrow
strips of weather stained marble. On
der some OF these trees that almost
touch branches for half q mile one or
two COWS might be grazing or taking
O siesta while chewing the cud of con
tent. On the vine hid porch of the
village tavern Landlord Pell would
quite likely be doing In an armchair
tilted back, n across the way Mr..
Hobbs, who keeps the one general
store, would as likely be mapping on n
counter, his head pillowed upon q pile
Of calico. A little farther up the street
and near the one tall spired white
church Mrs. Mears, the village gossip,
may be sitting on the veranda OF a
small house almost hid by luxuriantly
growing Norway spruce and idly rock
ing while she chats with the Widow
Sloper, who live there and whose mis-
sion In life is to cut and 1T the best
Ego to meetin'" gowns of female Sand
gate. Both dearly love to talk over all
that's going on, and whether this or
that village swain is paying especial
attention to any II rosy checked lass,
and, il SO, "what's likely to come ont"
Both mean well by this neighborly in
ferest, and especially does Mrs. Sloper,
who always advises plaits for stout
women, with middlin' f~ullness II the
bust" for thin ones.
One or two men may be at work hay
ing in the broad meadows west Of the
village, through which the slow cur
rent of n small river twists and turns,
or others welding hoes on a hillside
field of corn to the east, but so fur as
moving life in. the village street goes
there will be none. On either side Of
the Sandgate valley two spurs Of the
Green mountain range, forest clad,
stand guard as If to isolate from all
the world this peaceful dale, whose
dwellers' sole ambition In life may be
summed up in to pillow, plant, reap and
go to meeting.
On the north end Of this park-like
highway and beyond the last house it
narrows to an ordinary roadway and
divides. One fork turns to the right,
following up the banks Of a winding
stream to an old grtstmill with moss
covered wheel and lily dotted pond
above. The other turns to the left,
crosses the narrow Sandgate valley
and bears south past the Page place.
If it were Sunday, not many years ago
and about IL in the morning, a stran-
ger passing the church would have
heard through the open doors and win
dows the eSquisitely sweet voice Of
Alice Page, clear a. q bell and melodi-
GUS as q birds, toying n trilling
through Coronation or some other
easily recognized hymn, and had that
stranger awaited the close Of service
he or she would have seen among the
congregation filing out one petite and
plump little lady, with hower-like face,
sparkling blue yes and kiss inspiring
mouth, who would most likely have
walked demurely along with her big
brother Albert and, turning down a
harrow pathway, follow him across
the meadows, over a footbridge that
spans the stream and up to an old
fashioned elm shaded house.
This landmark, known far and wide
rs the Page place, is historic. Built in
the time of King George and one Of
the first three. erected in Sandgate, it
has .withstood the storms of two centu-
ries and seen many generations of
Pages come and go. Additions have
been made to tan ell on one side,
larger windows ana a wide veranda In
front. Inside 1t is much the same, for
the open f%replaces remain in parlor
and sitting room, and Il tall clock Of
solemn tick stands in the hall where 1t
stood when Paul Revere took his fa-
NOUS ride.
The last owner, Simeon Page, or, as
he was called, Squire Page, Joined
the great majority two years after an
~enterprising railroad crept up the
Sandgatc valley. He a bitterly op-
posed It's entrance into the town, and
1t was asserted that chagrin at his de-
feat FASTENED his death. His widow,
with their two children, Albert and
Alice, and q widowed sister, remained
N with the aid of hired men man
aged the farm. But bushes began to
choke the pastures and meadows, the
outbuildings grew shabby, the house
received no paint, and rs the children
grew up and needs increased one by
n the broad fields were sold. 1t had
been the squire's ambition that his on
ly son should become n professional
man, and, carrying out his wishes, Al
bert's mother had pinched and saved,
denying herself all luxuries, and given
him n collegiate education. He had
graduated with honors, read law, been
admitted to the bar and then returned
to Sandgate and opened an Office.
Alice, three years his junior, had been
sent to n boarding school for two
years, where she devoted most of her
time to music, then came home again
as mothers helpmate.
But the years of self denial were at
an end, for one June day that mother
laid down her burden and was placed
beside her husband in the village GEM
etery. Then the two orphans found
themselves joint heirs to an old time
worn house, a few acres of meadow, n
couple hundred dollars of debts and
nothing else. No, that is not right, for
they both had youth, good health and
habits and good educations.
Albert, who had rather taken charge
of matters since his return to Sand
gate, kept the debt situation from
Alice after his mothers death, feeling
she had grief enough to bear without
1T, but for all hat it troubled him Sc
riously. The income from his practice
was scarcely enough to clothc him and