Middletown transcript., 1906-10-27

accompanied MIN % ne aoof.i
Good bye, he said, shaking hands
with her. Good bye, good bye.
He stood looking down at her a
moment, turned and walked
slowly toward his horse, went
back again, and, shy and awk
ward as any young lover, kissed
her cheek.
! At home he said nothing about
his visit until after supper then
lie plunged into his subject.
William, Mely. I've got a con
fession to make. It's taken me a
good while to get up courage foa
/, il, aud maybe / eouldn t now If a
good woman hadn't helped me.
You remember, Nelly, bout the
time, three weeks ago, when I
! dressed up IN my best clothes
, and went away?
Amelia nodded, wondering.
Yon know you asked ME where
was going, and said ] was just
going over ito Freedom. | lied.
No use trying to gloss it over.
Twas a lie. went over to
see the Widder DOVE at Hyler.
lyon see. Elder Pingree said
he thought she would make me a
good companion She wasn't will.
ing at first, but / felt SO bad /
went to see her to-day, and she
feels compassion on my loneliness
and we're going TO get settled in
the old home by Thanksgiving.
! Why, father. Haven't We made
yon comfortable? Haven't you
been contented with us? Tears
] filed Aneiia's eyes.
| iMeIy, don't eyer1tIrink l air i
satisfied with what you We done
! for me. I couldn't desire to be
treated better. but you don 4 un
derstand. In the intensity OF bis
feeling herose to bis feetand un
. consciously adopted his prayer
meefing voice and manner.
William, Mely, that is home,
and has been forever forty years.
" love every acre of it. There
hain't a speck of ground there
that my foot hain't trod. I'm per-
sonally acquainted with every
rock, and bush, and tree, aud
/ ftnce. And there's the garden
with the laylock. and SNOWFALL,
and rose bushes; Jour ma set EN-
out when they were little sprouts,
], and there they've growed for
! years. | want to live nigh them
again and take care offhem. You
can't understand what it is 10
have a home and love it for 50
many years aud then leave it,.
"
Seems now as if | could under
stand how Adam felt when lie
, was turned out of Eden, only
Adam was rather better off than
am, for he had Eve; but -
the Lord took my salome.
He looked with troubled appeal
at William and Amelia. Her eyes
filed With tears as she answered
him out Of the fuliness of 10y.
ing nnseltish heart
| understand, father; and IL
you viii be happier there, il will
be all right.
william was silent, though his
compressed lips and ayerted head
revealed his feelings,
The days following were busy
ones for Amelia and the deacon,
getting the old farm house ready
for its new mistress William
took no partin The work, and bis
manner was 50 f9rbidding that
his wife did not dare TO mention
the approaching marriage.
The morning Of tie deacons
wedding day came. William Ilar.
messed The horse for him and led
il around to The door.
hope, William, you will havea i
tittiu' welcome for my wife.
The deacons voice Was stern
and his manner dignitied. viii.
liam did not answer, but tnrrel /
away. In tlle afternoon he dro e
out to the little burying groar d
where his mother lay. He ex.
pected TO find her grave neglect
ed instead he found that it had
been given The most careful at
tsnlion- His thoughts, since his
f.ther had announced his intend
ed marriage, had been almost con
stantly with bis mother:his heart
filIsd ithangry resentment. He
felt that his mothers memory
was dishonored, tllat his father
had forgotten lier But as he
walked, the peculiar peace and
Stiffness Of the country grase-
yard enyeleped him BIZ felt as il |
his mother were at his side, ac.
con psnying him. He was not
4