The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-08-26


eat Richard. If nothing else" The
old lady spoke cheerily, as. leaning
on her husbands arm, they walked
along between the trees.
"Why don't the people eat cake, II
they have no bread?" quoted the old
gentleman, a trife bitterly. The
strain of keeping a certain secret
from his son was telling on him.
Everyone who passed the Avery
place on this particular spring re-
marked the apple orchard. The out
line OF the trees was completely lost
in the mass of blossoms, whose pink
and white petals fluttered here and
there, blown by the wind, like beau
tlful insects. A marvellous fragrance
filed the air, attracting the bees from
miles around. The odd part of it
was that for years the old orchard
had borne no fruit at all, and scarcely
a blossom, and was considered worth
less except by the owners, who
counted it one of their dearest pleas
ures to walk in it's seclusion, watch
the birds, whose homes were there,
or view, across the low hedge that
formed its most distant boundary, the
beauties of the western sky. This
spring there was the additional charm
of the fragrant blossoms and the
never-failing interest in the phenom-
enon of their existence. It was as If
the orchard had been saving its
strength for a mighty effort, for a
grand display, to astonish the village
in the fall with mammoth crop.
ut would be harder to give up
this place than our old home, I'm
afraid, Richard"
Eyes, but if we must, we must;
and the burdens are never too heavy,
you know, dear"
The Averys were Kentucky people,
who now for five years had lived in
the home of which the apple orchard
was part, an old-fashioned place on
the edge of an Illinois village. Mr..
Avery had been a minister of the
Gospel, as indeed in a sense he yet
was, though he had no church. 1t
had been the old story of a demand
Tor young man. His former con-
gregation had not asked him to leave,
but the old minister, vaguely con-
scious of their dissatisfaction, and
conscious, too, of his failure to hold
the interest of the younger members
OF his church, had sent in the letter
OF resignation. Perhaps he was some
what surprised at the promptness of
1ts acceptance, at least, he was deep
ly grieved, though he strove to hide
his sorrow even from his wife. Many
loved him, many would miss him
but they let him go. The old lady
mad dash of the world in her veins
and was frankly indignant until she
saw how any expression of anger hurt
her husband. Putting aside his dis
appointment, he defended his people
and declared them right in displac-
ing him.
The church will do better without
me, Annie" he said to his wife, land
we shall find place elsewhere"
SO she fell into his way of think.
ing and together they planned their
future. With the pride that was part
oi MS Southern nature, Mr.. Avery re.
fused any offers of help from his con,
gregation. He had saved a little
money, his wife owned a bit of prop,
erty-a house that brought them ir
each month a rental, small but regu
iar' so, with a courage that would
nave sat well on a younger man, he
made up his mind to leave old friend.
and old associates and strike out TO,
new fields.
Tom, the one son, had his mother,
spirit. and his young blood boiled
that any indignity should have bee,
put upon the beloved father.
Throw them out, father; su,
them. I'm coming home to shoy
them thing or two"
The letters from Chicago, wher,
Tom was finishing a course in law
were fierce, indeed. and their turbu
lent nature distressed, beyond meas
ure, the old man, who really feare,
MS son might do something rash
-hen Tom came home and behave,
30 discreetly and so wisely that tn
oid people rejoiced that they had
son on whom they could lean In tim
OF trouble.
Tom approved the going away
stayed to help them pack their house
noid goods, and then went with hi
iAther and mother to their new home
ms heart was full of grief that /
,neir old age his parents should b
,eaving the place where their live
nad been spent for others, but h
saia as little as possible. and tried |
o.ery way to make the best of tn
s''uation. He would have liked I
nave had them near Chicago, br
through friend, who had settled
'ae central part OF the State. he kne
VI certain small property that coul
oe bought at remarkably low figur
90 TO central Illinois they came.
The little white house. over who's
seranda climbed crimson rambler
sae good, big yard. and large orchaI
onered an inviting home to the ol
soopie. In fancy the son saw h