Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1909-07-30
The BARN RAISING

9SN1 So%SSSoCyeo
Keene Warden sat at the clumsy.
old-fashioned writing desk. staring |
hopelessly at a blank piece Of letter
paper. Several fragments were scat
tered on the floor, bearing testimony |
to fruitless efforts. He was better |
educated than the average farmer in |
the vicinity of Cornsville. and he had
a clear. reasoning mind, but his un-
dertaking was of a delicate nature.
Moreover. his six feet OF manhood
strobe away from other peoples busl-
ness instead Of poking into 1t.
He felt that he owed it to his
fathers memory to protect his IA
theirs friend, Stephen Ross, in his
old age. In his day Stephen had been
prosperous farmer. Successive off,
seasons had done their work and the
inevitable mortgage had rolled up its
added interest. His wife's Illness and
death had weakened his strength
and ambition. He had lost his farm
and gone to live on ten-acre strip
saved from the wreck. Then his
only son, who had no aptitude for
farming, had gone west, married.
made a fair fortune in mining stocks.
and had written to his father to come
out and share his luxurious home.
But the old mans heart and men,
cries we're too strongly rooted In his
meadow lands to stand transplanting.
So the son had bought the farm back
and let his father live on It, also max |
ing him a generous allowance. |
Stephen was as happy as his solitary |
freside would allow him to be. but |
the f1reside was about to be cheered
by his granddaughter, a young girl
of nineteen, whom he had not seen
in fifteen years. Her father was going
to Mexico for six months sojOurn
among some mines, and she had |
written that she felt a longing to see
her fathers boyhood home and her
grandfather
IT'S really hers, you know"
Stephen had said, when telling Keene
the news. Her father decided It to
her when he bought It,"
"Her coming will cheer you up
wonderfully. Mr.. Ross" ventured
Keene.
YES" agreed the old man. but
there was reservation in his tone,
foreboding in his eyes. and Keene
gradually drew from the cause. It
was this talk which had prompted
the letter to Ruth Ross. Finally he
managed to explain to this pampered
young person that her grandfather
was old and lived entirely in the past. !
clingtng pathetically to old ways. He |
told her he knew that the farm was
hers, but urged her not to make the |
improvements that would doubtless |
suggest themselves to her. This the |
old man was fearing and dreading
that she would do He feared that
she might replace the old fireplace by !
a furnace. Stephen made a heartfelt |
plea for the survival of the old mans |
altar fires. 1t Jas straightforward |
letter with 70 apology for his inter
ference.
About six days after the mailing of /
this letter he looked for a reply, but
none came.
"She is offended and thinks me |
nervy," he thought ruefully. Med |
dlers always make matters worse. |
She'll probably take pains to do all |
she thinks l asked her not to do"
A week later Ruth Ross arrived and
Keene went over to meet her. He en- |
tered the big livipg and dining-room,
braced to met a scoInful young dam
sci. The room was lighted only by
the flames from the fireplace. The
old man sat in his usual place, look
ing, as Keene's quick, keen glance
noted, ten years younger and twenty
years happier. A slender slip of a
girl with soft, sweet eyes and smooth.
shining hair came forward with ex-
tended hand.
Mr.. Warden, papa has told me so
often of all the pranks you played
when You were boy that feel as vi
l knew you" /
You do he said earnestly. <The
summer you were here wyen you
were four and fourteen wwere firm
friends. but. of courses<you don't re-
member"
renIied se,u.s.e auou' tiia'' sue
bav havaZ J. snleii ne" hoWn
how wi,s heet'hs VISION OF ois
ca ,rv ,,,.. seneie touch VINO useu 70
- on ms oacH tnroush neids'
e'as that Doy' ne declared
W hen ura" up chaif 70 our eve
p .. nle'
one mes the nfepiace. neehe'
salu the Ola ma IN eni'dlsh eager
,,ss,, mes5 oro 'h in the ne WI. =. 'noS' 1siu-
III u HAS - 7. st1d