The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-11-02

Everybody in Little River. said the
deacon quietly. ''There's few here but
what YOU done.a good turn for some
time or other. You've forgotten 'em, l
suppose, but folks haven't. They like
to see you around, and if you wasn't so
bashful you'd be the most popular man
in the village, not even excepting the
postmaster. Eth, Maria?"
''Of course he would! You look so
stern, Joel, that it. seems to some folks
that YOUR stony pillar of the church.
in deed as we'll as manner?
Mrs. Spinning laughed heartily while
Joel smiled in a surprised manner.
me bashful?" he stammered. "Why,
| never thought about that. !! guess l
thought folks was not cordial enough
when they thought wasn't"
you've got to meet folks half way
in everything. Tain't fair to expect
some to do all the being pleasant and
sociable. Well, Maria, I'll go on that
errand if Joel will excuse me. See you
later!" With that the deacon disap-
peared, and Joel helped Mrs. Spinning
clear away the dishes.
"po you recollect my niece, Charlotte
Wayland?" she asked as she stepped
into the front parlor and lighted the prism
hung lamp on the center table. "She
was visiting me ten years ago."
Joel flushed hotly. Indeed, he did re-
member the pretty girl at whom he
scarcely dared glance in church, yet to
whom he had irrevocably lost his heart.
Much of his silence and loneliness of the
past ten years might be laid at the door
of his heartsickness after pretty Char
lotte had returned to her distant home.
He heard afterward that she had married.
81 remember" he said family.
''She's in Little River. Come to visit
my sister, Charlotte's widow and as
pretty a one as | ever saw. | declare it
don't seem proper for a widow to be
quite so good looking as our Charlotte. -
There came knock at the door. Mrs.
Spinning fastened to answer it. The
door opened, and into the room streamed
merry crowd of men, women and chill
dren. All the folks in Little River
seemed gathered together under Deacon
Spinning's hospitable roof. Surprise,
Joel Tykesburyn' they cried in unison
as they crowded around him.
In that brief moment of excitement of
meeting all those acquaintance in this
genial atmosphere they dropped the old
guise and became friends. Joel swal-
lowed sob as he realized that they had
gathered to say goodby to him, to say
how sorry they were that he was leaving
Little River, to give him sendoff and
to say to him that every latchstring in
Little River was always out for Joel
Tykesbury.
That was the beginning of the happ1-
est evening Joel had ever known. Be-
fore it ended he had forever dropped his
cloak of reserve, and he found that his
fellow townsmen met him more than
half way. A strange new Joy sang in
his heart, for the widowed Charlotte had
blushed beautifully when their eyes met
and he had asked the pleasure of her
company home and been accepted. All
at once his plans changed with lightning
rapidity. He would remain in Little
River He would build the house, and
Charlotte-he would win her! He was
glad his inheritance was still secret.
'Joel Tykesbury seems to have found
his tongue at last" said Miss Fannie
Pollard rather acidly. Seems like he S
all took up over that Tightly widow. l
guess Maria Spinning knew what she
was talking about when she said he was
going to marry widow"
Mrs. Spinning overheard the remark
and smiled mirthfully. 81 didn't know
a thing, Fanny. Charlotte's coming now
was dspensation of providence
'Dispensatlon of providence, assisted
by Maria Spinning!" shifted Miss Pol
lard, quite unconvinced.