Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1913-01-02

secret. And, as Christians, we should
forget and forgive"
Ryan Pepper was another whom the
news of the engagement surprised
greatly. When Lavinia told him of 1t.
at the dinner table, he dropped the
knife he was holding and the greasy
section OF fshball balanced upon 1t.
Remembering what he had seen in the
grove he could not understand: but
he also remembered, even more vivid
~, what Keziah Coffin had promised
to do II he ever breathed word. And
he vowed again that that word should
not be breathed.
Keziah was the life Of the gloomy
parsonage. Without her the minister
would have broken down. He called
her Aunt Keziah" at her request and
she continued to call him John" This
was in private, of course: In public
he was Mr.. Ellery" and she Mrs.
Coffin"
In his walks about town he saw
nothing Of Grace. She and Mrs. Pound
berry and Captain Nat were still at
the old home and no one save them
selves knew what their plans might
be. Yet oddly enough, Ellery was the
first outsider to learn these plans and
that from Nat himself
He met the captain at the corner
Of the Turmoil" one day late in Au-
gust. He tried to make his bow seem
cordial, but was painfully aware that
1t was not. Nat. however, seemed not
TO notice, but crossed the road and
held out his hand.
We'll, Mr.. Ellery," said Captain
Nat, 81 won't keep you. l see you're
in hurry. Just thought I'd run along
side minute and say good-by. Don't
knows I'll see you again afore sail. !"
Before you sail? You-you are go
ing away?"
"Yup. Ny owners have been after
me for good while, but wouldn't
leave home on account OF dads health
Now he's gone. I've got to be gettin'
back to salt water again. My ships
been drydocked and overhauled and
she's In New York now loadin' for Ma
Mia. It's long wage. even IL ]
come back direct, which amt likely
So may not see the old town again
for couple Of years. Take care OF
yourself, won't you? Good men, es
peclally ministers. are scurse, and
from what l hear about you cal'late
Trumet needs you"
When are you going?"
Last Of next week, most likely"
"Will you-shall you go alone? Are
you to be-to be-"
Married.? No. Grace and l have
talked 1t over and we've agreed its
best to wait till l come back. Shell
stay in the old house with Hannah"
"Good-by. captain"
"Good-by Er-I say, Mr.. Ellery
how's things at the parsonage? Err
Keziah-Mrs. Coffin, your housekeep
er. is she smart?"
Eyes. She's we'll"
That's good. Say, you might tel
her good-by for me, II you want to
Tell her l wished her all the lucl
there was. And-and-just say thai
there amt any-well, that her FRIEND
say just that, will you?-her FRIEND
said twas all right. She'll understand
it's "a sort of joke between u.s."
Very good, captain; I'll tell her."
They shook hands and parted.
Didama and her fellow news-vender:
distributed the tale Of Captain Nat'i
sailing broadcast during the next few
days. There was much wondermen
at the delayed marriage, but the gen
eral verdict was that Captain Eben'i
recent death and the proper respec
due to 1t furnished sufficient excuse
Hannah Poundberry, delighted at be
ing so close to the center Of interest
talked and talked, and thus Grace wal
spared the interviews which would
have been a trouble to her. Nat lief
town via the packet, on the followin,
Wednesday. Within another weel
came the news that his ship, the Sci
Mist, had sailed from New York
bound for Manila.