Little Falls herald., 1914-01-30
Abe1's
Rebellion
How "He Made
Good"
BY CLARISSA MACKIE

Miss Pollock S boarding house and had
patiently eaten the dishes that were
set before him till one Sunday morn
ing he reyolted at the usual corned
beef hash or bacon and eggs. He de-
clined to eat her breakfast and sought
Miss Pollock and gave notice that he
would leave. He gave, among other
reasons for his doing so, that he was
about to be married.
Anastasia pollcck's head went up
proudly. Fire came to her blue eyes.
"Biddy." she said smoothly, task Mrs.
Jasper il she will have some more
corned beef hash!'
+
Abel Durham battered down the
brownstone steps Of his boarding place
and wandered ;imlessly to the corner,
where he waited for Il car. His eye
glanced siyly back at Miss Pollock's
comfortable abode. and he stifed Il
sigh as be thought Of it's many good
qualities, it's homelike atmosphere and
it's home cooked food, and to one who
had been a dweller in boarding houses
during twenty years of city life. Miss
Pollocks house was pleasant refuge.
But the monotony Of the daily meals
Jared upon him.
Each day in the week brought its
allotted bill Of fare, and there was no
Waverng from this rule. AS her moth
er had ordered so Miss Anastasia car
ried on the house when the mantle fell
upon her delicate shoulders.
This rebellion of Abel Durham was
the outcome of several years of hope
full waiting for a change. Now he had
not only given up his pleasant front
room with the open fireplace, but he
had told Miss Pollock he was to be
married. How to make good this last
reckless statement was puzZling the
usually tranquil mind of the bachelor.
Abel Durham had not courted girl
for twenty years. not since he had left
Telfeet village to enter business life
in the great city.
II will do it, I've got to make
good" said Abel, with sickly smile.
as be boarded his car and rode to the
railroad station. He bought 4 ticket
for Telfeet and took his place in the
stuffy, cindery coach that the railroad
company considered good enough for
the little single track Telf1eet branch.
'sWhoooo-eeee-e-e-e-e shrieked the
engine as it wound away among the
hills toward Teldeet.
Abel Durham looked out Of the Win
dow and noted the familiar landmarks
as the train rumbled through villages.
over bridges or skirted the river bank
in ito progress. Suddenly 4 large
mountain oyershadowed them.
"Telfeet mountain" 1nurmured Abel
without JOY in his tones.
Since he had left the home Of his
boyhood all his family had moved to
the far west. so that Abel was not
going home to any near relatives. Per
haps there were distant cousins. but
it might be they were dead or had
forgotten him.
Abel Durham was bound OH a sin
gular errand.
He was going back to Te!f1eet to try
to resurrect one of his old romanres.
He had told Miss Pollock he was to
be married. and married he must be.
His busy life had left no room for SEN
ti1nent. and so he perforce must fall
back upon the half finished romances
of his young manhood. There was
pretty Amy Cox. She had given him
q pink rose when he left Telfeet and
told him she would wait for him-a
hundred years if necessary:
Somehow Abel had forgotten al!
about Amy in the rush Of business
They had corresponded for awhile.
and now he couldn't remember who
had been the first to stop writing.
''Telfleet!" called the brakeman.
The station stage backed down, and
the driver yelled to him: "Stase: All
-yup!"
Abel climbed into the long. swaying
vehicle and ratified around in its
emptiness as the big white horses bore
them through the village streets at a
helter skelter pace
''Where you want to go?" called the
driver from 4 corner of his mouth.
''Philander Cox's place." replied
Abel. turning red.
up mountain way" muttered the
man as if for his own information.
The stage whiried rerilously around
the corner by the postoftice and rat
tied along the road that ran By the
river bank. At last they began to
climb the mountain toward white
house perched among the oaks.
'Whoa-yup!' called the driver, and
Abel paid his fare and dismounted.
The stage ratified down the mountain.
Ind Abel went into the yard Of the
familiar place.
The same lockwood bordered the
paths. and the same roses bloomed.
and the same bees tunbled in and out
Of the blossoms He felt a boy once
more rs he settled his necktie and
started toward the house.
A pretty girl sitting "n the steps OF
fh1 hn., b.