The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-01

the roadway. He was tall,
| 1ank, thin faced, with a tuft Of gray
beard on his chin and a merry twinkle
constantly in his dark eyes. Some of
his teeth were missing, which gave to
his tanned cheeks d hollow appear
ance. He was about seventy years tof
age, but was as quick and active as a
man of forty.
The farmhouse belonged to Tobias
Trumbley and his wife, Martha, and
Abner, being unmarried and having
no home of his own, boarded there
1t was close to his own farm, which
Joined Trumbley's land on the east
It was a warm summer afternoon.
A spur of the Blue Ridge mountains
rose cool and blue in the distance.
Abner was watching graceful fig
ure approaching from the crossroads
store half mile away. It was Mary,
the only daughter of the Trumb1eys,
a young woman of nineteen or twenty
years Of age, of medium weight and
height, who had a sweet face, blue
eyes and abundant chestnut hair.
81 went to the store looking. for
you," she said, with a welcoming smile,
as she reached the gate.
$50, so?'' Abner said curiously. s@Did
eyes. Mrs. Tinsley was here just
the gateway, and Abner noticed that
she sighed as she spoke. ''She seemed
anxious to see you and was very much
went back home. 1 told her if 1 could
find you I'd send you over. knew
you wouldn't mind The truth is she
is greatly troubled about something
Mother noticed it as well as To-
HEWen, I'll go over to her house, Alb
ner said. cit must be some'n' awful
serious ee she didn't tell you two WON
en- about it; but, to do Sister Tinsley
full credit, she never was much of a
ta1ker-that is, fer woman. reckon
she'd give a quiltin' party O. cluckin'
hens a backset, but when she has
some'n' to say she talks it right out
from the shoulder
As he spoke Abner Unattached the
gate and swung himself out into the
roadway, smiling back at Mary as she
disappeared in the house. Reaching
the bend of the road at the corner of
Trumbley's land, he saw Mrs. Tins1ey,
a short rather large woman, slowly
advancing toward him. At this mo-
ment he noticed that Mrs. TinsIey had
observed him and was walking more
rapidly, her head up, her eyes fixed
on him expectantly. When she was
quite near she pushed back her gray
sunbonnet.
81 was over at your house, Brother
DanieP'-it was the MethodisticaI form
of address to a member of the church
tan, as Mary said she thought you
might come back soon, I started over
thar ag'in.''
tive just heard you was over" he
said, "an' I was on my way to see
you"
The glance of the woman fell to the
ground. Her face held an anxious,
expression, and her gnarled
and toll stiffened fingers twftched as
she twisted a corner of her Bingham
apron between them. you'll hardly
forgive me for comm to you with my
made a failure of
snile-"but thar rally amt anybody
else to go to. You always seem to
know what is best to do in tryin
time q
''I make a stab at it, He was jest
ing to put her at ease, for his sympa-
thies were already stirred. when
folks are bothered any advice from
any quarter is better N none, an L Of
ten say the fust thing that pops in my
mind an hope for the best"
''This is no jokin' matter, Brother
SanfeI," Mrs. TinsIey sighed. eve
ome to see you about my boy. I'm
70 troubled that I can't sleep at night
IT get it off my mind in the daytime"
"Well, you needn't bother about
Howard, Sister Tinsley. Thar amt
young man in the state 1 like better
,r count more on. He's true blue. He !
will make his way up the ladder as
sure as he's got hands an feet"
'eOh, 1 see you don't know-you
haven't heard
about him an Mary? oh, yes; I've
lad my eyes on both of 'em. They'll
.ome to an understanding some day.
live EN- time. They are both young.
IF ever thar was a pair cut out fer
Zach other from a divine pattern IT'S