Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-10-08
they trimmed his locks, brushed hi,

by pr0wling sharper, who, aft
Moses had well bargained away Il
colt, managed to get the purcha.
money from him In return for gro.
of green spectacles In shagreen cases
and so, as usual, unforeseen dlsastt
frustrated our attempts to be fine.
| My daughters planned a pleasure Q,
petition to town, and this Mr.. Burche
so strongly dlsapproved Of that qua
rel ensued between him and my wifi
and the gentleman left our house In
fit Of anger, nor could Sophia's plead
ing looks stay him.
The town trip being still In pro-
pect, my wife decreed that ! 60 to tn
fair myself, and sell our one remair
ing horse. But when one would-be pul
chaser examined the animal and dc
clared him blind Of one eye, anothe
observed he had SPAWN, third per
ceived he had a windgall, fourth sal,
he had the bolts, and SO on. began +
have a most hearty contempt for tn
poor beast myself, for reflected tina
the number OF witnesses was stronI
presumption they were right. and st
Gregory himself Is Of the same Opin
ion. However, at last sold my horse
but had the misfortune TO receive II
payment forged and worthless draft
the same being, indeed, the wicked
work of the very man who had sole
Moses the spectacles.
Mr.. Burchell being absent from our
fireside, only Sophia missed him, for
the rest of us were greatly pleased by
the visits of our landlord, who now
came often. II must be owned that
my wife laid a thousand schemes to
entrap him as husband for Olivia,
and used every art to magnify the mer-
its of her daughter. The results, how
ever, being small, my wife sought to
rouse Mr.. Thornhill's jealousy by hint
ing of Ollvia's marriage with Farmer
Williams, a most worthy, though hum.
BILE neighbor. This failing to egg on
the backward Thornhlll, the wedding
day was set for Olivia and Farmer
Williams. But four days before the
day learned to my distraction that
my Olivia had gone off secretly in u
post-chalse with a gentleman who, as
! was told by an onlooker, kissed her
and said he would die for her. Well
did | know the villain who had thus
robbed me Of my sweet innocent child
1t was none other than the wicked
Th0rnhill My wife fell to loud be-
rating Of him and Olivia as well, but !
declared, my house and heart should
ever be open to the returning repen.
tant sinner. ! set ont to find her
but my first efforts persuaded me that
II was Mr.. Burchell, and not Squire
who had seduced my dar-
ling. This, though was not the truth.
Twas but part of the villains plan.
After long search I found my darling
girl, In hiding place, whittier she had
fed from the dreadful Thornhlll who,
under pretense of marriage, had ruined
her. 1t seems they were married by
black scoundrel, who had before mar.
ried the squire to six or eight other
wives!
I took my poor darling home, only
to be met with the astounding news
that my little home was utterly de-
stroyed by fire. With what cheerful
ness we might, we made shift TO live
In one of our farm outbuildings, and
endeavored to enjoy our former Sc.
renlty.
But this was not to be. The despic.
able ThOrnhlll about to marry Miss
Wilmot-yes, the same to whom my
son, George. was once bethrothed-
made proposal that we marry my
olivia to another, yet let her still be
friend of his own. My righteous de-
of this resulted In the
'quire's threats of retributlon, and this
,ame, In the form of a demand for my
annual rent. the which I was all unable
o pay. I was thereup0n thrown into
/ debtors prison, but even here / en-
leavOred to preserve my calm, and aft
II my usual medltatlons, and having
PRAISED my Heavenly Corrector, ! slept
With the utmost tranquility.
Man frequently calls in the consola-
ions of philosophy, which. I have
ound, are amusing, hut often falla-
ious. In the prison. though I attempt
d much-needed reform movement,
nd though lectured and advised with
II my powers, / suffered many and
arious sorrows and disappointments.
was informed of the death Of nay
aughter, Olivia-an untrue report,
hank Heaven! was told of the forci-
lie abduction Of Sophia, by desperate
illains.
From this danger. however, dear So
hia was rescued by Mr., Burchell; to
HON willingly gave my treasure for
wife. And, we then learned that
ur friend Mr.. Burchell was In reality
he great Sir William Thornhill, and
~ daughter would be a fine lady. |
nd, another Joy, I learned that my |
aughter Olivia, was the lawful wife
Squire Thornhill, his previous mar
ages all haying been so performed
Y the wicked clergyman that they
ere not legal.
Whereupon, my son. George. having
Miss Wilmot, his one-time
we, accepted anew his offers. and
lose two were happy together. As
lpsheaf to my harvest of good for
me. the rascal who did me out Of my
,rtune so long ago was arrested. and
reed to give up his effects. My
rongs being set right, I. OF course,
as freed Of the prison, and 1t now re-
aimed only that my gratitude in good
rtune should exceed my former sub
fssion In adversely.
upright. 1919. by the Post Publishing Co.
THE Rnston pastl All rights RESERVED,