Year: 1877




gregation gathered together one Sun.


day to hear the old minister preach


one of his old sermons. Every pew
| held people we'll known to each
other, and who knew each other


business. Nobody there but had
heard that Thos. Benton had courted
Annie Redwood, and how all was


going on well, when the two grand
fathers quarreled about an acre OF


ground in a stony, unproductive


spot. and a family feud commenced,
and they. were separated. Annie


was six-and-twenty now, and had
never had another suitor-and


Thomas had left home for good.
And there the obstinate old grand


fathers sat. not caring whit for all


the trouble they had caused, and


never forgiving each others tres


passes, despite the fact that they


repeated the Lords prayer together


every Sunday.
Sometimes in summer there would


be strange boarders from the city in
church; but now it was winter, and
every one wondered to see a large


woman in a great plaid, oldworld-
looking cloak, and a fur hood, and
a deep cap border, come into church,
and seat herself in back pew,
Who she was no one could gue s.,
and why she came to church with
such O cold as she seemed to have.
was a wonder to all. She coughed
loud and long, interrupting the SER
mon and the pray yers and at last was
seized with such fit of choking,
that every head was turned. She
seemed to try to rise, but found her
self unable to do so. Then Annie
Redwood, leaning toward her mother
whispered


"Its q shame. People ought to
be more Christiau-like in their con-
duct. I'll go and help her OUT


Then she arose and went softly
down the aisle, and bent over the old
lady and whispered something. on
which the poor old soul arose and
took her arm, and they went out of
church together. The coughing was
heard outside for a moment or two,
but the services went on as before,
and no one wondered that Annie
Redwood did not return.


The family expected to find her,
when they reached home, of course;
but she was not there, she did not
come in to dinner, nor did she come
to tea. By evening much alarm was
felt. and inquiries were made. but
without avail. No one had seen the
girl since she left the church doors.


There was a Sunday train to
large city, and a man kept watch at
the station all day. He seeing fewer
passengers on Sunday than at any
other time had noticed them all.


The old woman in the plaid cloak
had come to the station, but Miss
Redwood was not with her.


A young man spoke to the old
lady, nay she had his arm-but he
might have been a stranger who was
assisting her. No one could tell.


The old lady could not be traced
after that. and nothing more was
heard of Annie Redwood.


Many thought the old woman was
some dreadful person in disguise,
who had murdered the handsome
Annie for the watch and ring she
wore. Then, too, she had quite a
little sum in her pocket; for she had
money left her by her by an aunt, and
was not dependent on her fathers
gifts of pocket money as the other
girls were.


The woods were searched, the
ponds dragged, but in vain and
the poor girl was at last given up for
lost.


The old people had been very
cruel to her about Thomas, now they
shed bitter and unavailing tears.
How much better would it have been
TO let Annie marry and have her
still with them.


The old grandfathers shook hands
for the first time for years. The
families were reconciled; but Annie
was gone, and Thomas was gone,
and what was the use?


If only [ knew what became of
my girl" sighed Mrs. Redwood.


"Ah, yes, and if l knew my boy
was alive said Mrs. Benton.


They were all very sad, but good
country people never stay away from
church for that.


Sunday after Sunday they met
with their sad faces, and the black
sarmentssthey had put on.


And years passed and it was the
day Annie had disappeared; and
they had all gone as usual, and were
going homeward.


Mrs. Redwood was in tears.


81 think of Annie all day to-day
said she. "Oh! it is more than |
can bear. Who was that old woman?
What did she do with my girl?''


"Oh mother, there she is y cried |
one of the daughters.


All looked. Before them on the |
road tottered a large figure in plaid
cloak, coughing violently. The same
Did woman no doubt. But who sup
ported her? Who


!" Good aeavensl is it a ghest?"
Mrs. Redwood. " What |
is it? On I! what is it ?"


Annie p screamed the girls to-
gether; and screaming, sobbing, re-
gardless of what any might think of |
them, they surrounded the pair.


1t was Annie, alive, and holding
fast to the arm of the old woman |
she had help out of the church just
4 year before.


Don't question me on the road"
she said. Let us go home"


And glad and angry, and little
the Bentons and the Red |
woods went to the Redwood home
stead, and closed the door on intru-
ders.