Year: 1873

have always felt ashamed of the whole
| performance


Marrying me included, l suppose
| Well, matters went on so for some weeks
| took hold of the teamwork and soor
| got things into shape again. l went dowr
to Commencement and graduated, ant
then went back and took hold of the har
vesting. / had made up my mind by tina
time to be farmer.


"When the heft of the harvest work ant
cbeese-making was over, Penelope pro
posed to my mother that she should draw
in piece of fine linen, for which the yarr
was ready. When she came to examin,
the loom she found the harness in need o
repair, and as making harness is bes
done by two pairs of hands, she asked mt
to help her."


~ don't know what harness is,
said I.


"Well it is a system of strings in &
loom, by which the threads of the war;
are alternately raised and depressed so as
to allow the passage of the shuttle. These
strings are knotted in peculiar and
somewhat intricate manner. We were
engaged in this process when my father
passed through the room.


"'That's right, Mary said he, harness
him up tightp


"'She has done that already, said
speaking without thought.


"Mary looked scared.


$50 much the better said my father
Il hope you will both go in double as you
do in the single harness. So saying he
went into the next room and shut the
door.


"I wonder if he suspects anything?'
said l. Mary looked very grave, and l
had to repeat the question before she an.
swered.


"'I don't know whether he does or not
but one thing | do know Abner, l shall
not go on in this way any longer 1t Is a
shame to deceive him and your mother as
we are doing. / have felt this long
time, and now have made up my mind
| shall tell him the truth this very day.


"And suppose he orders you out of the
house. said 1.


"'Then l must gor


"'And forbid me to ever see or speak
to you againr


6'Then we must wait Anyhow, Alb
ner, we can never expect to pray for a
blessing while we go on in this way


"Well, we argued the matter back and
forth. | did not feel easy myself, for
was brought up to think lie the meanest
of all things. Finally it was agreed that
we should explain matters that very even
ing, only l insisted on taking the task on
myself


$50 we did. After prayers that night, /
told father and mother that Mary and
were engaged, and only waited for their
consent. 'All rightp answered my father.
Il couldn't wish for better daughter than
Mary, and l am sure mother will say the
same


"'Yes, indeedp said mother; 4 hoped
all along it would be So


"Mary was so very pale, but she spoke
out clearly and steadily:


"I'm afraid you won't say so when you
know about it, Uncle Nathan


Mother started at these words and turn
ed as pale as Mary herself, but father only
said quietly, Why not"


"Mary went on and told the story in as
few words as possible. When she had
finished there was silence like death for
minute or two. literally dared not
my father spoke:


"'Mary and Abner-do you think that
your father is so blind that he cannot see
a hole through ladder"


"Neither of us answered, but there was





a weight off my heart. Father went on:


"I began to guess the secret before
Mary had been in the house three days,
and then an accident made me certain. !
happened to want some papers which /
put in the cupboard in Mary's room. She
was out with mother. When l opened
little Latin Bible | knew it in minute,
auaD Without tba xxrritipn On IN w 1aaf
1t was the one | had given Abner on the
very last birthday we spent together.
Pm not good at describing my feelings
said my father in a trembling voice, but
as | opened the book it seemed as if my
brothers. face looked out from between
the leaves at me. l took it into the woods
to the potashery. L staid there all day,
and children, if ever any man had hand
to hand fight with the devil, l did that
day. But l wasn't left alone as | deserved,
and gained the victory. That very night
coming home l sprained my ankle. At
first thought would tell Mary directly,
but then | said to myself, The child has
come here to see if she can't coax me
round. I'll let her work it out in her own
way. When Abner came home, it didn't
need college education to see how the
land lay. didn't tell mother. thought
the brewing would work itself clear if it
was left alone, and so it has. Only, chill
dren,' added my father impressively, i
hope we have done with concealments
and secrets. They are edge-tools not safe
to play with. They made all the
trouble in the first place. However, we
won't talk about that he said, glancing
at mother 1t turned out for the best so
far as was concerned"


"Well, that's about all there is to tell.
Father gave me farm next his own, and
built us nice new house, and the next
spring we were married. But neither
father nor mother would ever call my
wife Penelope.-ALdine.