Show DAY I 1 was always glad when my rounds to lead through sandridge by alic oi i many fa aasta Sta amro i met with kind friends enough who were pleased to soo the old peddler who biad served them for so many years hey were children hani but somehow I 1 liked tho tramp to S best of nil luy journeys one spring day I 1 camo to sand in alio llio afternoon and aa In cared ho place I 1 slopped lo 10 speak to an old contrado coni rado of mine who was breaking flono by the roadside any news up yon I 1 asked when in lad p daiy diy to each sa s1 1 S news lio grunted wiping ins with alic back of his hand ou sav well theres anoro news than card for quy jiow and resumed dvork i vork come S bunmy I 1 laying down my pack youre bit lip r rt weats up hj hi d ways lad sucu i of doing that lad sun arnlold rn lold wall a billet s up that I 1 asked why just this they hiitt got room or tho soldiers that arc quartered at loy 0 o handed them on to us and wither with your leave or by leave iti stalks a gr ral si right into a piece 0 paper in his hand his billal says he and ro m fecu as you alcie whether you want leini or not I 1 1 and nry pick prepared to walk on goin to nen asked sam eiith a raint aye you thora arini satisfaction hos got a billet too somehow I 1 did nol like tho idea 0 a tough soldier brici quartered nt house khouli it wa nobu ol 01 inanc It seem hii t alit of ilan toward his girl but araps it fault of lii anyhow I 1 would wait victore I 1 caina to any asty conclusion on the subject up tho clinI toiled with my load and 15 I 1 alic top canio out to ino as loual but it wa fancy or nut I 1 tell her face to look paler and graver alian it n cd to be she moru her asral fisli dreas of coarse homespun home spun but stuck in front of it WAS a cream colored rose a tiling 1 never saw arnica wear lford in my life she wa given to frippery of any sort come in daiil sho said holding out glicr hand toward mo ai tired as you can be 1 im sure just alio llio same welcome as ever but there was something in lie ring of glicr aico that told iiii that I 1 alto CT that da or at least T thought so sitting dow n in the porch I 1 stopped on fur sonic little lime making lier tell nio all the gossip cf he milage 01 course the arrival of the s up limong oilier things timid by hie eliat aliu girls pale check as alio told me this bit if news I 1 felt alio mischief was flonc and eliat alicc ryder was livirt no longer did bour soldier give you eliat rose I 1 akad suddenly for alio finst time in my life I 1 saw amico angry alio did not vouchsafe any to ray but rising from alm turned and busied herself in tho house getting somo for me which I 1 hardly ilo after in y impei As I 1 smoked j 1 thou glit it all over and luadie up ruy igind it was nothing to mo if annicc biad a lorat her fatlich could look after glicr interests balter than I 1 could only soldiers ocic such queer chaps they so often pretended what they int and I 1 was too fond of am sue to see glicr treated that way suddenly as I 1 satin tho quiet spring sunshine I 1 saw a man toiling up aliu recent eliat led to collage hiis redcoat liang ingon liis arm sl ovad him to be n llis hat was olt and I 1 could sec liis faco distinctly alicc I 1 called out loudly alicc loncio here then as alio me I 1 continued Is yon the nun bluit is quartered lioio allour c fora moment she looked out a little alien said quickly yeii liim paul word I 1 left lier and walked down the steep road within a fiort di tanco of the approaching figure I 1 stopp cl dcarl and waited for alic ina to como toward roe he was looking down on the ground as he gwun up lie steep way suddenly lie liis eyes ind aliey art mine full ah roc liow hii hi i face changed as a s lie did fco aliat do aou want now lic i 0 out to lei you know eliat I 1 nudean guess the game you arc playing I 1 returned As ion as vou remember that from TOO al 1 bolln kap no 1 with a rough laugh no turned and loft me standing alolu then I 1 slowly ro the rocky with a weight at my livirt liei rt and prepared mi beff for what I 1 could say to tho girl who vaa waiting for my return above alio stood mo from alio llio porch tho roses etere growing in their wild beauty and I 1 could sen a wondering won during sort of look sn IACO ivi I 1 camo near lier but she never saoko a word or asked a question oo I 1 was a bit out 0 breath atzer my tug uphill up hill and aa what I 1 had to say the calmness aad r vv v v t could T waited silent for a time alun took glicr hand in my aftic alicc mylae isaid ive knowli i you sinco you wiro a wee thing toddling about seen you biow up into alic woman you are with near as much arido 13 your own jather could do and on the of that old friendship I 1 wain airi to miko me a promise no answer only filic lidd glicr licad a bit higher and looked me straight m tho face will you grant an old whim alicc I 1 said again 1 I must wait until I 1 hear what it h first paul sho replied well its this pau fancy ajo ono of alio bour wedding amico and hie prociso I 1 want from yon h this livo days before your m arriago saml mo word to come to it 1 alio laughed merrily her alil unconscious laugh that somewhat hurt mi to hear 0 you silly old rani alio blushing slightly slight fy Is that ill bouvo been making such a mystery about well yes I 1 promise I 1 loosed it glicr earnestly alicc I 1 said you haro given me and I 1 trust you diat pvc r persua Mon yon may gel to uio contrary von give ino your honest word that old ant alio peddler shall coma to your wedding r yc s she said 1 I do paul really and truly only ft row months passed away before alio summons I 1 biad beon be on fearing came was going to bo married and wrote to bid me corao to alio wedding acro few railways in those days 0 o I 1 lint lo 10 s tai jsn foot anil walk day and in order to reach sandridge in time and a heavy jaunt it was for I 1 was not so young as I 1 used to be many greeting met my cars and many i lugn wis raised at my sorry appau ance or I 1 looked bratel enough I 1 war warrant rint at last I 1 reached the little lych gate leading into the old churchyard and there my spirit almost failed me for on the ground la tho pretty that the children had before tho brido as sho hut nerving was me I 1 entered the open door almost unnoticed then I 1 saw alicc as alio stood in her satt gray gown with iier beautiful L cad drooping on tp lier breast I 1 only looked at hicri say arid the sight gave mo no should fiarn lier I 1 lived to prevent it but my lask wasa hard tho for all that stepping forward through alio little crowd 0 eliat openmouthed open mouthed to sou inc I 1 made my way toward tho group in the chancel i iSton I 1 called out aloud holding up my hand this must not go on tor what reason am I 1 to stop said old parson leigh alio WAS a marrying startled by my voice and not knowing how to act I 1 said covering my eyes with my hand w eliut out amicis faco rom my sight because that man is lies married already fa this true says parson leigh his boico shading a little with the sorrow he felt its just a downright lie sir hi said simply and I 1 am ready it my fathers hero to speak for himself and heaven knows why any one should want to come between alicc and me like this I 1 looked up bewildered as tho man spoke and then in an instant alio awful mistake I 1 hid made ackois my mind this was not the man I 1 had seed coming up to ben house at all this was not my son but a younger min and in everyday every way from that poor wandering fellow for a minute somo seemed to come into my and prevent me from speaking but presently the words cimo 1 I withdraw what isai d entirely sir and I 1 humbly ask your pardon for alio mistake I 1 made which I 1 will explain liter on outside alio cottage I 1 stopped and the two out into the golden sunlight amico I 1 said humbly enough 1 I ibave toak boak your pardon for my behavior toward you and yours this da the man who lodged at your fathers house was my son and it never entered into my stupid heid thai it might bo another soldier alio was courting you I 1 only thought of him and knowing his waya made uini mind to have you from him though lie acro a dozen times my son lie has never caused rue anything but trouble since ho waa a lad and such trouble should cross your path through one of mine jt is on his account that I 1 leavo to tramp the country from years end to years end anil it is on his account I 1 dare not settle in one place knowing that he would only bring disgrace on mo if I 1 did so it is from this man I 1 tried to savo you and you must forgive a half blind old mans mistake when you remember how hard it was for a father to denounce his own son now goodbye good bye and haai en bless ou both then I 1 had to make my way off as I 1 quick as possible for fear an old mans salt tears bring ill wedding day |