ME CITIZKN, FRIDAY, SEPT. 3, 1000.
AT AUNT NANCE
MS
C!
Story of a Tragedy Averted by a
Woman's Determination.
By FRANK H. SWEET.
Copyright, 10u3, by American I'rcs3 Asso
ciation. Alford's Cnbln wns the nauio of a
stagecoach eating station halfway be
tween two thriving Hoeky mountain
mining towns. It was kopt by 5lw,
Nancy Alford, a small, cheery anil ex
ceedingly active woman, who claimed
for herself the distinction of having
crossed the plains with an ox team In
1850 and the further honor of having
been the first white woman to enter
Falrplny gulch, iu which her cabin
stood.
Her husband's grave, over which the
snows of three winters had drifted,
was under a clump of stunted and
gloomy pines up the rocky slope of the
mountain.
There were two little grassless and
sunken graves beside that of Aunt
Nancy's husband. In one of them her
little girl of five years had bsen laid
and In the other her boy of six.
"I ain't never been back to tho states
senco I collie out here, and I never ex
pect to go now. All I care for in thl
'"V PONT KN'iW 1'OW OLA1) I .MI TO
i;nn vof! '
- rid i up there." Aunt Nancy would
; . with a wave of her hand toward
t' pines tindei' whleh were the three
ivv.
Ihe cabin was a Ion: and narrow
story structure of three rooms. Its
fxtwlnv wik dreary nnd without u
vi.ceriion of the brightness and com-f-
it within save fur the turkey red
. lieo curtains with while lace borders.
lint w i 1 1 1 i 1 1 things were very differ
i Aunt Nance AlO nl's cabin, Aunt
Nance's grub and Aunt Nance herself
v..-:e tuples mi which the stage drivers
dlM'oured until Aunt Nance's fame
li.id pre:id far and w hie.
She was a short, slender and wiry
littlu wnman about ilfly years old.
she nlwny:; wore a plainly made
starched calico gown, with a while
apron (led around her waist, (he
stilns In u neat bow iu front.
one day in the early spring Jack
Ilu'.ites, one of the stage drivers,
bnuv.'lit Aunt Nance a letter from the
nearest postolllce, eltrhl miles distant.
Letters came rare' to Aunt Nance,
:n:d they always tilled her with pleas
urable excltencnt.
This was l.i a large brown envelope,
nd Aunt Nance drew out a photograph
with the letter.
She glanced at it eagerly and saw
the fact- of a young and delicate girl
of perhaps fifteen years.
"Who In the hind can she be?" said
Aunt Nance. She unfolded the letter,
glanced at the signature nnd read It
aloud. "Your affectionate niece, Mar
ch! Merrick.'
"I declare I'd most forgot I had such
a niece," said Aunt Nance. "Hut of
course she's my sister I.uey's girl.
Lucy's name is Merrick. I ain't heerd
from her for two years. It's time
some of 'em was writ In'."
She sat down and read tho letter
slowly, her eyes lining with tears as
she read. She wiped them on n corner
of her apron when she had finished tho
letter nud said to Kate Doolov, her
"help:"
"It's from ray sister's girl. My sister
is dead, and so is her husband. Their
girl, Marcla, seems to bo all alone
in the world and not very strong. She
wants to come out and stay with mo
awhile and try this mountain climate
for her health.
"Well, she can come. I'll make her
more than welcome. It's many a year
oince I see any of my own folks, nnd
It'll do xie good to see somebody right
from New Hampshire with tho Doo
Httlo blood In her veins. I was a Doo
llttlo, Kate."
She read tho letter again. It was
well written and stated briefly, In ad
dition to tho news which Aunt Nance
bad already communicated to Kate,
that the writer was nearly sixteen
years old nnd that sho would have her
own living to make, for her parents
bad left her little more than enough
money to take her to Colorado.
"We'll talk about her supportln'
hT'f!" w'irn thoro'n occasion for her
to (o It," said Annt Nnnco nts she
I folded tho letter and restored It to Its
! envelope.
She took up the photograph and look
ed at It long and lovingly.
"She's n Doollttle, out and out," sho
said. "She has the reg'lar Doollttle
noso and her grandfather's chin right
over ag'in. She's downright purty;
sho looks like her ma, and Lucy was
the best lookln' one of our family.
Hut shtflon't write n word about her
brother! I wonder how that is. Lucy
had two children."
Three weeks later tho stagecoach
came whirling up to Auiit Nance's
door, nnd Jack Hughes called out when
ho saw Aunt Nance at tho open door:
'Light load today, Aunt Nance-
only one passenger, and I guess she's
the one you're lookln' for."
A young girl, her plain black dress
and hat covered with dust, stepped
to tho ground. Aunt Nance embraced
her warmly.
"You're sister Lucy's Marcla!" sho
exclaimed excitedly. "I know with
out nskln'. You're n reglar Doollt
tle, nnd yon don't know how glad I am
to see you!"
"You don't really look strong," Aunt
Nance said -;vhtle Marcla was eating
the elaborate dinner prepared express
ly for her. "Hut, In, my dear, you'll
look like another girl after a summer
up here In this mountain air."
Then she suddenly asked in a softer
tone, "Where Is your brother David.
Marcla?"
Marcla's smile gave place to a pained
and troubled look.
"I don't know, aunt," she said.
"Don't know? Why, how Is that?"
"It Is more than n year since wo
have heard anything from David," said
Marcla. Then she added: "That Is one
reason why I wanted to conic west,
Aunt Nancy, besides what the doctor
told me about my health. I think Da
vid Is out here. I did not write any
thing about It, for I thought I would
rather tell you all about It myself. I
thought you might understand the story
better and feel more kindly toward him
to see you!
It Wiis a brief and sorrowful little
story of a boy's waywardness that she
told, not an uncommon story of a nat
urally well disposed boy being led Into
wrongdoing by evil companions and
finally running away after bringing dis
grace upon his home.
"All we have known for nearly two
years Is that he is In the west. Wo
heard once of his being in this state.
If I could only find hini, I am sure he
could yet be saved. He is so young
not yet twenty."
"I'll help you find him." said Aunt
Nance earnestly. "We'll begin at once.
I know all the stage drivers around
here and people In nearly all the moun
tain towns. If he's anywhere in this
part of the state we'll find him, dear.
Merrick ain't a common name."
The mountain summer soon came on
in all its soft and tender beauty. Mar
cla HvlmI out of doors much of the time.
She rode on horseback down Into the
grassy gulche.i or far up to the moun
tain summits, where the snow lay In
little patches throughout ail the sum
mer days. Soon the color came to her
cheeks. Her thin shape grew rounder
and 1 idler.
The night of the lltth of Au
gust w.is one Iojil; remembered by
the dwellers ou that mountain side
and by those in the gulch below. They
referred to It long afterward as "the
titiK' of tho big storm."
At 11 o'clock the wind abated Its
fury. At lu It had died away so that
no sound was heard but the pouring of
the rain. Marcla and Kate Dooley
went lo bed.
It was 11 o'clock when Aunt Nance,
rising to go to bed, stopped suddenly,
threw up her head and listened.
The raiu was falling softly now, and
high above its gentle sound she heard
a voice shriek out as If in mortal
tenor. Then she heard men's voices
shouting wildly.
"What in the name of wonder Is go
iu' on up there on Taylor mountain
at this time of night?" she asked her
self as she hurried to a door and look
ed out Into the darkness.
"Dear, dear!" she said, with more
of irritation than of fear iu her voice.
"I wonder when this country's ever
goln' to get civilized so folks '11 live as
if they was Christians! There's mis
chief goln' on up there! 1 saw them
Taylor mountain boys wliisperln' to
gether and lookln' savage when they
were down here to dinner today. I've
a notion to- Who's that?"
The rear door of the room had open
ed suddenly and been closed.
Aunt Nance turned quickly. IScforo
her, his back to the door, his hands
spread out upon it as If ho would hold
it against all resistance, stood a hatless
and eoatless young man, his clothes
drenched and tattered, his face ashen
pale, his eyes wild nnd staring, while
his slender form quivered with fear.
"Oh. please come In and shut that
door!" lie cried, stretching out one
hand Imploringly. "They're after mo
those men are! Can't you hide me?
I haven't done what they say I havo.
IHdo mo! Hide mo!"
Aunt Nanco slowly closed tho door,
but seemed to hesitate.
"Ma'am," said the young man, "I've
been wild for a long time, but I nra
Innocent of this wrong, nnd if 'you'll
help snve me I will live a right life
from this moment. I'll go back homo
tomorrow back to New Hampshire!"
"New nnmpshlro!" Aunt Nnnco
cnught eagerly at tho words.
"Are you from Now Hampshire?"
she asked slowly.
"Yes, yes! Oh, aro they coming?"
"From what town?" sho asked eager
ly. "Tho town of Rockingham."
"Now tell mo your name, quick!"
"David David Merrick."
She took his wet cheeks between her
hands nnd drew his face down to hers,
While she ktesed him ponthlnply,
I "I though: so I thought so," sho
i 'ild, with h?r arms around his nek.
"You've tho Doollttle eyes. David.
Don't be nfrnld."
Tho door of Marcla's room had
opened suddenly, and she stood there
with a shawl thrown lightly around
her. Tho next Instant she cried one
"Oh, It's David my brother Imld!"
The tramp of feet was heard out
side. Tho look of aina::emcnt on the
boy's face gave place to one of (er
ror, nnd Aunt Nanco said quickly:
"Go In there with your sister. David."
A moment later six or seven rough
looking men filed Into the cnbln. Aunt
Nnnco knew them every one. She
met them stnndlng with her back to
tho door of tho room David and Ills
sister had entered.
"Ho come In here, didn't he, Aunt
Nanco?" said .Too Haskln, the lender
of the crowd. "Wo seen him, and wo
want him. Now, didn't ho come In
hero?"
Aunt Nnnco replied fearlessly: "I
don't tell lies, and I won't toll one now.
He did como in here, Joe Haskln. He's
In hero now. nnd. what's more, he's go
ln' to stay In here!"
"Do you know what him and another
feller done?"
"I neither know nor care," replied
Aunt Nance boldly, "but I know this
you men nln't his judges. Vengeance
don't belong to you. It belongs to
nim!"
She pointed upward as sho spoke,
and then she added: "You can't lay
your hands on that boy tonight. He's
In this room behind me, and you are
six or eight men to one woman, but
there's not ono of you that'll lay your
hands on me to move me from this
door.
"You wouldn't, Joe Haskln, when
you remember how I walked three
miles In the worst snowstorm we had
Inst winter to nurse you back to life
and strength when you was at death's
door with pneumony.
"You wouldn't, III Sanders, when I
had you brought right here and took
care of you myself when you had that
broken leg last fall.
' You wouldn't lay hands on the wo
man who closed your wife's eyes In
death less than a year ago, Tom Lee
sotn. Every man of you litis set at my
table ag'in and ag'in. with or without
money It made no difference.
"Touch me? Why, 1 don't believe 1
myself could keep you from usln' that
rope you've got outside on the man
who'd lay rough hands on Aunt Nance
Alford."
"No, you couldn't," said Joe Has
kln. "You're right we'd make mince
meat of him And if you're goln' to
stand 'fore that door and"
"I am," Interrupted Aunt Nance,
"and there ain't no other way Into the
ro.im."
She waved her hand lightly toward
the open door. "Good night!" sho said.
They went out into the darkness.
r.el'oro noon the next day Joe Haskiu
rode ui) to Aunt Nance's cabin She
went to the door, and ho did not dis
mount. "Well."' he said. "If things don't turn
'ait queer sometimes! We got after
the wrong fellow sure enough last
':ighr. You see, there's been a gang of
iitlhroats and boss thieves lurkin'
iboiit on Taylor mountain. The boys
got tired of 'fin, and last night they
took after a couple, of the sneaks.
"It scents that this young fellow
told the truth when he said he didn't
b'long to 'em. He was wnnderln
along on his way to ICagle cliff and
tool; refuge Iroiu the storm with some
' the gang.
'The guilty ones was caught this
iMoinin' down iu Deer gulch, anil
llie.v d the grace to say that the young
fellow with 'cm didn't belong to their
gang. If you've got him in your cabin
yit you sort o' 'pologlze to Mm for
the little Inconvenience ve put 'im to
last night and say that we'll do any
thing we can for him now't he's out
i' bail company.''
lie was done wilh bad company
from that day forth. The promise he
I
i
SIIE MET Til Ell STAND1NO WITH IIEIt DACE
TO TUl! 1)0011,
had made In his terror he kept faith
fully, although ho did not have to go
back to Now Hampshire to keep It.
Invndlng Hues of railroad havo
driven tho lumbering old stagecoaches
and their jolly drivers to other parts
of tho uiouutulns, nnd thcro Is now a
little brown railroad station on the
spot where tho cabin of Aunt Nance
duco stood.
It is n dinner station, famous all
along the line, and if you were to
travel that way you would be likely
to bo met nt tho door by a tidy and
lalkatlvo old lady, who would be no
other tnnn Aunt Nanco herself, while
Dnvld nnd Marcla Merrick, In homf-s
I of their own, mny bo found In the lit
1 " town but n few miles distant.
Law Points.
Tho title to real estate Is held In
Mathcwson versus Mnthewson (Iowai,
117 N. W 755; 18 L. 11, A. (N. S.l,
1107, not to bo affected by tho de
struction of tho deed by tho grantor
nfter its delivery without tho grantee's
consent.
Ono who cuts timber upon tho land
of another in good faith that Is, be
lieving it to be his own land Is hold
In J. E. Dall & Hro. Lumber company
versus Slmnis Lumber company. 121
La., G27; 40 So., 074; 18 L. It. A. (N. S.),
241, to bo liable for Its value at the
stump and not ns manufactured Into
lumber.
Facts From France.
French death duties are graded from
1 to 20'i. per cent.
Nearly 310.000 mnrrlages took plnco
In France last year.
The two great race courses of Paris
ure within the great public park, the
Bols.
More than S0,000,000 snails are re
ceived annually by tho Hallos Cen
trales, the great market of Paris.
French soldiers are now being fed
largely on sea fish obtained directly,
without middlemen, from the fisher
men. Respectability.
Max O'Rcll was once staying with a
friend at Edinburgh. Starting for n
walk on Sunday, ho took up his walk
ing stick. "Do you mind taking nn
umbrella?" asked his conscientious
host. "It looks more respectable."
What Happened
To Jones
And a lot of other
People Is Described In
IShe HOME PAPER
TAKE IT REGULARLY
s no time to he regretting your nej;!ect
to Kci iiiMiicd. A little ?aie befoteliand
is worth more Hum any amount ot ie
!;ret. KRAFT & CONGER,
General Insurance Agems
HONiilClALi: -.
Holmes Memorial, St. Rose Cemetery,
Carbondnle, Pn.
mi
Designed nnd built by
MARTIN CAUP I ELD
Tooth
Savers
Eg&SS 3 TilO.B I
ap' teS:: 9 V Bill 1
i
I
WI1KN Tlih KNCilNH C'OMK.S I
!
Wo have the sort pt tooth brushes that nro
mado to thorout-hly cleanse ami save the
teeth.
They are the kind that clean teeth without
leavlnc vour mouth full ot bristles.
We recommend those costlnir 25 rents or
more, as wo can cuiiroiitco them and will re
place, free, any that show defects of manu
facture within three months.
O. T. CHAHBERS,
PHAUHACIST,
Opp. D. & H. Station, IIONESDALE, PA
CLEARING SALE
The Giant Event of
Every Passing Season finds our Stock Broken in everyidcpartnient. Small
lots nre bound to accumulate here and therein a busy store like ours. Wo never
have nnd never will carry over goods from ono senson to another, no indeed, Sir,
tho policy of this house demands Hint the wearableshere mentioned leaves ub
when the season does, so to this end we go through nil departments and clip
down the prices unmindful of the cost to us. July is not a time for profits.
Here following we mean to speak in deeds of mnny saving opportunities not in
words galore; so if that means anything to yon read on
STltAUSE ISKOS. CLOTHES ALL
SIZES.
.$15 Suits now $10
5518 Suits now $13
$20 Suits now $15
$25 Suits now $18
C1HLDHKXS' CLOTHES ALL
SIZES.
$5 Suits now $3.50
$4 Suits now $2.75
$3.50 Suits now 2.25
$3.00 Suits now $2.00
HOYS' WASH SUITS ALL SIZES.
50c, 75c, to $1.00 Worth Double
the Price.
Underwear at
Remember the Place-a
The Era of New Mixed Paints !
This yunr open., wiui a deluge of new mixed paints. A con
dition brought ;:hout In our enterprising dealers to get some kind
of a mixed paint that Avould supplant CHILTON'S MIXED
PA1TS. Tlieii compound-!, being new and heavily advertised,
may find a sale with the unwarv.
THE ONLY PLACE IX IIONESDALE
AlXIIOillKEI) TO HANDLE
Is
JADWiM'S
Theicarc ic-i-on.-- fur the pre-eminence of CHILTON P.-MNTR
1st- - No inn' can mix a belter mixed paint.
M The painters declare that it works easily and I von
derfu' covering (pialities.
"il CliiMon stands hack of it, and will agree to re paint, at his
on ii expense, every surface painted with Chilton Paint that
pi io e defective.
4ih Tho'-v wlio have used it are perfectly satisfied with it.
aii'l ivcoMiniend ils use to others.
I
I
HERE'S lm PROPOSITION. AII;:;r;';:,,1;!::;;::r::Ny';;:,,,'
willi every box of S pairs of
MM
For Loss of
For Loss of
For Loss of
For Loss of
For Loss of
One Foot
For Loss of
For Loss of
For Loss of
Retails for $1.50 a box of 6 pairs.
Come in ISlael; and Tan. Sold with a Six Months' Guarantee on Every Pair,
See Window Display at
L. A. Helferich's.
DO NOr FAIL TO READ THE FOLLOWING
ANNOUNCEMENT:
If yon desire to buy pure whiskey, look nt tho end of tho barrel before
making your purchase. There you will find tho date of Inspection which
is a sure guarnjity ns to nge. All straight whiskeys nro Inspected by
Government olllclals, and taxed according to proof. Blended and com
pound whiskeys nro made from straight wlilskeys.
PAUL E. McGRANAGHAN,
Wholesale Dealer In
WINES and LIQUORS, 557 Main St., Honesdale, Pa.,
. . .ii.. ,i. , . f a.
nus a surge quunuiy ui me uesi siraigiu rruiaiieys iur suiu ui iiia csiau
lishment. Also Blended Whiskeys, Foreign and Domestic Wines,
and bottled Beer by the case or dozen.
the Season's End
LANDAX 1JKAN1) CLOTHES ALL
SIZES.
$10 Suits now $7
$0 Suits now $0
$8 Suits now $5
$7 Suits now 4
MEN'S DHESS SHIRTS ALL
SIZES.
Eclipse shirts. high grade In every
respects. Cont; cut, enffs attached:'
$1.50 value nt $1.01
$1.00 value nt 70c
TRUNKS AND DRESS SUIT CASES
AT HALF PRICE.
Reduced Prices.
Full Line of Everything.
CHILTON'S MIXED PfilNTS
PHARMACY
MR.
HOSIERY BUYER
READ THIS:
our Insured Hose for SI, 50.
The insurance Policy
Is in T1IK NOliTII A MKKIC'AN ACTUM' T
INSl'liANCK CO. of Chiei'Ko. A eomi-ain
who liuc hi en in huMnei-s for -' years, and
have a Mil plus and n-etf of over iiV2, 000. (III. u '
THE POLICY PAYS AS FOLLOWS:
Life $1,000.00
both Eyes 1,000.00
both Hands 1,000.00
both Feci 1,000.00
One Hand and
1,000.00
One Hand 250.00
One Foot 250.00
One Eye 100.00
Seven and .".o-ioo Dollars per week for (i week"
lib per poliev in eai-e of accident.
THE HOSE
is n Two Thread Combed Kgyptian Itoinforced
Heel anil Toe All value.
ii ri. t m , 1. 1 a