1! JWw:,a 11 f I tyhw uiss Wy.,.. ,.f "' . VOL. XII. NEW BLOOMFIlSLr), 1JA.., TUESDAY, OOTOI3EI1 8, 1878. NO. 41. Sffl. - THE TIMES. Id Independent Family Newspaper, IS PURLIBHBD BVBIIT TUK8HAT BT F. MORTIMER & CO. BUUSCltirTtON 1MUCE, (WITHIN TIIB COUNTT. One Year It 2 Hlz Month 7S (OUT 0 Tn COUNTT. One Tear, (Postage Ineluded) (1 PO Mix Month, (Postage Included) 8ft Invariably lu Advance I W Advertising ratos (urnislied upon appli cation. For Tub Times. EVANESCENCE. The oarly glow of human hearts, Alas, how transitory I How soon the lire of II fo departs How fades Its fairest glory I Its maglo wlue with rosy light Fills Youth's enchanted palace But shadows fall as dark as night, When Ago presents tho chalice. Our Bummer brings the odorous bloom, Of lilies and of roses Our Winter's frosty twilight gloom Their scentless stems discloses. The wreaths that round our brows we wove, Or e'er wo know It, wither, And wing their flight the birds of love Ah, who can tell us whither 1 Tho music that was wont to cheer, No more to gladness urges Our heart-throbs turn to tolllngs drear, Our roundelays t dirges. The dreams are false that hannt tho night, Nor comfort thence we borrow, To-day la festal garments dlght, In garb of dole to-morrow. A world that seemed no change to know, Was that whore first we fonnd us But tombs arise as on we go, And pitfalls lurk around us. And change on every stdo appears, And cares our spirits cumber, Till, wearied out with hopes and fears, To wake no more, we slumber. Georgetown, D. C. W. L. Buokmakbr. The Asher and Pittibone Feud. THE cattle stood up to their knees In the creek, and every bird in the woods sat silent or whirred about in a languid, discouraged way, it was such boiling summer weather. The men were afraid of sunstroke, and would not go back to their threshing before two o'clock, in spite of Job Asher's exhorta tions. Both great doors of the barn were open, and some lounged on the floor in a pleasant breeze, while others lingered on the east porch of the house, or even explored the prim, dark parlor. Thirteen strong, voracious threshers were quartered for the day, and perhaps for several days the length of their stay depending on the amount of grain to be threshed and the durability of the machine at Job Asher's. They had eaten a huge dinner, and there was only one woman to wait ou them all. She was not standing in the cool creek along with the happier cattle, at that time of day, I warrant you, not resting herself in such air as might be stirring, after the morning's labor of cooking for her army. While the men lounged and Job Asher fretted, his sallow, sad wife went stooping around the kitchen, washing the dishes, and preparing things for supper. Really, it seemed her vitality must be exhausted at the next step, but she knew she should keep on walking and working like a machine until all which was required of her was finished. She had long survived that period when she could find any pleasure in accom plishing tasks or the thrift to which lier husband exhorted her. Poor Mrs. Asher was a broken spring a stretched out bit of elastic. She wished Jule were there. If Julia had gotten home in time for the threshing, she shouldn't have had it so hard. Julia sort of rested her, just by being in the house. She really smiled slowly, and with a wan glistening of the face, as she thought of her bounding, ruddy seventeen year old girl. Julia meant to get home, but school was not out until that very day, and her father did not want her to miss any of the advantages which cost him so much cash. Mrs. Asher recollected, as she rubbed the dishes off, how long she and the dear girl had beselgod the father for tho privilege of one year at boarding-school, and how reluctantly he consented. Julia went away the September before. She had been away nine months, during which time they had not seen her face. It 1b doubtful whether Julia would ever have Been the inside of a boarding shool had notPettlbone been sending his girls to one ; and whatever rettibone did, Job Asher was bound either to contest or outdo. There was a feud between the two farmers, which began with some Bheep and dogs when they were young men, Just getting a foothold on tho soil of which both now owned so many acres. In those days rettibone had called Job Asher a "wooden-headed skinflint," and Job Asher hud called rettibone a " pulled up booby," and they had lived these neighborly lives, keeping up mutual annoyances ever since. If rettibone favored a preacher, Job Asher set his face against that in nocent man. If Job Asher was put for ward for agricultural honors of any kind, Tettlbone sneered at him nil the time ho wus discharging his duties. The rettibone girls and Julia Asher quarrel ed at the district school. Mrs. Asher and Mrs. 1'ettlbouo never dared to be come friendly at social meetings ; but in their later years, both the overworked woman, who felt they were being pushed down to the grave long before their natural time, thought how foolish the disagreement between their families was, and perhaps in Sunday afternoon prayer meetings they said kind, en couraging texts especially foreach other. Not thus was it with Job Asher and rettibone ; if Asher made a prayer, ho did bo bog the Almighty to bring down the Btifl'-necked and the proud, and show them the Judgment of Sinui, that rettibone at once felt called upon to rise, puff out his portly person, and deliver himself in pertinent remarks on the subject of people's making so little progress in spiritual life, and remaining in their first narrowness and meanness. Pettibone prospered In a better way than did Job Asher. He made his home comfortable, and it became quite a thoroughfare of kospltality. He han dled stock, and took shares in banks, and became quite the great patriarchal father of the soil. Job Asher on the other hand, set out with a greedy hun ger for land. He lived in the sume old house his forefathers occupied, and added no improvements. He allowed his wife no help, and kept down tho social and refining wants of both mother and daughter. He was always "land poor." It was harder to cujole Ave dollars from his pocket than to earn Ave times that amount at hod-carrying. rettlboue's ways were not his ways; yet he was not going to let I'ettlbone carry a high hand over him ; he didn't choose to spend and not spare, but his daughter would sometime ride over the thriftless Tettlbones, and she should be educated as well they were. So she was allowed to go to boarding school, but in a way that made her the butt of the rettibone girls, and taxed her proud spirit more than she would ever tell. Job Asher would pay the exorbitant school bill and she might have extras if the rettibone girls did but clothes were another matter. Clothes were a fleeting and evanescent vanity Job Asher aimed at the solid. Julia Asher went through her collegiate year clad worse than any other girl in the institution, and stinted and mortifi ed in every way. But she had a brave, sensible nature, and taking hold of her advantages, she tried to live in them, and forgot her mortifications. But who likes, especially at seventeen, to be an oddity and a sort of pariah Y Times were when her life was a burden in spite of all the long-desired adv antages. But she found a friend in Charley rettibone, an unexpected ally even in the midst of the enemy's camp. Charley rettibone was the oldest son of the family, and had been a year or two at college a college for both young men and young women before his sisters came. Jule Asher's calico and rough boots attracted his notice from the contrast with the elegant and befrlzzled young ladies who were her classmates. Her apt recitations and questioning mind made her a comrade for him. He had been brought up to think little of the Ashers ; yet he beheld one of the class who challenged not only his respect but his admiration. Julia was a child ; he felt quite a man ; and, therefore, when he found her one evening In the dusky chapel crying passionately over Borne mortification, and ns passionately determined to endure It without asking her father to do any thing more for her, he undertook to console her. He leaned against the window while Julia dried her eyes, and delivering himself of his own and his father's opinion, declared. " It's a Bhame I your father hasn't any idea of the decencies of life, Julia I" It was the clan call. Jullastralghten ed herself. " I said I was silly enough to cry be cause Nora Dickinson hud no better breeding than to laugh atmyeverlusllng calico, and I didn't mean to ask father for any thing more. But I didn't dis pute my father's judgment in putting me In calico, did IV" " Well, you know he Is stingy," urged Charley, uneasily, finding herself in the predicament of having his Byinpathles thrown back on his bunds. " Well, I'm thankful he hasn't the faults of some other people," retorted the Asher. " I don't think my father's perfect," proceeded Charles ; and I must say, I don't sco why the two families have to biker always." And returning to the subject at in tervals, the young man eventually found out that two members, at least, of the rival families, need never differ nny more. They grew to be quite of one mind. They consulted frequently on hard questions in mechanics ; they hud something to say on the languages and perhaps in a language to each other. The affair grow right up before the I'ettlbone girls before they could believe their eyes, they wrote home to their father, and by that time vacation had come. I'ettlbone had threshers at his home on that hot day when the letter came, stating expllclty that Charley owned to being engaged to " that Asher girl." One of his men brought the mall, and the rotund furmcr read this bit of news after a delightful dinner, which in no wise mollified him. Threshing at I'et tibone's was not a labor to disturb the flow of animal life. There was an abundunt table, and the usual army of laborers; but a cook and her assistant shared the trials with Mrs. rettibone, whose only desire was to get through with this necessity of farm-life, and have the house in order before the girls came home the girls who were going East with a party of schoolmates for a few weeks, to return and flood the place with company until September. Her overwork was a different kind from Mrs. ABher's, and perhaps carried more pleasure with it, but was overwork all the same. " It'll be a very easy matter to settle Charles." I'ettlbone wus angry, but in a lofty and benevolent way, which be came a man of his avoirdupois and in fluence. He would Just meet Charles at the deport and have a talk with him ; there would be a good opportunity, for the girls were not coming home, and they would have the carriage to them selves. Charles was the eldest, and his pride. He would send the young man East for a time, until he overcame his fancy. He didn't know, though, but it would be better to let the boy see that Asher girl at home; that would cure him 1 rettibone left his threshers to attend to their business, and drove slow ly toward the station to meet the train It was a very hot day ; he was inclined to got along slowly, and as he passed the lane leading up to Asher'B, it occurred to him to go in and have a word with Job. If Job's girl had any design on Charles, he would have it out with Job himself. Asher's men had gotten reluctantly up to resume their labors, and he was perspiring with au inward fire of haste as great as the outward heat of the sun. Job Asher was a lean, brown, sharp eyed man, and rettibone looked at him with all his old dislike intensified. Mrs, Asher, hearing carriage wheels, came to the door and looked out eagerly; the eagerness died out of her face, and she shrunk back, hiding her soiled apron, as she saw her neighbor. She thought Julia had coine from the train. Her husband had no time to go after the child to-day. He said Borne of the neighbors could bring her over, and he would get her trunk . home some time when he went to town with grain. He was too busy to take out a team Just to bring her In. She had been gone nine months, and her mother's heart was al most breaking to see her ; all her moth er's bock was literally breaking for the relief her willing young hands would bring. But threshing Is one thing, and women are another. Of the two Job Asher was most devoted to threshing. " Hullo, Job!" Bald I'ettlbone, draw ing his linen, and giving his neighbor a curt nod. "Well, I'ettlbone," replied," Asher, coming forward with Ul-wlll in every line of his hard fuce, and chaff from the grain covering him. He carried a wooden ruke in one hand, and tried to look the contempt he felt for the man riding in his carriage. "Hot duy, Isn't It V " Yes, powerful hot. Threshing to day up your way V " Been at it since five. I'm Just go ing over to the train now to meet my son." "Comln' from school, eh V I expect my girl to-day, but I hain't got time to look after her. I've got to look after her sustenance and provldln' for her future ; bo I can't afford to loll around in carriages and let my farm go to the dogs, Just now." "If you mean to intimate that my farm's going to the dogs," said I'ettl bone, his black eyes snapping, " I can assure you I ain't intending to let you huvolt. You're always standing with your mouth open ready to snap up any piece of land around. I'd rather see my family decently circumstanced, If I was you, to be heapln' up what I couldn't tuke with me." " You can't take nothln' you've got with you, I bet," exclaimed Asher, hotly. "And lor all the airs of some people In this neighborhood, my daugh ter will be better fixed than any of them after awhile." " She's her father's child," said I'et tlbone, with a sneer. " Looking out for tho future, and sparing no pains to help herself to all she can. Do you know, sir," cried the fat farmer, giving way to the wrath boiling within him, " that your girl has got my boy to pro mise to marry her r" The lean farmer struck his rake on the ground. " That Isn't bo, sir. My daughter wouldn't take up with none of the I'ettlbone set!" " I tell you it Is so, sir; and it's got to be stopped I" " And I tell you, sir, that your, son can't have my duughtcr; and if he comes 'round here I'll set the dogs on him." " Set the dogs on my son, sir! I'll horsewhip you If you do, sir 1" "Get off my place, sir!" There was a pause in the threshing, and the threshers, winking and nod ding to each other, drew nearer this conference. " You're a contemplble, narrow-souled snail," burled Tettlbone, perspiring plentifully, as he began to turn his horse's head ; you're in the same little shell that your grandfather started In. If a son of mine ever dared mention to me that he wanted to marry your girl, I'd out him off without a cent : so that's your warning, sir. Tell her that she'll get nothing by that transaction, If she tries to carry it out." " And your warning, sir, is the same old warning," shouted Asher. " Your dog came and killed ray sheep once, and the whole tribe of you have been trying to prey on me ever since. Your dog'U be shot like that un was afore, so keep the puppy at borne." " That's a way for church brethern to commune !" observed one thresher to another. rettibone started out of the farm-yard gate, even his sorrel horse seeming to shake the Asher dust off his feet, but the way was blocked by a messenger bringing a warning different from those which the two men had been sending to each other. This was Abljah rence ; his nag was dripping, and the tall, lean colt behind It looked but the spirit of colt. " My gracious!" cried Abijah l'ence, shaking two fingers at the farmers, " haven't you heard the news V" Now, Abijah being always as full of news as a walnut Is of meat, nobody felt startled by that introduction ; but when he proceeded, rettibone drew his lines with a Bpasmodlo grip, and Asher ran up and down like an insane man. ' The two-twenty train from the East off the track down here hundreds of passengers smashed In the wreck a burning axle caused It and the whole on fire!" " What areyou Baylng,AblJah rence?" called Tettlbone, hoarsely. " That's the train my son's on 1" " That's tho train my daughter's on 1" cried Asher, jerking one of the horses, Insanely, " unhitch this beast this min ute. The threshlng'll have to wait, men. I've got to go over there and see to my daughter!" "What's the mntterJ"' cried Mrs. Asher, coming down to the barn lot, with her kitchen sun-bonnet on. I'ettlbone had lashed his horses ; but he paused and stood up In his carriage. "(Jet In with me, both of you," he called, his face white and slid. "Get in, Job Asher; our children's burning to death, if they ain't mangled corpses already. There's no use quarrelling about them now." The lean furmcr, without a word, helped his half-falnttng wife into his enemy's carriage, and his hickory shirt sleeve rubbed Tettlbono's frantlo elbow as It urged the galloping horse to the scene of tho disaster. Job Asher was a mean, miserable man, but he was a man, as God knew. Ills Jaws were set like Iron, while poor I'ettlbone's plump er face worked spasmodically. " Tears like you could make more spocd if we were out, neighbor retti bone," he said, humbly. " I don't want to hinder you." " O, don't speak of that," begged I'ettlbone ; " do you think I could leave you behind, and go on to see my son, and your little girl, maybe, cryln' to you all the time V" " Oh, my Julia ! " walled Mrs. Asher, rocking herself and wringing her bard hands. " The kindest, lovlu'cst child that ever was born I ' O, mother,' she says in her letter, ' I'm getting the good education, but I'll be glad when the holidays come, so I can come home and help you. I'm afraid you work too hard, mother,' says she. Lord, how can I give up my child 'i O, Lord, lay not this burden upon thy tired, tired handmuld ! O, my child, my child I" " She was mine, too, mother," put in Job Asher, hoarsely. "And mine, In a measure," Bald Tet tlbone, "if my boy was wantln' to marry her. She was a likely, fine little girl. My boy was a fine boy, too." " That he was," assented Job Asher. " bright and forward a young man as I ever see. Do you s'spose there's any hope that they may be saved ? Abijah Tence loves his tall stories so." I'ettlbone lashed his galloping horse afresh. " I was In a railroad wreck once," said he. " It's a chance if they escape ; but the wreck being on fire !" They dashed on at a furious rate. When they reached the scene of terror the poor, panting animal was ready to stand of his own accord, and the three distracted people ran around seeking their children. A crowd had already gathered ; men were trying to force open the heaped-up cars with axes and crow bars. The train was thrown into a dry ravine, known as Black Lick. Job Asher looked down and saw a swim ming panorama of men panting up the bank with helpless and groaning shapes in their arms ; of long cars, half shat tered, half bent ; he heard shouts and yells and the long --! of escaping steam, the roar of ascending fire, and he felt Its terrible heat. Pale, yellow tongues of flames were gathering color and volume. Mrs. Asher hung to Job's arm, trembling in every limb, and shrieking with all her remaining strength. The capable and energetic farmer, who always wanted the head and direction of every business, was dazed and half senseless. He followed Tettibone's lead when Tettlbone dashed down the bank among the rescuers, and he found himself chopping and shouting with the rest; but through every yellow sheet of flame, through every panel of of the smoking carriages be seemed to see his dear girl's face reproaching him. " Yes, It's too late now, father," her silent voice said, "I'm lost to you. You can't do any thing for me any more. I know you were living for me, but you made my life just as hard as if you were living against me. What good does all your pinching and stint-
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