Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-05-21

came there that summer. He was shy strange
awkward sort of lad. and the neighbors a.
said Farmer Reid never'd get his salt for his
Iporrdge out of him"
"He'd been bound out till he was eighteen, to
some man down in Maine, and he hadn't.a rela-
ton in the world that he knew on, nor suit
of decent clothes, when he came to Farmer
Reds.
"But for all this, j ustin proved himself smart
likely boy, and the farmer, who somehow never
was very forehanded-I always thought his
wife's sudden death hurt him-found that Justin
was real prize.
"At first he was gloomy and silent, doing his
work, and taking little notice of anybody; but
he coulden't stand it long before Lucy. I'd like
to have seed the heart tina. girls smile wouldn t
have thawed out.
"She was like bird round the old place, sing
ing from morning till night; and her blue eyes,
that were like her mothers, seemed always let
ting out one laugh as her red lips did another.
| never wondered her father doated on her as he
did, and of course, Justin wasn't long in the
house before she tried to make friends with him.
Poor fellew? it must have seemed very
strange at first; for l don't think anybody had
ever given him kind word till he came to Mead
ow Brook.
"But he made ladders for her flower vines to
run on, and got shells for the borders, and prep
ped up the dahlia's, and did a thousand other
things, which took them out into the garden
after supper, and made them the best of friends.
Lucy, had playful, childish way about her,
that made,her seem much younger than she
was; then she was small 0t her age so, at fifteen
size didn'. seem day older than you, Cora.
| Well, she rode on top Of Justin's hay cart,
and helped him husk the corn in the barn. and
pretty soon the farmers noticed great change
I'm Justin. 4
He got him new suit of clothes, and his
face lost that old down look; and after harvest
ing, farmer Reid made him an offer to stay all
winter.
so Justin staid, and taking Lucy's advice
went to the district school; and though he hadn't
any education before, he went ahead OF many an
old scholar that winter.
We'll, Justin staid with the farmer four years
Then he had a good offer somewhere in York
state, and he concluded to accept it for the win
ten only.
Lucy Reid was grown into young woman
by this time, and handsomer one, children,
these dim eyes never looked on.
don't know how it happened, for Lucy
might have had her pick of the boys for miles
around, but somehow she took to Justin, and
when he left, they were engaged to be married
one year from that time
why, grandma Deane, you aren't going to
stop now! cried Cora in alarm, for the old lady
had laid down her knitting.
No. my child and she removed her spectacles
and wiped her eyes. But the rest is sad story,
and must hurry over it
| 4 don't know exactly how it happened, but
that winter Lucy's father got into a terrible law
snit with Squire Wheeler There was some flaw
in the title, and the people said it was plain the
old man must let the homestead go.
They said, too, he'd never survive it; and
better. perhaps he never had, than keep it as he
did But one day Squire Wheeler, to all the
neighborhood's astonishment rode over to the
farm.
What he did there was never exactly known
but in little while it was rumored that the suit
was withdrawn, and in the coming spring, Lucy
Reid was TO be married to Stillman Wheeler
And so it was. One bright March day she went
into the old church yonder and gave herself to
him.
He a good looking man, but not over
smart the neighbors whispered; and l always
else that kept him up.
But, Justin, grandma Deane, what became of
Justin?
There is a dark look about the whole matter
Lucy was made the victim of some terrible false
hood. | never blamed her father, for the idea
of losing the old homestead seemed completely
to shatter him.
4 only know that Squire Wheeler and his son
were at the bottom of it, and that Lucy Reid
went to the altar believing that Justin Keep had
been false to her.
Dear me, how dreadful Did he ever come
back?'
Yes, the next May Lucy had been wife
two months Justin had not heard of her mar
riage. She was at home visiting her father
When she met him at the door, she fell down
like one suddenly stricken with fit
But he carried her into the house, and there
they learned all. Both had been deceived!
1t was terrible scene that old front room wit
messed. Justin swore terrible oath of ven
gence; and it was not till, with clasped hands
and streaming eyes, the young wife kneeled to
the only man she ever loved, and pleaded for
the life of her husband, that he promised for her
sake to spare him
But, from the day of Justin's visit, Lucy
Wheeler was a changed woman. All the light
and gladness of her being seemed dead in her.
and she moved about her house, pale and quiet,
with look Of patient suffering in her once sun
ny eyes, that made my heart ache to behold
and her husband! Did she ever tell him
what she had learned?'
II think not His father and Lucyy died in
less than two years after the marriage. The
Squire was much less wealthy than people sup
posed. The next spring Lucy and her husband
removed to the west, and somehow people lost
sight of them?
And Justinl'
You know the rest my child. He became a
moody unhappy man, asking no sympathy and
giving none. But he was always smart at a bar
gain, and in few years he had laid up enough
moved to the South.
Ever since he has added acres to his lands
and hundreds to the banks; but for all he s man
soured toward all his race-a man who was never
known to give little child smile, or beggar
a crust of bread l have sometimes thought his
heart was Ike great desert, without a tree to
shade or stream to gladden. it, And yet it bore
bright blossom once; and believe me, children,
for it is the word of an old woman who has seen
and known much of the ways of man, it is so al
ways The heart may be a great wilderness,
bat an some o. ats bytcayS there has gro,cn fotc-
er.
Cora and looked at each other and at I'm
Gle Charlie. just then Aunt Myra came in. She
had been out, and had not heard of grandma
Deanes visit
But Cora stole up to uncle, and winding her
arms about his neck, whispered-I shall beve
it always, Uncle Charley now have heard that
story of Farmer Keep, that there IS a blossom an
the iriiderRess Of erery heart?'
! 1t was sultry August day, in the summer,
passed at Meadow Brook. The wind low and
slumberous as the hush Of a mothers voice at
nightfall, crept up through the corn and down
among the rye and wheat fields, that lay like
broad green folds about the dwelling of Farmer
Keep. There was poem of flowers written
about the front yards; no graceful, hRrmonizing
touches OF creeping vine or waving curtains a.
bout the old red homestead: and vet it had a
quiet substantial, matter fact physOgnemv
that somehow made home feeling about your
heart
think it must have been this unconscious
feeling which decided the course of the girl who
. stood at the point where the two roads diverged,
and gazed wistfully about her that afternoon.
She seemed very tired, and her coarse straw
bonnet and calico dress We're covered with dust
/, Il yea had looked in her face You would not
/ have forgotten it. 1t could not have seen more
than fifteen summers. 1t was very pale. and its
sweet, sad beauty made you think OF nothing but
forest flowers drenched with summer rains
Her eyes were Of that deep moist blue that rolls
out from under the edge Of April clouds, and
her lips ripe and full as meadow strawberries,