The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-03-06

always known him, Grandma Deane' Avn
did he ever do q good thing or ever ioSe'
anybody in his life"
eyes, he loved q girl once, remember
Farmer Keep isred agiri once !" repeat
ed Cora, with a half contemptuous an
wholly skeptical curl Of her berry'red up
"She's forgotten" she added in IN under
tone to her uncle and me, for Grandm'
Deans was slightly deaf"
"No, I haven't forgotten either" placing
her hand on Cora'S hair. al have heid Lu
cy Reid on my lap too often, and rocked he'
cradlc-poor, little moshcrless shins--'''
many times to forget" -
Com's look ofincredulity was givme way
to one of curiosity. "Grandma Dane'
won't you tell u, all about IL? Jennie and
I will cit down on this big stool and know
BY that look in Uncle Charlic's eyes, h'
wants to hear, too. Come, Jennie. let the
flowers 60 and my vivacious cousin es'
tablished herself on the stool at the old la'
dy's feet.
Grandma Dean slipped the yarn round
her little finger and commenced
"Let me see, it can't be more than forty
two or three years this summer since Justin
Keep came up to Farmer Reds to let him
self out for hired boy through harvesting
The Reids's house stood little this side
of Stony Creek. There's nothing left of 1t
now except the chimney, and 1t looks out
grey and bold from the green grass all about
IL; but fifty years ago it was fine old place
with the lilacs in front, and the hop vine'
running all round the back. Lucy wa'
hardly three weeks old when she lost her
mother Her father never married again,
and the child grew up there in the old home
as fair and sweet as the flowers about it.
She was turning into fifteen when Justin
came there that simmer. He was q shy
strange, awkward sort Of lad, and the
neighbors all said Farmer Reid never'd get
his salt Tor his porridgc out of him.
He'd been bound out till he was eighteen
to some man down in Maine, and no hadn't
a relation in the world that he knew on, no,
e. suit of decent clothes, when he came tc
Farmer Reid's.
But for all this, Justin proved smart
likely boy. and the farmer, who somehow
never was very forchanded-lalway tho 'gb'
his wife's sudden death hurt him--iound
that Justin was real prize.
At first he was gloomy and silent, doing
his work, and taking little notice of any
body but he couldn't stand it long before
Lucy. I'd like to have seen ths heart thai
girls smile Wouldn't have thawod oat.
She was JUS, like bird round the old
place, singing from morning till night; and
her blue eyes, that were like her mother
seemed always letting out one laugh as he'
rcd lips did another. Inever wondered he'
father doated on her as he did; and, o
course, Justin wasn't long in the house be
fore size tried to make friends with him.
Poor fellow it must have seemed very
strange at frat; for don't think anybod,
had ever given him kind word till he cam'
to Meadow Brook. ....
But he made ladders for her flower vine
to run on, and got shells for the borders ant
propped up the dahlias, and did thousand
other things, which tsok them out into tn
garden after supper, sad made them th'
best of friends.
Lucy had playful childish way abou
her that made her seem muck younger thar
she was then she was small Of her age; 81
ut fifteen she didn't seem day older thar
you are, Cora.
Well she rode on top ofJustn's hay cart
md helped his husk the corn in the barn
aud pretty soon the farmers noticeda grea
change in Justin.
He got him new suit OF clothes. and HI
face lost its old dopn look; and after har
vcsting. Farmer Reid made him an offer I
say all winter.
So Justin staid, and taking Lucy's advice
went to the district school and though h
hadn't any education before, he went ahcal
of MANY an old scholar that winter.
Well, Justin staid WITH the farmer fou
years. Then be had goo d offer somewher
in York State, and he conc 'luded to acceI
it for the winter only.
Lucy Reid was grown inton young woma
by this time. and handscmer one, childre
these dim eyes never looked on.
Idon't know how 1t happened, for Luc
might have had her pick of tho boys &
miles around, but somehow she ssok
Justin, and when he elt,thcy were snsa g
to be married one year that time.
"why, grandma Dcanc, you aren't goin
to stop now?" cried Cora, in alarm, for ii
old lady had Land down her knitting
"No, my child" and she removed he
spectacles and wiped her eyes "But Il
rest is sad story, and l must hurry RAJ
idly over it.
1
don't know exactly how it happened
but that winter Lucy's father got into te
tiblc lawsuit with Squire Wheeler. Thel
was some aaw in the title, and people said
was plain the old man must let tho hom
stead go. ..
They said too, he'd never survive II; ar
better perhaps, he never had, than kept
Us he did. But one day Squire Wheeler,
all the neighborhood's astonishment, rot
over to the farm.
When no did there was never exact
known, but in little while It was rumor
that the suit was withdrawn, and, cou
spring, Lucy Reld was to DO married
S,illman Wheeler. And so It was. O'
brigh, March day she went to the old chur'