True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-03-18
STEVBENVILLE, OHIO, ilEDNESDAY, MARCH IS. 1851


many times to forget"
Cora's look OF iucredulily had given
way to one of curiosity. "Grandma
Deane, won't you tell US all about it :!
Jennie and l will sit down on his big
stool, andI know by that look in Uncle
Charles eyes he wants to hear, too.
Come, Jennie, let the flowers go;'' and
MY vivacous cousin established herself
on the stool at the old lady's feet.
Grandma Deane slipped the yarn round
her little finger, and commenced: "Let
me see, it cannot be more than forty two
or three years this summer, since JUS
tin Keep came up to Farmer Reid's, to
let himself out for hired boy through har-
vesting.
"The Reid's house stood little this
side Of stony creek. There's nothing left
of it now except the chimney, that looks
cut, gray and cold, from the green grass
all about it but fifty years ago it was a
fine old place, with the liIacs in front, and
the hop.vlnes running all round the back.
Lucy was 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 swset
as the flowers about it.
"She was turning into fifteen when
Justin came there that summer. lie was
a shy, strange, awkward sort of lad;
and the neighbors all said, Farmer Reid
never'd get the salt for hi porrdge out Of
him"
He'd been bound out till he was
eighteen TO some man down in Maine,
and he hadn't a relation in the world that
he knew on, nor suit of decent clothes,
when he came to Farmer Reid's.
&C But for all this, Justin proved him.
self a smart, likely boy, and the farmer,
who somehow never was very lorehanded
Il always thought his wire's sudden
death hurt him-found that Justin was a
real prize.
cat 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 the
heart that girls smile wouldn't have
: thawed out. ..
"She was just like bird round the
old place singing from morning till night
aud her blue eyes, that were like hel
mothers, seemed always letting out one
laugh as her red lips did another. I never
wondered her father dotted on her as he die
and of course Justin wasn't long in the
house before she tried 10 make friends
with him."
"Poor fellow ! it must have seemed
very strange at first; for | don't think
anybody had ever given him kind wore
till he came 10 Meade Wbrook.
:" But he made ladders for her flower
vines to run on, and got shells for thC
borders, and propped up the dahlias, ant
did a thousand other thugs, which tool
the out into the garden after supper
and made them the best of friends.
"Lucy had playful, childish wa!
about her, that made her seem mucl
younger than she was; and then she wa
small of her age so at fifteen she dit
. not seem day older than you, Cora.
"Well, she rode on top Of Jusln's ha.
| cart, and helped him 10 husk the corn il
the barn, and pretty soon the neighbor
o noticed great change in Justin.
4 Z" He got him new suit of clothes
and his face lost its old doWn look; an
after harvest farmer Reid made him a
offer to stay all winter.
$50 Justin slaid, and taking Lucy
advice, went TO the district school ; an
= though he hadn't any eddicaton before
he went ahead of many an old schol;
. that winter.
a "WeIl Justin staid with the farmC
four years. Then he had good off,
" somewhere in York State, and he concll
ded to accept it for the winter only.
ri "Lucy Reid was grown into your
woman by this time, and a handsome
>, one, children, those dim eyes never loo
,s ed on.
ID al don't know how it happened, Il
IN Lucy might have had her pick of Il
"a boys for miles around, but somehow 81
took to Justin, and when be left thu
4. were engaged to be married one year fro
70 that time" IN n, \
dh i"Wby, GrandmaRDe you arer