The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-07-29
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II. 4
In order to show the position of Mrs Kin.
.ioch and her son in our story, 1t will be nec-
essaryt to make the readersecqnainted with
some previous occurrences.
Six years before this da.e, Mrs. Kinloch was
the Wid,w Brannisg. Her husbands small
estate had melted like snow bank in the Ii
q ,idation Of his debts. she had only one
child, Hugh, to support but in country town
there is generally little that woman can do
to earn livelihood; and she might often have
suffered FROM want, il the neighbors had not
relieved her. II she left her house for any er-
rand. acks were but seldom used in Innsfi III }
she would often on her return find leg OF
mutton, basket 1T apples or potatoes, or a
sack Of -four. conveyed there by some unknown
lands In winter nights she would hear the
voices of Ralph 'Hardwicl. the village black
NTH, and his boys, as they drew sled-loa,is of
wood, ready cut and split, to keep up her kiteh
en- fire. Other friends plonghed and planted
her garden. aud performei numberless kind
Offices. Bat, though aided in This way by
charity, Mrs. Branling never lost her seIf.re-
spect Tor her standing in the reighborhood
Everybody knew THAT she was poor, and she
knew that everybody knew it. yet SO long as
she was hot in absolute want, and the poor
house, that bugbear Of honest poverty, was vel
FAR distant, she managed to keep cheerful
heart, and visited her neighbors on terms Of
entire equality. 80 A '4s.9h 2
{ AT this period Walter Kinloch's wife died,
leaving On only child. During her sickness,
Mrs. Branning had been sent for to act as
nurse and temporary housekeeper, and, atthe
urgent request OF the widower, remained for a
time after the funeral. Weeks passed, and her
house was still tenantless. Mildred had be-
come so much attached to the motherly widow
and her son, that she would not allow the SER
wants to do any thing forhsr So. without any
definite agreement, their relations continued -
IRy-and,by the village gossips began to query
and surmise. At the sewing Society the mat
ter was fully discussed .,,.,...t ,.,.a Va,
mrs. Grssa6eld, the DOCTORS wife, admitted
thatjt would besan sxcslleat match, sjsst q
child apiece. both on 'em we'll brought up,
used good company, aud alithat 3 but, lands
sakssl hesMith his mint o' nosey, ant 'ta-goin'
to marry poor wilder that ha'st got nothin'
but her husbands pictur' and hsr boy.-.not
lheps " ts-esg g-ss..,f sf
Othsrs insinuated that Mrs. Branning knew
what she was about when she went to Squire
Kinioch's aud his wife was 'most gone with
consumption "'Twasn't mite strange that
little Mildred took to her 80 kindly plenty Of
women cosld find ways 70 please child, il 90
be they could have such . chance to please
themselves" !" .ef y8 s,55sf, -,
The general opinion seemed to be that Mrs.
Brannipg would marry the Squire, il she could
get him hut that A. to his Intentions, the mat.
ter was quite doubtful, Nevertheless, after
being talked shout fos year. the parties wsrs
duly published, married, and settled down into
the quiet routine Of country life. e. -,
Doubtless the accident Of daily contact wa,
the secre, Of the match. Had Mrs. Branaing
been living In hsr own poorly-furnishsd house
Mr.. Kinloch would hardly have thought Of
going to seek her. But as mistress Of his ss-
tablishmant she had An opportunity to display
her houss-vifely qualities, - veil ~ to prac.
tiss these pamelsss arts BY which slmost any
elsvar woman knows how to render, herself
agreeable. - Il sl. asts s..ns 4 *
& The 6rst favorable impression despensd, un,
til the widowsr camsto believe that the whels
parish did contain 20 proper person 70 b.
The isaecsssor II Mrs. Kinloch, a. his house,
ksepsr. Thsis, union, though childlsss, wa,
- happy - common; thsrs wasaothing Of the
pouaass IT s'6rst attashnsat-,littis Of oths
tsaAerlsss thai spsings feesh ssssihi hilitiAa,
tor shs st least waa -oe y natteF-se- -1aqA tara,
But there wsss constant snd hearty good
feeling resoiting iron mutual lindisss aud de-
ference. 'lilsl asg q j ~ siti stGh