Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-09-25

80 you go back to old times, and bring
up my poverty and your charity, do you !"
said the widow, bitterly.
"By nun-no MEANS" replied the blacksmith
Il don't w-wish to open counts th.that We
ben settled so long an more, don't intend
to ber-be-beg from you, nor a-anybody else.
We ay our d, BITS, an don't expect nor don't
wer-want to Go any different"
Then don't see what you are so hurried
about"
"Ef so be Squire Ker.Kinlock was alive,
could tell you ber-better or other l
shouldn't have to 60 to ye-you about it. He
alters give Mark to underst. hand that he
shouldn't be hard upon him,-th-that he
could pay long as be ger.got able"
"Why should he favor him moro than
others? l am sure not many men would
have lent the money in the first place, and
don't think it looks well to be hanging back
now"
"As to why yer-your husband was disposed
to favor Mark, have my opinion. But the
der-dead shall rest; ] sh-shan't call up their
pale faces" He drew his breath hard and
his eyes looked full of tender memories.
After moment he went on. 81 don't W.
wish to waste words ; l mum.merely, come to
say that Mark has five hundred dollars and
that can scrape up a couple O. hundred
more, ard will give my note w-wth him for
the balance. Th,that's all we can handily
do; an ef that'll answer, we should ler.like
to have you give word to stop the suit"
you will have to 60 to Squire Clamp"
was the reply. 81 don't presume to dictate
to my lawyer, bu: shall let MIN do what he
thinks best. You haven't been to him, /
conclude don't think be will be unreason-
able"
- -
"Wer.well, Mrs. kinloch," said he, slowly,
81 th-think | understand. Ef don't it isn't
because you don't mum.make the matter
plain. l eha'n't go to Squire Clamp till l
have the num- money all Of it, / hope no
a.a.enemy Of yolrn will be SO hard to y.you
as my friends are to me-"
With singular command over her tongue
ard temper, Mrs. Kinloch conteuted herself
with hoping that he would find no difficulty
in arranging matters with the lawyer, bade
him good morning civilly, and shut the door
behind him. But when he was gone, her
anger, kept SO well under control before,
burst forth.
"Stuttering old fool !" she exclaimed, "to
come here to badger me to throw up to me
the wood he cut, or the apples he brought
me as though Mr. Knloch hadn't paid that
ten times over He'll find row it is before
long"
whats the matter ?" asked Mildred,
meeting her step.mother in the hall, and
noticing her flushed cheek, her swelling veins
and contorted brows.
why nothing, but talk with Uncle
Ralph, who has been rather saucy"
"Saucy? Uncle Ralp saucy? Why he is
the most kindly man in the world, d,-some-
times hasty, but always wellmannered.
don't see how he could be saucy"
81 advise you not to stand up for him
against your mother"
II shouldn't defend him in anything wrong !;
but | think there mus. be some misuuder-
standing"
He is like Mark, suppose, always per-
feet in your eyes"
This was the first time since Mr.. kinloch's
death that the step-mother had ever alluded
to the fondness which had existed between
Mark and Mildred as school. children, and
her eyes were bent upon the girl eagerly.
1t was as though she had knocked at the
door of her heart, and waited for its opening
to look into tho secret recesses. a quick
flush suTused Nlldreds face and neck
You are unkind, mother" she said for
the glance was sharper than the words; and
them, bursting into tears, she went to her
room.
$50 it has come to this p said Mrs. Kin
loch to herself. well, | did not begin at
all too soon"
She walked through the hall to the back
pazsa. She heard voices from beyond the
shrubbery that 5ordered the grass plot where
the clothes were hung on lines to dry, Lucy,
the maid, evidently was there, for one in
deed, by shifting her position so as to look
through en- opening in the bushes, Mrs. Kin
NJ rnul1 uir hut ba pnt hue
with her clothes basket An arm was bent
around her plump and graceful figure. The
next instant, as Mrs Kinloch saw by stand
ing on tiptoe, two forms swayed toward each
other, and Lucy, no way reluctantly, received
q kiss from-Hugh Branning
Very naughty, certan!y,-but it is incum-
bent on me TO tell the truth, and accordingly
have put it down.
Now my readers are doubtless prepared
for catastrophe. They will expect to hear
Mrs. Kinloch cry, Lucy Rauson, you jade
what are you doing? Take your clothes and
trunpery and leave this house !" You will
suppose that her son Hugh will be shut up
in the cellar on bread md water, or sent Off
to sea in disgrace. That is the traditional
way with angry mistresses, ! know but Mrs.
kinloch was not one Of the common sort
She did not know Taleyrand's MAXIM
Never act from first impulses, for they are
always-TigM" Indeed, doubt If she had
ever heard Of that slippery Frenchman but
observation and experience had led her to
adopt similar line of policy.
Therefore she did not scold or send away
Lucy she could not we'll do without her ;
and besides, there were reasons which made
it desirable that the girl should remain
friendly. She did not call out to her hopeful
son, either,-although her fingers did itch to
tweak his profigate ears. She knew that o
dispute with him would only end in his going
of in q huff, and she thought she could en-
plOy him better. So she coughed first and
then stepped out into the yard. Hugh pre-.
sently came sauntering down the walk and
Lucy sang among the clothes lines as blithely
and unconcerued as though her lips had never
tasted any flavor more piquant than bread
and butter.
1t was rather an equivocal look which the
mistress cast over her shoulder at the girl.
1t might have said,-"Poor fool SINCE your
wings in the cradle, if you will" 1t might
have been only the scorn of outraged virtue.
"Hugh," said Mrs. Kinloch, "come into
the house moment | want TO speak with
you"
The young man looked up rather aston
ished but he could not read his mothers
placid face. Her hair lay smooth on her
temples, under her neat cap; her face was
almost waxy pale, her lips gently pressed
together; and if her clear, gray eyes had
beamed with a warm or more humid light,