The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-02-02


xood-ra.hs, seemed 70 Iaourn NTH a. al.
mas, esusn yoi.s. b: tha Aa.sa1s.
rselaneho.v wishous, oaiy ser7ed 30 aighsen
tie eae.rfa.nsss Of the rearing WOOD Ire,
who's. ru3dy gios danced and qgIysred oTtr
,hs rou-h rafisrs Of Farmer Nooiorf5ge's
eraei2us o j kitchen, sparkling OF The p0.l.a-
ed surface of tin platters ard giia
bras.ss, and ssnd!ng long stream; q 'aai.
snes through iae GGeurtasnsa ainosSs ous
upon The daEksairg road.
..ys. al was sayia' aFoEe,o Observed
TIE AID farmer. rubbing bis sail-hartsust
bant. together, AID gazing shoughtfaliy
;,,o the FIRE. ..lt has been . capital harvest
,ai. ,.as. ixSa.>ia't ask for better. So,
vis,.rou t;rst pick out gene Of ssesn veiiew
pippins aad p4s thsn into Jsssis's .iit.e
basxst before she calls fer H."
.syor's the lis:!e red 'uns do as well
calculated to keep them pippsns Tor
market. Squire Benson says sasysie ToE'a
il town"
al d,u,, care VIA. they're WORTH" in
.s.rup.ed the farmer, as his heiPmaIe,
soare, Angular woman, WITH q lace p.o"ea
With ,pngmsrabIe little lines Of care, finger
ed the Yellow. checked apples obviously, II
tsuyoa what is is kstGry-foAss neYer lost
could N Axe you beiseTe il; unless the pay
canes 10 hard eash ysu consider i: ali
thrown away. Now here is Jessie loreton,
as likely young girl as ever breathed pure
orr, teaching school daJ in and day out, rain
or shlae, and her mother, sewing day and
night q. home, trging 10 earn an honest l!g-
ing By the hardest dtudgery, AID don't you
suppose these few apples vii. be worth more
70 them il you gave them With kind word,
than ,hey would be 10 that pesky tight
a.sn. % to Har4wieh Hal, If he gave dol,
lar bashelfor them :"
.sCaariiy begins to ham, said keturahi
Jerking out tse supper table with an odd
we'll sneGsh-bgt y5a'd psagaey sight bet
ter scratch your pennies together to pay up
that mortgage, il goa don's want the Hard
~isii agent forecIoslng on you. aud them
pippins is jus. as good a. 50 much money.
There they be, anyhow, III the baske.-one
o. your investments, guess"
"Dne Of nv Investments then, II you .Ike
10 call j. so, kssury,' sa,d the homes. old
farmer, With good-hamored laugh which
bani.ted the gloomy expression that had
ogegspgSaI his face when bis vile alluded to
the mortgage. "COme along 10, Jessie, m
GIRL" be added cheerily, as light knock
sounded on the door. "Iers is the basket,
ail right, and some of them golden pippns
tucked into it. Maybe they'll! tempt your
mothers appetite"
Jessie M5rc.on was o slender graceful girl
Of about seventeen summers, with a large
forehead, chestnut hair, full liquid eyes, and
cheeks which farmer Woodbridge said al
Ways ..set him 30 thinking Of them Jgrsey
peaches that grew On the tree in the South
meadow" and she had good practical ed
ncat, on. She lifted the little basket with n
graceful smile, that went even TO the misery
heart Of Mrs. keturah Woodbridge.
sob, Mr.. Woodbridge, how kind you al
ways are to Us. II were only ricb--if
could only make some RETURN"
<.Don't you say word about that" re-
piled the farmer, rubbing his face very hard.
Just run home az fast as you can, for it is
growing dark fast, and the November winds
are no. said to be particularly healthy for
young ladies'. And, Jessie, if it rains in
the morning 80 you can't 60 to school handy,
Just stop here, and will give you lift in
nv wagon"
Dear old Mr.. Woodbridge" soliloqGi5ed
Jessie to herself, ~ her light feet battered
along on the fallen leaves, show many, many
times, have had cause to thank his gener-
Gus heart. And to think that he should be
so distressed about. that mortgage by the
agent at lIardwich Hail.
She paused for moment to look up to
where the stately roofs and gables of the
Hall rose darkly outlined against the even
ing SKY. On commanding hight, and near
II hidden by tall trees, many OF which still
retained their brilliant Autumn foliage,
stood the ancient house looking like an old
barontoal castle.
There It stands" she said. ''shut up and
silent, year after year, its magnificent rooms
untcnantcd, the flowers blossomlng uDgath-
cred in its conservatories. Since Mrs.
ilardaich dieJ-twenty years ago-the
FANNY have been abroad, mother says. and
now their only surviving heir is travelling,
no one know, where; wonder if he knows
how graspIng and cruel his agent is? Ga,
dear" she added sofilY-"m0ney does NOS
always come where il is most needed. If |
were the mistress Of ilnrdwch Hall"
She started with a slight scream the next
instaut, rs . tall figure rose up from a messy
boulder by the road side directly in front
of her.
.pardon me" aid voice that INSTANTLY
treasured her, "but am not certain that
have lost my way. Is this the EtIou road ?
was waiting for some one to come along
and diroct me-"
This is the ElI3n road" said Jessie. ali
unconseiau. that the last CLEANS Of the
fading DAY were Lighting up her fair inno-
eant face with an almost angelic beauty.
So shs stood there among the thIcAly fallen
lsaTes.
'tAnd can you tell me- tde shortest foot.
path to iiarivich Hali' have not been
10 this neiShhora0od since was child, aud
am completely at fault
Jessie hesitate moment. 81 could
show you better than eau tell you. for lt
il rather a Complicated road. "aud If you
will accept my services "a galde, 1t via net
b much GOT Of my way
~ shall feel very much honorcd," said
the stranger. meantime let me carry Your
basket ...-
II was wild and lovely walk, winding
among moss garlauded trees and hoIIoss,
sweet with the aromatic incense Of dying
lssses. bessie could not help aimir,ng toe
shivaIFic manners and polished courtesy OF
her companion, aud ha was more than pleas.
ed vita the blooming loneliness and gir!iSh
dignity Of hls young guide. few airoit
aasstious respecting Hardwich Hall and its
nc,ghborhaoa, sutheed 10 draw from Jessie
. spirited abstract af the character Of The
Hardw,ch agent, and The impos,tions he was
scat 70 practice upon the tenants and neigh
har.. as ssli Is so arch description Of most
Of the "charaetsrs" thsreahouts. Then BE
continued to learn all about Lessie's litsle
sehaoI, and her aiIing mother, and he smiled
70 himself, 10 the twilight. to observe the
pride Of her misn, when sac alluded TO
the high position from which unforeseen