The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-09-27

work to their halfdozen laborers, whli
gay drives and country visiting, whic
those who have tried it pronounce tn
iolliest thing in the world, sent the after
noon out OF sight For him, instead
was the charge of his half blind father
his old fashioned mother, little sister
and the ownership of the over-worke,
farm of forty acres. Hopeless scenes
any attempt to elevate his position, AM
worse than all was the resentful consci
business that more liberal policy car
ried out ears ago by his father woulc
have assured his family of such respec
az they deserved, but which their un
couth surroundings denied them.
penny saved is two-penee earned, was
the principle with which Eli Portmar
began life; and he had carried out hi
Isensible motto in such short igE tet
fashion as to leave his farm, when the
awful stroke of blindness caused him to
forego its work forever, a half hearted
out-worn slope; the marshy edge, use
less jungle of coarse grass; the wooded
top, handful of poplar trees and ha-
gel thicket. '..Mosquito Moorings" was
the name given by one jocose neighbor
/ to the farm; ''Bean Border the title
suggested by another. The rule OF
| heartless economy had been applied
strictly in the family. New suits of
| clothes were never provided for the
children till the former were literally
falling to pieces on their backs. Mother
Port, as her name was shortened by her
neighbors, was never INDUCED in the
luxury of help, unless for few days in
sickness; her brick red calico dress was
cut in the scantiest fashion, and pound
of tea lasted the hard worked old soul a
month. How it came to pass that John
Portman was endowed with refinement
and ambition so far beyond his family,
only the Providence that plants stray
oak trees on the desolate miles of praire,
can explain. He was as full of deter
mination and eagerness as a young frey
eyed hawk, and on this bitter day of
which write, all the will and desire
seemed to fall back efectless on his heart
and rend it. At last, throwing the lines
over his horses neck, he flung himself
down on the edge of the meadow and
himself to despair. 1t is just
at this point of trial that help usually
dosc0nds ! when it Is made clear that th~
aid is nothing which we can look 10 our
selves to give. s--.-..z-..s =
No broad -pinioned angel, however,
came sweeping. cloud like, out Of that
sky Of blue. Parting the rank meadow
grassss, came the Footsteps q, > tall ssn-
li6ls eyed, sunny fAcsd etfii, hoSs dir
her basket and roll book said sckooI
ma am at 6 glance The drst look in
Jennie Knights face decided your conf
dence in herr there was so much good
sense, clear -sightedncss, purity and deei
sion in the featnfes, which also could be
soft With awoman's5 deepest tenderness
and dainty grace Bending over the
head, half hidden in the rush srass $, she
spoke-.Cousin John - 1eFa-a
He started to find between him and
the sky an anxious. loving face. Whose
clear, bright, checks, and lips scarlet as
lobeliasprays, under the white, rufiied
cape bonnet, seemed the incarnation of
cheer and help. He caught her frank,
kind hands. hardly knowing what he did,
and in the fifteen minutes in which the
twain forgot that sky and earth were
about them, he made drafts on Jenniess
sympathy with all his miserable story.
1t is no bad comfort in any trouble to
find clear eyes intent on yours. ardent
with gentle pity, aud see quick lips curve
tender and tsnderer at your recital; and
slender fingers, threading thick locks,
have mesmerissd many a hot. tired head.
as Jshn Portmasf awas. But this woman
had brain as wel as heart, and the quick
eyes flashed at "a conclusion before he,
had done his regrets. r 81 ksaa
..Now, John, don't think any more of
throwing up your farm and going to the.
city That's all nonsense. You have
something better than clerk place be-
hind shoe box for your future. adj
nit that the place is as poor as itwelf
can be, but, John, do you know, i actu-
ally wish that vas q man that might
work out the possibilities of this place
Drains, subsoiling, rotary culture-how
the words enchant me. Why, here you
havn't that wilful, unpersuadable thing,
humanity, to deal with, as selfish and