The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-03-12


, ed.to it, in this instance, out of personal re.
gard for poor Harris. And now he is deter
mined to close the business. l thiLk there
is no way but for the sale to go forward. I
do not see, however, why that should oblige
your father to leave. Some one might buy
it who would let him remain at a reasonable
rent"
That was new thought-stil another
hope to cling to. thanked him for it, and
went home full of the idea. My mother
seized npon it at once, and wondered that no
one had thought of it before; but Giy father
derived no comfort from it. Because one
scheme had failed he thought all would, and
fell back into the depth of his dispondency
He said no one would buy the place who did
not want to live on it, and there was no
chance in the world Of our staying there
Marcia did not say any thing; but ] think
she felt the failure Of my mission more keen
ly than any Of us.
We did not eat any dinner--rone Of us had
the heart for it. The moments dragged on,
and the time for the sale--half past two--ar-
rived. With tie two o'clock train Mr.. David
Hope had come out, alert to look after his
own and his partners intrests. A dozen or
more men collected-the auctioneer came;
and they all gathered together in front of
elms which my fathers father had planted
saw father among them, with the despon-
dent look on his face, the womenish quivering
round his lips The rest of us were indoors,
all three; but the windows were open, and we
were close TO them half hidden by the cur
tans, where we could see and hear every
thing.
Mr.. Hope made the first bid-three thou
sand dollars-then a neighbor whose land
Joined ours, and who had long wanted Ingle-
side, raised it. Besides those two there were
no other bidders. They fought the ground
slowly, rising fifty dollars at time. Marcia
watched Mr.. Hope, and after one Of his bids
she said:
"That man will have it any way. I can
sec it in his eyes. / wonder Job Barker
doesn't see it TOO, and stop bidding against
him."
She was right. 10 oppose David Hope
was like opposing fate. When they got up
to four Thousand ncighbcr Barker perceived
it and stopped--stopped to soon for our in
terest, for it was only iourhltbs the true
value Of the place. Mr. Hope closed up the
busines quickly. He arranged to receive his
deed the next day. or course two thousand
dollars was to go to the frm-the other two
were to put out on interest AS he went
| out, after making an appointment with faith
er for the next forenoon, lie said to me- in
| low tone:
II do net think you will have to leave IN
glesde."
did not repeat his words; only waited,
with what patience | could, for the next days
Developments.
Mother went with fa her, as, Of course,
! her signature was also necessary. IL was &
sad journey for them. AS | tied mother s
bonnet, and pulled out the bows-for l always
did such little things for her-shc said with
tears in her eyes:
Il never thought to leave this house, Theo
| till | went to Que not made with hands -
| But God knows what is best for us all; and
what Iie sends must be right.
ielt secret hope, which supported me
while they were gone, that | should see a
| brighter look on the dear faces when they re-
turned. Nor was ] disappointed.
"Iour Mr.. Hope is a good man, Theo, "
my father said, when he came in. | don't
I know why he said MY MIR. Hope, unless he
! had secret suspicion that nay representa-
! tions, when l went to the Office. had some
thing TO do with the way matters had turned
l questioned him eagerly,
.'I'o begin with, We are to stay at Ingele-
side. l really think it was with that inten-
| tion that Mr.. Hope purchased it. We are
to pay him a rent OF two hundred dollars a
year; for he said he should be satisfied with
five per cent. for his money, and the place
kept in good repair And, better still, we
are to have the privilege, any time in ten
years, of buying the homestead back at pre-
cisely what he paid for it. We have two
Thousand dollars toward it now, you know,
ard | think we can earn and save two thous-
and more in that time-don't you?" and he
looked around on his group of listeners for
confirmation of his hopes. Then Marcia
spoke-her first words during the conversion.
~ on won't HAVE to wait ten years. father. "
We remembered what she said afterward.
The next day she went to town-the first
time she had ever gone off the home place
since James died. She kept her object
secret, and only said she would be gone but
a few hours. | told you l was pretty, but
Marcia had beauty higher than more pret-
tiness. Our eyes and hair were similar in
color-a dark brown almost black. Our
features were not unlike; and yet what was
prettiness in me deepened in her into positive
beauty. | had never felt it more than when
| saw her dressed to 60 away that morning.
| whispered, as | kissed her,
"What grand creature you are"
And she, kissing me back, in one OF her
| infrequent moods of tenderness, answered:
"Say a prayer for me while | am gone,
child, that beauty, or something better, may
help me to accomplish my purpose
CONTINUED.
THE EFFECT OF Cold WATER ON WASHING
TON PoIJTTCIANs-A Washington letter SAYS