The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-04-28

and was standing on the threshold, and
the setting sun, which, through the hazy
atmosphere, was red as blood, shOne full
upon her. AS she said the last words she
raised her hand to heaven, and, bathed IN
that crimson light, she reminded David
of martyr in the flames. He thought
that she had never looked so noble, and
that he had never loved her so well, but
he answered not word. He walked
home with her in silence, and refused to
enter the house.
Mr. Burch, besides being owner of the
mills, was an amateur farmer. He took
delight in drives and strange breeds of
animals, and rare specimens of plants.
He seldom visited the mills, leaving the
care of the business almost entirely to his
foreman. Beyond these facts, the towns
people knew little of him, for he lived in
great seclusion at his place. Riverbank,
which was mile or two out of the vii
lage.
Having heard that his foreman was
about to be married, he offered him the
prettiest A ldersey heifer on his farm as
present, and invited him to come and Sc
lect it himself David thanked him very
heartily at the time, but had never availed
himself of the offer Mr. Barch supposed
this might be owing to dif1idencc, and one
day rallied him on the subject.
"Im not going to be married, sir-at
least not at present" said David, looking
glum.
Indeed I hope nothing serious has
occurred" said Mr.. Burch.
"Its all off," said David, shaking his
head.
"a lovers quarrel, perhaps If that's
all, don't despair. Young ladies like to
be coaxed"
"Not Sallie, SIR" said David.
81 suppose then she has taken some
new fancy They're tickle creatures, these
womenkind. What suits them to-day, of
fends them tomorrow. Well, cheer up, my
lad, and learn to get along without them,
as l do" said Mr.. Burch, smiling and lay
ing his hand lightly on David's shoulder.
"l'm certain oallie never loved any one
but me-" answered David, decidedly, land
since you are so kind as to take an inter
est in the affair, will tell you the truth
about it. She was unreasonable enough
to expect to saddle me with the care OF
her old father and mother"
"And you could not afford to take such
a charge. Well, / am glad you told me,
for that is easily settled. Rather than
two young people should be disappointed,
III raise your salary"
" 1t was not just that" said David; "the
bearings have a little property of their
own-but she had some fine-spun notions
about the matter, and wanted to take them
into the family"
"Ohr' said Mr. e, and paused abruptly,
seemingly intently occupied with punch
ing little holes in the ground with his
1o1 ch I,,'t iNo
hasty in affairs of so much importance"
said he at length. perhaps you may yet
induce her TO reconsider"
Il would be of no use to try" said Da-
vid, 81 for you might as well attempt to
move the sun as to move Sallie Dearing
when once she gets set upon anything she
fancics to be her duty"
"Very unreasonable truly" said Mr.. b.;
but there was a touch of sarcasm in his
tone. "And you could not think of yield
ing yOurself?'
:" Never, sir, neUer."
"Well, you shall have the Alderney all
the same, ior suppose you won't sell
your place g''
Not |, sir, nor buy rope to hang my
self with, either"
Mr. Burch laughed, and as he walked
away he said to himself, Il guess the heller
will console him for his loss"
David did not, indeed, buy rope to
hang himself; but he slipped his neck into
the matrimonial moose in the course of q
few months, and moved into his new house
precisely as he had planned to he
only difference being that Jeannie Buyps
was his bride instead of Sallie Dearing.
Sallie, meanwhile, wassnot left entirely
without consolation, for, if she had lost Il
lover, she had gained friend, and that
friend was no less q parsonage than Mr.
Burch.
She was much surprised one day, on
opening the front door IN answer to the
summons of the great brass knOcker, to
behold him standing on the step, and his
horse paving at the gate-ab0ut as much
surprised as you would be if the statue of
Washington, which adOrns the square,
should dismOunt from its rampant stccd
and pay you visit.
He extended his hand smilingly, and in
quired for her father and mother, upon
which Sallie invited him in. He said he
had been trying to obtain some of the old
English straw berry plants. He had the
Hogey Seeding and the Bartlett, and in
fact almost every other variety; but the
old English had become very rare, and he
was told that Mr Dearing had it.
Upon which MIR. Dearing said that he
had, and that Mr.. Burch was welcome to
some And then they fell into q long
conversation about horticulture in gen
eral, and Mrs. Dearing treated him To a
glass of her eldcrberry wine. SO he
stayed an hour or more, and though he
addressed but few words to Sallie, his
hazel eyes were upon her even while he
talked to her father. And SO, upon one
pretext or another, he continued to come,
until at last he came without any pretext
a. all.
The old people valued his society on
their own account not little, bat more
because, as they said, the companionship
of q gentleman like Mr.. Burch was such
an advantage to young girl like their
daughter As for Sallie, she regarded
him as a dear brother, or at least she
thought she did, until her old friend, Mrs
Burdock-thc same who was so scandal
lied by the "pinl ribbons s"-destrOyed
the illusion.
1t was one afternoon in early June
when Mr. DearIng slept IN his arm chair
his wife darnc,i his stockings, and Sallie
sat stitching away upon some pretty piece
of nonsense-which, truth to tell, she was
much addicted To dOing-that Mrs. Bur
dock stalked in like some gaunt and griz
ly Fate. After discOursing q short time
about the lateness of the season, the pros
pect for crops-Mrs Blacks rheumatic
and Mr.. Browns broken leg-she came
at last to the subject uppermost in hei
mind, and which had been the real mo
| tive of her call
So Mr.. Burch is going TO be mar
ried,' she remarked, looking keenly al
Sallie. That young woman gave littl,
start which caused her to prick her finger
and stain her work with blood, and, le
us hope she derived mOmentary salts
faction from the fancy that the cambri,
was Mrs Burdock, and the needle dag
ger. She did not, however, look up nol
make any reply, but her mother said, il
the most commonplace way in the world
I" Is he? Who is the LADY,"
"That I hain't found out, but he's fixin
up his house with the beautiiulest new