The Portland daily press., 1871-07-15
SELECTED STORY.
The Farmers Story.

w - tAobo Suts IL l. Adu II, 'AA-
could make out one about what has happen
ed to me. Peggy says it could be done.
Now it is all plain sailing, nothing ont oi
the common; but wasn't always welI-'o-
do Iarmer Once / was farmers Doy-a
hahd-with nothing but stout hea't, ana
slrong limbs and good health;
Aany's the night, when the stars were in
the sky. / used to 90 out to the great pasture
where the sheep browsed all day, and sit and
think thoughts bad no words tor, and make
beautiful pictures for myself in nv mind
moi fine ones, sir. This is what i see the
ol.enest: A little cottage and a wide fire.
place, such as they had in my day, dresser
with row of def upon it, four chairs and a
table of pine. When had these was to
marry Peggy Grey. But when should have
them, ana she her white wedding gown and
the house linen, neither of us knew.
Shelput her sixpensesI into a red eartbern
savings bank, and / kept mine in an old
glove. For two years we we've waiting and
hoping, and were not much nearer than at
nrst. Sometimes felt downhearted. Some
times her letters were bit sad. And lust as
sat in the meadow knew she sat before the
Kitchen fire in the house where she lived at
service. Simple folks we were, but we had
hearts, and she felt as deeply as greater folks
might.
My master, the farmer, was close man.
He squeezed as much work out OF his hands
a. possible. But it was steady place, and he
paid all he promised; SO staid, never think
ing what trouble staying would bring tn me
trouble that never would have come but for
Mark Hulker. A good-for-nothing fellow he
was-a disgrace to the rest OF us, and he
cheated the master and left his work undone.
90 Mter hours master set me at his STINT and
It being indoors 1 kept at il al, night
.. The old man liked that, and SET me- a
new task every night. All the better for me:
thought he would pay me extra, and what
was WEAKNESS to me, il it OILY bronoht me
nearer to my Peggy? So l counted the
hours worry % so many shilIings But when
Saturday night came he gave me only Just my
weeks work.
every night; you forget that.
II hire you by the week." he said. 'Tn
give you no more than one weeks wages. So
If you don't like it, there are plenty OF strong
lads to be had; you are growing laZy.o
Then he turned his back on me, and Mark
laughed. That angered ME, and words fell
from my lips. We had quarrel, master and
/, and called him "niggardly old rascal"
and with that he dismissed NE from his ser
-. ' w.
AT dawn you CO." said he. "You'ye
worked to-day, and have a right to your he'd
at night, but at dawn you CO."
marched out OF the room with words 1
never should have used, and up TO nv garrett
and threw myself on the bed But did not
mean to stay to be turned out. At midnight
rose softly, made up bundle, and climbed
out OF window. cut my hands with the
glass OF a broken pane, and blood dropped
down upon my clothes. But was too angry
to feel the pain; and 1 bound up the wopnS S
with handkerchief Then 1 trudged on,
meaning TO look for work the next dav. So
/ did, but found none. Then the thought
struck me to make my way 10 -, and see
Peggy. 1t would be comfort to me. what
ever came. So turned my steps in that d.
rection, and Kept on until nightfall. Then,
faint and weary, l lay down under some
bushes and fell asleep.
and clutch of strong hands. Men stood
about me. One shouted nv name. They
held me fast and bound me.
struggled, but it was no use. Numbers
were against my single strength,
what are you, robbers? Pye nothing
worth the taking" I said, at last; and, when
standing still, saw faces knew about me
those OF the farm hands at my old masters.
You know well, Jack Malone, said one.
ne did speak an i'll word at last, be was
good mar in the main, and you'd worked for
him three years. You might have answered
him as you liked, but to try and murder him
was too horrible. We didn't think If n, vo,,
Jack-we didn't think it," 'N'
"Murdered" l cried, "is old master muir
deredf Why lay it to me. swear never
'If he is not quite dead itAis none of your
Iault cried another man. "Don't perjure
yoursen LOOK at the blood on your Clothes"
The blood from my hand was in blots and
smears all over my vest. 1 feel my heart turn
sick when think of it.
"Master will clear me-" said.
HE says it was you," said one of the men.
AT least he nodded yes when we asked him
if you did it." " ~ -D'-0A r--n
AThen the old master was not right in his
mind" said. "He'd never be against me. .
AFTER that heard the whole. Master had
paid the men and dismissed Mark. He had
only said 1all right, am tired of work" and
had eaten breakfast there, and left in sight of
Al. But was gone; and when they found
that master, who was always up at cock crow
did not rise at nine, they opened his door.
and found him on the floor senseless-thev
thought him dead at first. He had been rob.
bed OF his pocket book, watch, and an old
fashioned pin he always wore in his hand
kerchief-the painted head of lady set
around with what he used to tell us were
pears-an ornament older than his GRANDPA
Their. . ""o'"
They found nothing around me, of course.
but the quarrel and my cut hand made the
case hard against me. The master. diving as
they thought him, had been able to speak at
odd times; and said that to the best of his
knowledge and belief, was the assaiIant. It
was dark to be sure, but in the struggle he
felt that the man wore cap, and was the
9niy nand VINO mad anything but straw hat.
Besides he came from the inner passage and
down the stairs and did not break in through
door or window, as burglar would have
done. And was the only missing member
OF the household. So l lay in prison with
this awful charge upon me, until they knew
wnether master would live or die; and nv
greatest grief was Peggy.
keep 1t from her" begged them. "untij
she must know it."
And they were kind and did it; and her let
tiers were sent to me in prison. It was a
weary time, and the one drop of comfort in II
came from those letters. had had five from
her when, at the end of one came this.
DEAR JACK; never hide anything from
You, and do not want to boast Of con9uests.
tnng never do; but just to let you kno " /
keep no secrets to myself, 1 must tell Won
wnat mas happened. Our master has hired
man, lazy fellow, that l disliked at srst
sight. Mark Hulker by name. and what
should ne do but take notion to me. or nre.
tend to DO so, trying his best to sit up with
me after his work hours, following me about
whenever got holiday. Then he tries to
make me like him by telling me how rich he
~. four hundred dollars he has laid nv. he
says, and gold watch like gentleman. The
Otner sunday was dressed for church and
up Jpn ne walks. Why, Peggy" says he, "you
nave no pin for your collar" Said 7
i cannot afford money for finery.n Then
said he, show lucky it is that Two ono
to give you" and pulls pin from his nocket1
Jack, couldn't help looking at #. II was
aiady's portrait, with hair ali white, though
she was young, like and old woman,s He
said 1t was powdered, as they done it in old
times; and pink dress, and no bigger then a
SILVER quarter altogether. How he came bv
9ucn In,ng got dness knows! But of course
!! 4 H0uldnt have it. Says he, "Now do take
I'D eggy. want to keep company with you.
ana now you know the TRUTH" Saws T 81
want neither your company nor your nres-
ents, and please remember that hereafter II
was rough, l know, but hate him so. And
was none too rude, for he bothers me vet &C
much as ever. Though yon know if he ue ro
ever DO good and handsome, am your own
Peggy, aud think OF no one else.
When read that you might have knocked
me down with feather. The pin was the
one the old farmer had lost and I knew If
and Mark was The thief who had tried to mnr'
der him. W -'"'-
! sent for the lawyer who was to take NV
side, and who had ali along believed me- ;nno.
cent: gave him the letter.
do, sir ?" '"0 "hat snail
And ne said-"You can do nothino mv
clue" p'' nave
Then he went away, and afterwards T ho,.s
wnat ne did. He went down to the nlaca
where Peggy lived and took her out of dan
'el OF me eayes-droppers, and told her all that