The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-03-29
Wednesday, Morning No

spoken of, that Eve thought heard
out in the lot sometimes, with the
birds singing and everything still, and
my heart has answered and Eve had
kind of netion that that was a
prayer
Mrs. Fairman and Salome were
whispering tngether in the Kitchen
I'VE must try and scrape the barrel,
sail the anxious housewife, SO us to
get white -four enough to make grid
dle-cakes for tea; then We can put
on the canaille brea6 to look like one
kind. You must tell Ezra to be sure
and refuse the CAKES. He's dreadful
fnni of them There's the dried apple
sauce. and little mite of, ptum pre-
serves, Just enough to help the elder
twice; so | guess we shall manage TO
appear respectable.
The next day there came a change
in the weather. The cold northeast
wind gave way 10 south breeze, and
it grew warm and close Big black
clouds rolled up the sky, and anxious,
longing eyes watched them, and prayed
for rain.
The shower was coming when Sa-
lone went into her fathers room with
a letter in her hand. 'Why, child,
said he, opening it, Bunker, the man
who bought the old Haynes place,
wants to get three acres off the back
end of my land. It's strong piec".
but it goes c"rnering into h,s'n, and
there's some folks that can't bear to
have notch in a farm, and l guess
he's one of them kind. He offers O
big price, and the money will pay off
my debt to Whitcombe. and leave me
something, over. 1t does seem as if
there Was providence in it. l can't
ever see that the Lo d hears spite to
his children, but I'm ready to acknowl-
edge all his mercies.'
%, Iather, it's raining! cried Sa-
lone, as she rushed 10 the window.
TIE big warm drops were beginning
to patter down on the leaves and on
the -rass. and soak into the hard
ground. Faster, and faster it came
ROARING upnn the roof, wiile tile wind
swayed tht. wee limbs OF the trees.
That's muslc,' said Obed, with his
face all aglow. 1T makes me think
of where the Bible speaks about the
fields yielding their increase, and the
clouds dropping fatness.' There Amt
no such poetry as that anywhere.
The shower had lasted long, long
time, and soaked into the thirsty earth.
and brightered the grass. and brought
out the dandelions by hundreds, and
opened the pink lips nf the apple
blossoms. With the pattcr on the
root, and the great peace that had
iallen on his spirit. Obed fell asleep
Salome sat beside him. Presently
there came tap on the window. She
started and TUNED. and there stood
10 Dacrrs, leaning over the sill, back
ed by lilac bush just shaking out its
purple plumes. Everything was gilt
tering with hri Iht d ops, and a robin
was singing overhead. Salome went
softly to the window, ami she never
for cot how that birds so.g sounded
She was dressed i'll pale blue calico,
a glazy stuff, but it just suited her
style; and now, as she leaned out,
her light hair iell about her lace.
sI've ta< en- the Spinner place Jo
whispered, and used gran.ifather's
money to stock It. l feel as strong
as fifty men, but if you refuse to mar
ry ms. / shall be as weak as q cat
That is the way 10 proposed; and
Saiome just put out her hands to hi m,
and for one moment her face was out
of sight. The robin went on singing,
and a tree t'ough showered down glis-
tening drops on Salome hair, and the
early los = began to blow, and good
moist sm lis came from everything,
and there, over the happy girls shoul-
ders, was u rainbow spanning The dark
cloud, which seemed to promi e that
that there had come an end of HARD