The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-11-05

go, may ?" And the hazel eyes grew
large and lustrous with sudden hope.
Eyes, if you wish. had little girl
once, but God took her home to live with
him. Perhaps he has sent you to take her
place."
Madeline answered by nesting close to
that mother heart, and murmuring again
and again, go, love you so much -
Mrs. HUMPHREY went to the drawer that
held tho garments her little one had worn,
and consecrating them to their new use
with a baptism Of tears, she arrayed Made
line in them, and taking her by the hand,
went out to meet her husband, who was
approaching the house. His eyes looked
his astonishment, and Mrs. Humphrey told
him briefly all she knew about the child.
81 may keep her, may not?'' she ask
ed. I" 1t will be such comfort to hear
child's voice in the house once more"
eyes, do as you like, Ruth; perhaps, as
you say, she will brighten up the old
house."
waif that floated to the farmhouse on that
autumn day became known as sweet Made
line Humphrey, the fairest maid in all the
country round.
Mrs. Humphrey, on the afternoon in
which our story opens, caught sight of her
husband as he slowly walked up the lane
leading to the house, and met him on the
threshold with an irquiring look.
1T was of no use, " he said, sinking into
chair. "Travers has already lent all the
money he has to spare, and there is no one
else to whom can apply"
els there no hope, then ?" said Mrs.
Humphrey, with pale lips.
None that know of now. The old
house must go, suppose, for next week
the mortgage runs out"
Just then Madeline came in from the Or
chard with basket of rosy apples
80 fatherr' she exclaimed, az have
been taking survey of the orchard, and l
never knew the trees hang SO heavy with
fruit as they do this year. The old cellar
will hardly hold it ALL"
at will never hold any more fruit for us
my child" aHa
"Then you were not successful in raising
the money, fathero"
"No, Madeline, what we have all dread
cd is likely to come upon us. 1t was al
ways my luck" f1
"Don't, John, don't call everything that
happens to us luck" f
"What else can call it, Ruth? have
tried as hard as any one to get along, but
you know how everything has worked
against me-"
But we had the farm paid for once,
John. You were successful at last, al
though it took great many years If you
had never signed your name to that note,
this present trouble would not have come
upon u.s."
Yes yes, know it. But who would
have believed that my best friend would
have run away and left me to pay the noteP
He wouldn't have served any one else so.
tell you it's my luck, and it's of no use to
fight against it. might as well have sold
the farm then to pay the money, as to have
raised it by placing a mortgage upon it.
hoNO hhOWh hONOl SOulu pdJ IL. i
depended upon the sale Of the hay last sum-
mer to pay certain amount, but yon know
there was hardly ton that went into the
barn in good condition"
"Well, John, Gods ways are not our
ways, and though it has sometimes looked
dark enough, and does now, in fact, yet l
never saw the time couldn't trust him"
There was such serene look of peace
and calm trust in the face of his wife as
she said this, that John Humphrey mar
yelled greatly.
How you can take everything, good or
bad, that comes to us in the way you do, is
past my finding out" he said, as he took
the weekly paper that had come in bis alb
sence and tried to become interested In its
contents. ff.falt .Iftt.G
Madeline seated herself by the window,
and gazed sadly out upon the familiar
scenes which, she feared they must leave
for a strange home. The silence Of the
old kitchen was at length broken by a
knock upon the outer door. It was open
ed by Mrs. Humphrey who ushered in a
young man named Ernest Seaton. An an
! CRY flush overspread the face of Madeline,
but she managed to greet the visitor with a
show Of cordiality.
(" have heard" said he, addressing Mr..
Humphrey "that you wished to borrow a
certain sum Of Mr.. Travers to-day"
~ did, sir, but he wasi iunable to accom-
modate me-.