The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-03-14

|
No wonder Dean Lindsay shrank
from the thought of this fair heritage
being compromised; but there was no
help for it, and he had got to make up
his mind to think of it as no longer really
his, but subject to Amos Wilson's author
ity. He could hardly keep from groan-
ing aloud as he ran over in his mind the
half score or more of fine farms which
belonged to Wilson, all of which had
first been mortgaged to him, as his was
being now, to raise the necessary money
to keep them from being given up alto
gether. And then, one after another,
they had been given up, and Amos Will
son was the possessor. Would his go in
the same way? Would there be a few
years of struggle with ill-luck-blight,
and drouth, and mildew-and then his
wife and children be homeless? He
started with a nervous shudder and
| glanced up. Amos Wilson was leaning
a little forward, looking steadily at
Della, with strange fire lighting his
sleepy eyes
"The deed is ready for your signature,
Mr.. Lindsay" Seldom said, briskly
"yours and Mrs. Lindsay's.'
|
had seemed to hold them, and Paul Lei
cester got up from his seat by the kitch-
en- door, and came and stood by the ta-
BILE while the deed was signed, and the
money-seven hundred and fifty dollars
counted out and given to Mr.. Lind
say, who, in turn, handed over the mort
gage of the homestead to Mr.. Wilson.
Then he turned abruptly and went out.
Mr.. Selden looked after him with his
quick, bright eyes, but no one else ap-
peared to notice it as being anything
unusual that hired man should in
trude his presence upon such an occa-
sion.
And now that business is over, will
take the opportunity of saying word
about this same Mr.. Paul Leicester.
First, he was stranger in Dalton !;
i. e., he had been there but little over
two months having come early in April.
He had seemed so anxious for employ
ment, and offered to work so cheaply
withal, and upon such easy terms-not
asking for payment until Christmas
that Mr.. Lindsay had thought it best to
take him. He could not work the large
farm alone, and he was specially anxious
to do good deal this season, to try to
recover himself.
Mr.. Leicester was not very much used
to farm work. it was quite evident, but
he was so ready to learn and so quiet
and persistent about everything he un-
undertook, that Mr.. Lindsay was de-
lighted with his bargain. He was ex-
tremely reticent at first, but by degrees
he had grown more free, and once or
twice had surprised them with such a
genial flow of wit and spirits that Mr..
Lindsay had declared himself unable to
see what sent him there-a man of his
abilities.
And now word in regard to Mr..
Lindsay's embarrassments. For three
consecutive seasons the harvests had
been extremely light in his section,
scarcely paying for the outlay of money
and labor, to say nothing of profit. Then
for ten persons require no small amount
of food, to make no mention Of garments,
that aoW wax old. Added to this was a
long and severe illness, lasting all win
ter, and running him behind to such an
extent that he saw no other way to go
on with his work than to hire money.
This it was next to impossible to do, and
after some pretty severe struggles with
his pride, he so far overcame it as to
write to Julian Richardson, second
cousin, living in New Orleans, and re-
puted very wealthy. He had never
seen him, but had heard that he was un-
married, and somewhat eccentric. And
so in this strait he ventured to appeal to
him. He wrote the first letter in Feb
ruary, but it was unanswered. After
waiting in a state of nervous anxiety
and suspense two or three weeks, he
wrote again. This time his letter was
returned, after being opened, but with
out line or word in answer. He strug-
gled along month or two more, and
the final result | have heretofore de-
scribed.
The days slipped away like golden
sands, and the summer grew in beauty
and brightness to Della Lindsay. The
sunshine fell into her heart as soft
ly as it Tapped the green, blossomy hills.
The daily drudgery of toll became sud-
denly lghtened and illumined by this
same golden glow, and the world grew
dear, and life looked only a sweet and
beautiful dream.
Into this supreme atmosphere one day
a sudden cloud broke. If it had been
no larger than a mans hand' for weeks,
she had not discovered it, and was, there
fore, totally unprepared for the great
darkness that came upon her. She had
returned from a long ramble over the
prairie, her hands loaded with blossoms,
and stood by the door, describing their
names and habits to Paul Leicester,
whose grave face was softened into
rare, tender smile, whenever the pretty
brown eyes and wild-rose cheeks were
lifted to his face.
Della, my dear, 1 want you a mo-
ment," her father said, coming out into
the entry.
Without word she followed him in,
the blossoms still in her hands, and
some of them dropping to the floor as
she walked.
"Oome in this way, my child" Mr..
Lindsay said, passing before her and
opening the door into the parlor, where,
sharply outlined against the sunset sky,
stood Amos Wilson, his back to the win
dow, and his great, ungainly form show
ing in bold relief against the light.
Somehow the feeling of depression
which had so weighed her down on the
day when the homestead was mortgaged,
came upon her again, and she felt the
color leaving her face, and felt her lips
growing white and rigid.
Mr.. Lindsay closed the door care