Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-10-31
THE STORY OF A YEAR.
BY HESTER A. BENEDICT.

mother! That's clever"
Epaphroditus Morley, or :sole Eph
Morley" as he was generally called,
stood beside the little gate that divid-
ed the garden from the door-yard of
his pretty country home, talking to
"young Eph," his only son, who for
one whole year had been head and
heart clothed upon with the classics at
a certain college hundred miles
away. The old face could be read at a
glance; the young face was a study.
Yes, father" the young man an
swered 81 did mean to complete the
classical course but I couldn't wait 50
long for Minnie"
"Right, my boy-right. You've
larnin' enough foEany man except the
President. A farmer don't need to
know Greek and Spanish, and fol-de-
rolls of that sort. I never-you k,e0u
I never approved of your going to col.
lege anyhow. There was no sense in
it, and I'm mighty thankful you've gi' n
it up."
Eyes"
Eyes. What sort O. gal is"
Minniei'
I" Is that her name?"
"Her name is Minerva, but every.
body calls her Minnie"
"Well. shant for one, and you,
mother won't for two. Nothin' like
keepin' to the old christian names,
But what sort of y body is she How
old, to begin with Z"
"Seventeen."
"Too young, Epaphroditus-
young by five years. ~
"Do you think so2 " =
| II know SO. Is she healthy9 Car
she work2 That's the main thing tc
be thought of in choosing wife, my
son-the main thing. Now hope vol
hain't made a fool o. yourself, and gon.
and greed to marry good-fcr-nothin
like Noel B]ake's wife2"
"Noel Blake's wife, 7 am told, make,
enough with her pen to afford to liva
without work Of tho kind you nean.
81 don't believe II. Shezdon't carr
her salt. But that's neither her no,
there. Minerva doesn't claim to he al
author, does she9'
The young man laughed, but some
how the laugh sounded hollow, and ,
fear for the future happiness of his dar
ling seemed shadowing his eyes.
"Oh, nc" he said, pushing his straw
hat back from bis handsome forehead,
and looking up in the stern face of hit
father "Minnie don't write-for tho
world at large-but she's a glorious
girl f. You can't help loving her"
swell, we'll see-we1l see.s Mother
and are gettin' old, and you1l get the
farm when we're done with it. Blu,
we'll have no lazy bones on our hands.
Young Morley's face flushed angrily
II don't mean to be on your hands
father" he said quickly. "I though
you would give me the farm to worl
on shares, and that I'd fit up the oil
house on the flat for Minnie and me
I talked with her about it, and sh'
greatly prefers living there. 1t woult
not be so nice as this, but it would b.
our own."
"Youll do nothing of the sort, chill,
nothing of the sort! This is you
own, for that matter, or will be, afte
a while. And I reckon we don't nee,
two houses for fourof as. Extra fires
aud cookin' and the like. just brinl
Minerva right home, and if she's dis
posed to do her part, we'll git along ia
mously, and lay up money, too"
"But, father -"
"Dont but father me over an
such ridiculous projects as yours AM
herD. won't listen!"
The old man turned and walked ran
idly away.
The young man stood thoughtful,
for at least five minutes, beside tn
gate, looking at the new house wher
his parents had lived for three years
and at the old, where his boyhood ha
passed 50 swiftly, and where he ha
expected to make home Tor his youn
wife and himself.
He had lain awake nights, plannin
this and that addition to its conven
ence and beauty, and 'Minnie's word
were ringing in his ears all the while
"No matter how humble our hom
may be, we will make it 'the deares
. spot on eartE'-the dearest and tn
sweetest"
; "J hate to disnppoint her, the da1
, ling!" he soliloquized; "but it doe
seem foolish, ~ father says, to hav
l two houses for four of MS, when on
interests are one, two. At any rate,
, can't offend him, and must reconcil
! her in some way"
80 Minnie's fate was fixed for hcl
: and when the June roses were in bios
som, her husband took her to live wit
h1m and the old folks in the new hous