Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-04-22

"
Iarges. of whom. pretty Della Lindsay.
stood behind her mothers chair. her arm
thrown over her shoulder in a pretty pro-
tectino way. Mrs. Lindsay had been an
invalid since Harry's birth. four years, and
Della WAS practically at the head ol the
household. 1t was moreover no light
thing to De al the hutd of the hou. ehold.
There were besides herself. seven other
children, which with her t:,ihcr AM, mn,h-
cr and Paul LEICESTER, who had been Niih
her father for the summer, jusi eleven Il"
the family. Added tn this WAS the care ol
4 dozen cows. and added to lhM the ttct
that the state OF their finances woulj rot
adm it ol their keeping 1t servant Aud Ihi,
question of luauccs brings me tu the .r:l
subject of m, story
You'll excuse me. Wilson. lot being -
little down.hcartcd about this thing. MIR
Lindsay said, with faint. dcpiccaliug
smile. 1t seems ike signing away my
hearts blood to give 4 stranger a ,l,im
on tho old homestead -
4 slow red burned it.cll through Amos
Wilson's check. Il wish YOU wouldn't
~pcak oI me AS = stranger. e he said ha>,il,
with AN involuntary glanccat Drua. which
mo- one but Paul Leicester saw.
IL mean, any ono no, = relative, Mr.
Wilson" -" replied Lindsay. s,Jerl,. You
know | had hone of help from III, cuu>iu
in New Orleans. Imcmtionrd il tn ,nn ''
Wilson listened AMI nodded Thoughts.
mlh.
Wei. the fact that have applied to
,ou shows that hope has failed mc. and
,ovc'n say nothing more about il Per.
han, Won had better write the deod now.
Mr.. seldom"
Mr Seldom smiled pleasantly. dipped
has pen in the ink, aud Tor u while the
faint scratch OF the pcu OF The PspOr, and
The loud ticking Of the Kitchen clock were
The only sounds in The house
Mr. Lindsay leaned his face on hls hand
AMI look okcd,tcadiI, ON the floor, the slight
twitchiug OF the muscles aLou, the mouth
being the only sign OF emotion one could
discover. Mr, Lindsay white aud S'ui
as statue. her face l,l,e dropping. sat
a few feet to- the let, of her husband.
while Della retained her old position ~
her mother, chair. troubled shadow iu
her solt brown eyes, and over hci sweet
,ouug face. Harry. a,,cd and pcrplcXcd.
hid his face in the folds of her dress. while
in a group at the open window. were
gathered the rest ol the children
How uunaturally still it WAS. How in
contrast to the freshness and brightness
OF the say and air! Looking from the
open windows one saw long reaches OF
softly urdul0,ins prairie bathed in den
light. while away to Tie hight. a blue,
sparkling river, scnlinc.lcd with cotton
wood, and >ycamorcs. and ovclhung with
pale. translucent misls, flashed and rip
pied between its siNcry banks.
NJ wonder Dean Lindsay shrank from
The thought of his lair heritage being
compromised; but there wa, no help lur
.t, aud hc had got 10 make up his mind
lo think OF it as mo- longer really his. but
subject To Amos Wilson's authority. tie
could hardly keep from groanir: aloud
.,s hc ran over in his mind he hall >c.rc
or motc ot fine farms which belonged t."
Wilson, all OF which had FIRST been mort
gagged to him, Is his was being now, 10
raise the necessary money 10 keep them
I3am being gwen up altogether. And
then, one alter another, they had been
given up, and Amos Wilson was The pos
SCISSOR. Would his go.in the same way 2
Would there bV lew years al struggle
with I'll luck-hlight and druuIh aud nil
dew-and then his wife and children
be hOmelcsS9 lie started with IA uoIvuGs
s"udder and glanced up. Amos Wilson
Was leaning little forward looking
steadily at Della. with strange lire light.
ing his sleepy eyes.
The deed Is ready ior your signature
Mr. Lindsay, Seldom said 'OrisNly' yours
aud Mrs. Lindsay ="
His voice broke lhs weird sPeIi when
had seemed TO ho.d them, aud Paul Leics-
ter got up from his scat by the kitchen
door. and came and stood 10y the table
while The deed Was being signed, and the
money, seven hundred and fifty dollars