Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-06-11
THE CHANGE OF TIDE
BIZ KATE W. HAMILTON.

By KATE W. HAMILTON.
Thus far it had flowed in one direction
Marion's life long. Ease, luxury, ad
ulation-"taking'no thought" like tht
lilies, yet being more gorgeously ar
rayed and far more useless than they.
Nothing on earth to do but enjoy
herself" said her father, that man Of
stocks, bonds, and railroad contracts
looking wonderingly into the unsaIis-
fled gray eyes.
But one can not enjoy ones self un-
less that self is something enjoyable,
and Marion was not. She was thor
oughly weary of it and its surround
ings; and it was in sheer desperation
that she had proposed accompanying
her father OH one Of his business trips
across the country. "Just a bit of ma
ture would be refreshing" she had said,
half petulantly. But the bit that pre-
sented itself in the best parlor of a quiet
little country tavern was net the kind
she desired; and to be left there alone
for three dreary hours while her father
made pilgrimages to his various shrines
of timber, excavations, and bands of
workmen was intolerable. Six wooden
chairs with yellow roses painted upon
them, two gay prints-one labelled
melinda" and the other sHenry''-
hanging upon the walls and staring
complacently at each other, small mir
ror with bunch of what the good
landlady denominated 'sparrer-grass''
fastened above it; bright fire, a not
bright carpet, and a round table hold
ing three books-that was all this best
room contained when Marion invento-
ried it with slight arching of her fine
brows and the faintest perceptible curl
of her lips.
She turned to the books. The first
one proved to be Bible. Half uncon-
sciously her eye rested for an instant
on single verse-"Whoso receiveth
one such little child in My name re-
eeiveth Me-" 1t meant nothing to her
she closed the volume as too common
to be interesting The next was last
years almanac, preserved for its bind
ing of gilt and muslin; and the last
one was most unsatisfactory of all-"A
Complete Hetter-Writer,'' containing
minute information as to what to write |
to ones son in college, and what the son
would probably reply; also a highly
stiff and proper method of proposing
matrimony to a young widow, with an
eminently edifying epistle which she
might indite in return.
Marion dropped the book, little |
touch of amusement mingling with
her disgust. Did people really buy
such stuff? And was the family cor
respondence carried on according to
these recipes? What could life be amid
these surroundings when it was unde-
niably wearisome at its very best? She
walked away to a window. Outside,
beyond the lonely country road, lay
rugged wooded hills, beautiful in their
mantles of dark evergreens trimmed
with the ermine of the snow.
'Better take chair, ma'am. Cheap
settin' as standin', and comfortabler
BESIDES" said voice in the room. Joe
had come in to attend to the fire.
Marion glanced oyer her shoulder and
saw only coarse boots, patched gray
clothes, and tumbled tow-head. But
Joe felt himself quite an important
parsonage just then. Visitors to stop
for any length of time in that best room
were rare, and to have handsomely
dressed lady there was surprising
event. "Sems 'sif feller was keepin'
4 reg'lar hotel" the boy said to him
self, and assuming a most hospitsble
and landlord-like air as he hustled about
stirring the fire and adding more fuel.
"Don't you want to read, ma'am {?
Books ON the table free, and no extry
charges. We try to 'bleege our custo-
mers.''
"Thank you,' answered Marion, with
out turning her eyes from the fair
woodland picture before her. 1t ap-
peared to Joe that she did not seem as
at home and thoroughly salts
fled with her quarters as he could have
wished, and he made one more effort-a
little hesitatingly, as feeling that he
was somewhat over-stepping his au-
thority.
"Say, ma'am, faint meal time, but !
s'pose mebby-if you'd like a bite--I ,
could get you a hunk of gingerbread.
We like to 'commodate.'' :
"Isee you do. Pm not hungry, thank
you," laughed Marion; then with a I
sudden impulsive desire she added: "I'd I
like to visit that wood if were not s
afraid of losing my way. Is there any t
one here who is thoroughly acquainted l
with it?'
"Beto' ehuckled Joe, laconically, rs ;
he ratified the ashes from the CRATE.
as she? Your sister, is it:"
"Who?"
"Betsy." ,
Joe rolled over upon the floor with a =
peal of laughter. "Didn't s
mean Betsy, meant bet you there was +
folks that knew" he explained; then 4
slowly getting upon his feet he march, \
I'd out of the room still giggling. Pres
entity lie was back again with an old
zap added to his attire. 'T'll go long, Il
na'am, and show you iI.c Nay. It's n
oily fun, tell you!"
1t did occur to Marion, warmly wrap II
,ed in shawl and filrs, that her young s
,nide looked thinly dressed; but. she p
,nnW vary 1itt1a ahanf hauc on1 ,,rah I I,