The Cecil Whig., 1875-05-01

reference 10 ner Geau mOtler caused ner
tears to overflow.
Dear cousin Elihu," said she, taking
his hand in both hers, "my mother remem-
bered and loved you to the last day of her
life. She would have been glad indeed to
see you here once more; I am glad. too.
All my life long | have looked forward to
your coming
"But you did not expect to see me re-
turn so poor," said Elihu, sghing.
"Poor or rich, it matters little, replied
Sara fervently. You are here at home
once more, and that is enough to make us
all rejoice
"Aye," said Elihu, looking from her
beaming countenance to the cold faces of
the rest, 81 should have been glad to bring
gold enough to make me welcome. But
what has happened has happened, and do
not wish to complain. Cousin Joshua, for
my cousins sake of the old times when you
and | were boys together, suppose you
will let me stay at the old homestead for
few days ,"
"Eh? Oh, to be sure! Stay and wei
come" stammered the farmer, who, see-
ing the eyes of his wife a, d his daughter
Sara fixed upon him, was like a man te-
tween two fires.
So it was settled, and Sara flew aboU'
like fairy to prepare supper for the wan
derer, and after, to set in order his room
and bed. At nine O'Clock he retired, and
then the storm burst forth.
The second Mrs. Holmes inquired shrilly
if their house was to be turned into "poor
farm and made the abiding place of every
shiftless creature who had wasted his sub
stance in riotous living among "those ne
groes only to come, at the last, without
a penny in his pocket. to be supported by
those who had the misfortune to be related
to him in distant way.
Mr.. Holmes said meekly, that cit wasn't
likely Elihu would want to stay long, and
that as lie had once redeemed the farm,
which was heavily mortgaged with his own
money, and given a deed Of the place to his
first wife, he didn't very well see how he
could refuse him shelter there if he claimed
it" for a time, at least, he fdded, nerv-
ously seeing his wife's black eyebrows
knitting together in 4 way that lie had
learned to dread.
Grace upheld her mother in all her de-
nunciations; though Sara thought, pr
vately, that it would have been more deli
cate had she kept silence, since, as the
Of MrS IIomnS bv former mar
riage, she could not be supposed to have
any great interest, pecuniary or otherwise,
in the disposition of the homestead farm.
As for Ben, like most boys of thirteen,
he was on the side of right against might,
and he did not scruple to say that, for his
part, he hoped cousin Elhu would stay
there forever. and that he was sure, if he
had redeemed the farm, that he had per-
feet right to do so. His sister Sara could
have kissed him for the answer, but she
kept silence. The days went on. BY every
art that Il mean and paltry spirit could in
vent, Mrs. Holmes, the second, showed
plainly to Elihu how unwelcome he was
beneath her roof-tree. AS for Grace, she
simply ignored him. And, Mr.. Holiness
though he would gladly have been both
grateful and kind, was so tanned by nightly
curtain lectures, hours long, that he dared
not show the ruined man any attention,
and only looked at him wistfully now and
then, as if wondering when he would be
gone.
Elihu's plate, knife and fork were placed
upon the table at every meal, it is true.
He Jared as the rest Jared, and his room
and bed were the best in the house.
But this was Sara S doing. To her and
to Ben, he owed each moment of happiness
which he enjoyed III the old house. The
sister and her young brother were always
glad to be with him, but the other inmates
of. the house looked over and around him,
and even when he ate of their bread and
drank of their cup, seemed as if they knew
him not. Sara's proud spirit blazed up for
his sake at thousand petty insults and
affronts each day. She wondered privately
to herself, and aloud to Ben, how cousin
Elihu, with the memory of his past wealth
and grandeur fresh in his mind, could en-
dure it, Nor was she surprised when, one
pleasant evening just four weeks after his
arrival, Elihu told her he must go.
81 cannot blame you, so shamefully have
YOU been treated" while her heart sank
| down in her breast, like stone sinking
into the depths of the tiny lake on whose
banks they sat. "But where will you go,
10 Np,
were i'll when you came here, and thanks
to their unkindness, you are not well and
strong enough to care for yourself. 0, 1t
is shame, a shame." she broke out again.
And if you had come rich as they ex
pected, every one of them would have been
at your feet..'
Cousin Elihu smiled the smile that al
ways frightened her melancholy face. till
| in her eyes it was the noblest, handsomest
face on earth.
"Never mind them, Sara" said he;"
"you and Ben have been SO good to me
that have scarcely noticed the rest So
good that
He paused and looked at her.
| para, WHch dIi Soue, sA"it J oA 'hieS
me9''
The tears rose to her eyes.
go, how can you ask? You know,
Elhu, that when you go | shall think of
you among strangers, poor. perhaps i'll,
perhaps dying"
She hid her face in her hands and sobbcd
aloud.
Elihu waited till her grief had exhausted
itself, and then took her hand.
"What you say is all very true, Sara.
am not fit to 60 out into the world alone.
Will you 60 with me? You have good
home here, l know, but if l have you to
work for, will soon give you better one.
And by and by Ben can come to Us, and
we will make man of him. VIII you be
my wife, Sara?"
She looked at him with all the solemn
fervor of woman's love and devotion
L.