Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-05-06


they thought he was going to be sick;
and there he is, you see, leaning on
father and the driver, and he can't but
Just walk. Isn't it blamed shame of
these Southerners?"
s'Mercy!" exclaimed Ben's step
mother, ising, as they all rose, when
the tall, slender figure approached.
Sara looked up with her heart in
her eyes, to greet her hero-no less a
hero to her for the pitiful history Of
loss and ruin that she had just heard
: He was tall, upright, elegant look
ing man, with fair complexion, large
melancholy blue eyes, long, straight
nose, dropping eyebrows, fine lips, and
a firmly rounded chin, that somewhat
counteracted the listless sadness of the
face. His hair was turning gray, and
the heavy, gold-brown nustache had
one or two threads of silver, but with
that exception he wore no look of age.
Elihu was well but plainly dressed
in travelling suit of gray. He re-
moved his hat as he drew near the
ladies, with courteous grace; but he
looked in vain for the warm welcome
frome the second Mrs. Holmes and her
daughter Grace that he would have re-
ceived from his own cousin had she
been alive.
Mrs. Holmes bowed to him coldly,
though civilly; and Grace, angry with
him anu with herself for the sudden
collapsing of sundry ambitious hopes
which she had never confded to anyone
except her mother,swept him her latest
dancing school courtesy, and affected
not to see the hand he held out.
Elihu colored slightly and turned to
Sara, whose large black eyes were
fixed with look of tender pity upon
his refined and melancholy face.
"You have face that ought to
know he said to her, gently. "You
are my cousins child, dear Sara. l
hoped she would be here to meet me
when l came home at last.
Saras heart was already full, and
this reference to her dead mother
caused her tears to overflow.
"Dear Cousin Elihu," said she, taking
his hand in both Of hers, "my mother
remembered and loved you to the last
day of her life. She would have been
glad indeed to see you here once more;
| am glad indeed to see you here once
more am glad, too. All my life
long l have looked toward to your
coming"
"But you did not expect to see me
return SO poor said Elihu, signing.
"Poor or rich, it matters little" re-
piled 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, 4 should have been glad to
bring gold enough to make me
welcome. But what has happened has
happened, and do not wish to com.
plain. Couisn Joshua, for my cousin
sake ofthe old times when you and
were boys together, suppose you will
let me stay at the old homestead for a
few days?'
"Eh? Oh! to be sure, stay and
welcome" stammered the farmer, who
feeling the eyes of his daughter Sara
fixed upon him, was like a man be-
tween two fires.
So it was settled, and Sara flew
about like good fairy for the wan.
derer, and afterward 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 abid :
ing place of every shiftless creature
who had wasted his substance in
riotous living among those negroes,
only to come, at the last, without q
penny in his pocket, to be supported
by those who had the misfortune to be
related to him in distant way.
MIR. Holmes said it wasn't likely Eli
hu would want to stay long, and that,
as he had once redeemed the farm.
which was heavily mortgaged, with his
own money, and given deed of the
place to his first wife, he didn't see very
well how he could refuse him shelter
there if he claimed it-for a time at
least, he added, enormously, seeing his
wife's black eyebrows knitting together
in way that he had learned to dread.
Grace upheld her mother in all her
denunciations though Sara thought,
privately, that it would have been more
delicate had she kept silence, since, as
the daughter of Mr.. Holmes by form
er marriage, she could not be supposed
to have any great interest, pecuniary or
otherwise, in the disposition of the old
homestead farm