Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-08-20

BOHEMIAN, MONTANA TERRITORY, FRIDAY, AUGUST 20 18

with herself for the sudden collapsipg
sundly ambitious hopes which she h
never conided TO any one except to
mother, swept him her last dancing -scht
: courtesy, and affected not to sec the ha
he held out.
Elihu colored slightly and turned
Sara, whose large dark eyes were fix
with look of tender pity upon his ,
fined aud melancholy face.
"You haye face that ought to know
he said to her gently. s.You are my cou
ms child. dear Sara! l hoped she wou
bc here to meet me when come at last /,
Sara's heart was already full, and til
reference to her dead mother caused b.
tears 10 overflow.
"Dear cousin Elihu," said she, takin
bis hard IN both OF hers, my moth,
remembered and loved you 10 the last ds
of her life. She would have been gla
indeed, TO see you here once more. al
glad, too. All my life long have locke
forward to your coming"
"But you did not expect to see me r,
turn SO poor, - said Elihu. slghing.
Poor or rich, it matters little," replie
Sara. ''You are here at home once more
and that's enough to make US all rejoice,
Aye" said EllLu, looking from he
bcamiHg countenance to the cold faces O
the rest II should have been glad t
bring gold enough to make me welcome
But What has happened has happened, an,
| do not wish to complain. Cousin Joshua
for my cousin s sake, and for the sake o
the old times when you and were boy
together. l suppose you will let me sta
at the old homestead few days?"
'Oh, to be sure! Stay and welcome,
Istammcred the farmer. who, feeling tn
eyes of his wife and his daughter Sar,
fixed upon him, was like q man between
two fires.
So il was settled, and Sara flew abou
!ixe good fairy to prepare supper fo
the wanderer and, aftcrward to eet in or
der his room and bed. At nine O'Clock b.
retired. and then the storm burst forth.
The second Mrs. Holmes inquired shrilly
if their house was to be turned into 3
poor farm" and made the abiding place
of every shiftless creature who had wasted
his substance in riotous living among
'',hose negroes"-only to come at lasl
without penny IN his pocket, to be sup
ported by those who had the misfortune
70 be related to him in distant way.
Mr.. Holmes said meekly, that lit wasn't
likely EIihu would want to stay long, and
that as he had once redeemed the farm,
which was heavily mortgeged, with his
"w" money, and gwen deedo the place
TO his first wife. he didn't very well see
how lie could refuse him shelter there if
he claimed it-for a time, at least,'' he
added. nervously. seeing his wife's black
eyebrows knitting together in q " ay that
he had learned t. dread.
The days went on. BY every art that a
mean and paltry spirit could invent. Mrs
Holmes The second showed plainly to Eli
hu how unwelcome he was beneath her
roof tree. As for Grace. she simply ig-
norcd him. And Mr.. Holmes, though he
would gladly have been both grateful and
kind, was SO tanned by nightly curtain lee
lures that he dared not show the ruined
man any attention, and only looked at him
now and then, as if wondering
when he would he gone.
Elihu's plate, knife and fork were placed
upon the table at every meal, it is true.
He fared as the rest Jared, and his room
lnd bed were the best in the house.
But this was Sara's doing. To her and
O Ben lie owed each moment of happiness
which he enjoyed in the old house; but
he other inmates Of the house looked
,ver and around him. Sara's proud spirit
,lazed up for his sake at thousand petty
insults and attronts each day. She won
lered privately herself. how cousin Elihu
ould endure it! Nor was she surprised
When, one pleasant evening just four
weeks after his arrival, Elihu told her he
must 90 away.
Il cannot blame you. They have treat
d you shamefully," che said, while her
eart sank Down in her lreast, like stone
linking into the depths of the tiny lake on
vbose banks they sat. "But where will
on 20, cousin Elihu? What will you do?
you were i'll when you came here, and.
hanks TO their unkindness, you are not
ct we'll and strong enough TO care for
ourself. If you had come rich, as they
expected, every one of them would have
cen st your feet!"
..Never mind them, Sara,'' said he
you and Ben have been SO good to me
lat l have scarcely noticed the rest. So
God that"
He paused and looked at her.
''Sara, when am gone. shall you miss
le?"
The tears rose 10 her eyes.
20. how can you ask? You know, Elihu,
aat when you 60, ! shall think of you
nong strangers, poor, perhaps i'll. per- :
bps dying"
She hid her face in her hands and sob
I'd aloud. IL
Elihu waited until her grief had ex
Iusted itself. and then took her hand.
.'What you say is all very true, Sara
n not fit to 60 into the world ALONE
I'LL you go with mes You have good z
,me here, know, but If I have you To Ie
ork for, will soon give you better
,e. And by and by Ben can come to us, l
ID We will make a man Of him, Will IN
"a be my wife, Ssra!" Y
She looked At him with al the solemn =
rv0r Of . w0man's love and devotion %
lining in her eyes.
IF you will take me. Elihu. and let .
. care tor you, shall be the happiest
eature on earth. don't care where OurIV
me il. or what 1t 10, SO that We share 1t :
gesber. l can be happier with you in y
~ hue than couh IN. With any OnA Alaelu y