Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-08-27
ather and the driver, and he can't but
Just walk. Isn't it a blamed shame OF these


oouthernerS!
s'Mercy ~ exclaimed Ben's stepmothel
rising, as they all rose, when the tall, sleI
der figure approached.
Sara looked up with her heart i'll he
eyes, to greet her hero-no less hero t.
her for the pitiful history of loss and ruiz
that she had just heard.
He was d tall, upright, elegant looking
man, with a fair complexion, large melan
eholy blue eyes, a long straight nose, droop
ing eyebrows, fine lips, and a firmly round
ed chin, that somewhat counteractcd the
list1ess sadness of his face. His hair was
turning gray, and the heavy golden brown
moustache had one or two threads of sill
yer, but with that exception he wore no
look of age.
Elihu was well but plainly dressed in q
travelling suit of gray. He removed his
hat us he drew near the ladies, with a
courteous grace; but he looked in7yain fol
the warm welcome from the second Mrs
Holmes and her daughter Grace that he
would have received from his own cousin
! had she been alive.
Mrs. Holmes bowed to him coldly
though civilly; and Grace, angry with him
and with herself for the sudden collapsing
Of sundry ambitious hopes which she had
never confided to any one except her moth
er, 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, dark eyes were fixed
with look of tender pity upon his refined
and melancholy face.
on have face that ought to know
he said to her, gently. you are my
Cousins child, dear Sara. L hoped she
would have been here TO meet me when ]
came home at last.'
Sara's heart was already full, and this
reference to her dead mother caused hel
| tears to overflow.
'Dear Cousin Elihu," said she, taking
| his hand in both hers, ''my mother re-
membered and loYed you to the last day OF
her life. She would have been glad, in
deed, to see you here once more; am glad
too. All my life long l have looked for
ward to your coming"
sBut you did not expect to see me return
SO poor" said Elihu, signing.
'sPoor or rich, it matters little" replied
Sara fervantly. "You are here at home
once more, and that is enough to make us
all rejoice"
"Aye," said Elihu, looking from hel
beaming countenance to the cold faces OF
the rest. II should havebeen glad to bring
gold enough to make me welcome. But
what is done is done, and do not wish tc
complain. Cousin Joshua, for my cousins
sake of the old times when you and I were
boys together, L suppose you will let me
stay at the old homestead for a few days?'
| "Eh? Oh, to be sure! Stay, and well
I come" stammered the farmer, who feel
ing the eyes Of his wife and daughter Sara
fixed upon him, WAS like q man between
| two fires.
So it was settled, and Sara flew about
/ like good fairy to prepare supper for the
wanderer, and afterwards to set in order
his room and bed. At nine O'Clock he re
The second Mrs. Holmes inquired shrilly
| If their house WAS to be turned into a
! ''poor farm" and made the abiding place
of every shiftless creature who had spent
his substance in riotous living, among
! 'sthose negroes''-only to come, at the last
without penny in his pocket, to be sup
ported by those who had the misfortune tt
be related to them in a distant way.
Mr.. Holmes said, meekly, that it wasn't
likely Elihu would stay long, and that as
he had once redeemed the farm, which
was heavily mortgaged, with his owr
money, and given deed of the place to hi'
first wife, he didn't very we'll see how hi
could refuse him shelter there if he claimed
it-for a time, at least" he added, ner
vously, seeing his wife's black eyebrows
knitting together in way that he ha(
learned to dread.
Grace upheld her mother in all her de
nunciation; though Sara thought, private
| ly, that it would have been more delicate
had she kept silence, since, as the daughter
of Mrs. Holmes by a former marriage, 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 didn't scruple to say that, for hi
part, he hoped Cousin Elihu would stay
there forever, and that he was sure, if hi
had redeemed the farm, that he had per
feet right to do so. His sister Sara coull
have kissed him for the answer, but she
kept silence.
The days went on. BY every art that q
mean and paltry spirit could invent, Mrs
Holmes the second showed plainly tt
Elhu how unwelcome he was beneath hel
roof tree. AS for Grace. she simply ignored
him. And Mr.. Holmes, though he wonli
gladly have been both grateful and kind
was SO tanned by nightly curtain lectures
hours long, that he dared not show thu
ruined man any attention, and only look
ed at him wistfully now and then, as i
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 in the old house. TIT
sister and her young brother were Away
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 ant
drank of their cup, seemed us if they knew
him not. Sara's proud spirit blazed VI
for his sake at a thousand petty insult
and affronts each day. She wondered, pri