The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-04-17

ct, to be supported by those who had the mis-
fortune to be related to him in distant way.
Mr.. Holmes said, meekly, that sit wasn't
likely Elihu would stay long, and that as he
had once redeemed the farm, which was heav-
lily mortgaged with his own money, and given
a deed of the place to his first wife, he didn't
very we'll see how he could refuse him shelter
there if he claimed it-"for time, at least"
he added, nervously seeing his wife's black
eyebrows knitting together in way that he
had learned to dread.
Grace upheld ner mother in all her denunci-
ations; though Sara thought, privately, that it
| would have been more delicate had she kept
silence, since as the daughter of Mrs. Holmes
| by former marriage, she could not be sup
| posed 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 Elihu would stay there forever,
and that he was sure, if he had redeemed the
| farm, that he had a perfect right to do So His
sister Sara could have kissed him for the an
swer, but she kept silence.
| The days went on. By every art that mean
and paltry spirit could invent, Mrs. Holmes
the second showed plainly to Elihu how unwel-
come he was beneath her roof tree. AS for
Grace, she simply ignored him. And, Mr..
|
| both grateful and kind, was so tame by night
| ly curtain lectures, hours long, that be 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.
Elibu's plate, knife and fork were placed up
| on the table at every meal, it is true. He Jared
| as the rest Jared, and his room and bed were
4 the best in the house.
But this was Sara's doing. To her and to
Ben, he owed each momento of happiness which
! he enjoyed in the old house. The sister and
| her young brother were always glad to be with
| him, but the other inmates of the house look
| ed 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 a thousand petty in
| suits 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
endure it i! Nor was she surprised when, one
pleasant evening just four weeks after his ar
| rival Elihu told her he must CO.
| 81 cannot blame you, so shameiully have
| you been treated, ,, she said, while her heart
| sank down in her breast. like stone sinking
| into the depths of the tiny lake on whose bank
| they sat. "But where will you go, Cousin Eli
hu? What will you do? You were i'll when
| you came here, and thames to their unkind-
ness you are not we'll and strong enough to
/
she broke out again. "And if you had come
rich as they expected, every one of them would
have been at your feet ~
Cousin Elhu smiled the smile that always
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 scarce
| ly noted the rest. So good that"
| He naused and looked at her
"Sara, when | am gone, shall you miss me 2"
| The tears rose to her eyes.
80, how can you ask? You know, Elihu,
that when you 60 | shall think OF you among
strangers, poor, perhaps i'll, perhaps dying"
| She hid her face in her hanG: and sobbed
aloud.
Elihu waited till her grief had exhausted
| itself, and then took her hand.
| "What you say is all very true, Sara. l am
not fit to go out into the world alone. Will you
| go with me? You have good home here, |
| know, but if have you to work for, will soon
give better one. And by and by Ben can
| come to us, and we will make man out of
him. Will you be my wife, Sara?"
| She looked at him with all the solemn ferVOr
Of woman's love and devotion shining in her
eyes.
"If you will take me, Elihu, and let me care
for you, l shall be the happiest creature on
| earth. From the moment when | saw you
come in at the farm gate, from the mOment
| when knew that your fortune was gone, and
that you were i'll and alone in the world, have
prayed that you might love me. don't care
| where our home is or what it is, so that we
| share it together. 1 can be happier with you
in log hut than could be with anyone else
in palace; for you need me, Elihu, and II
have thought and dreamed of you, and, real
/ Iy believe, loved you from the daytwnen my
mother first told me about you, when l was sit
| ting at her knee"
$50 they were betrothed, and after storm
| at the farm house, when her decision was first
made known, Sara followed the fortunes OF her
lover to distant city where they were mar
ried.
Ben went with her as her protector and chest
man." Her father kissed her and cried over
her, as he babe her farewell, and put pocket
book containing five hundred dollars into her
| hand for the wedding portion.
81 can't 60 with you to give you away, my
dear, and l can't let you be married here,' said
| the poor man. "I shall never hear the last of
it if do; and Pm getting old now, and want
peace and quiet in my own home But God
bless you, Sara, and your husband thai is to
| be. Poor Elihu! Your mother loved him dear
| ly, and | don't know fault he has in the
world, except that he is poor"
So, strengthened by her fathers approval and
blessing, Sara approached the altar to conse-
crate her life to the hero Of her dreams.
The ceremony over they drove to a first class
hotel, and breakfasted ina style that made Sara
| tremble for the future. And after breakfast
Elihu laid package before her, and casket
| by the side of her plate
"My first present to my wife," said he. GAS
| for you, Ben"
A cry of delight from Ben made his sister
turn round to look at him. The boy was glo-
riOus in gold hunting watch and chain.
"Open your casket, love-" said her husband,
smiling.
She obeyed and river of light seemed to
fash upon her from the diamonds within. At
| the same moment her husband broke the seal
of the package and showed her bank book
inscribed with her name.
"Ten thousand dollars are deposited there,
subject to your order" said Elihu, carelessly.
"Ten thousand dollars and the watch and
the diamonds! !" gasped Sara, turning pale
"What can it all mean'
al know" broke in Ben, with joyous laugh.
"Cousin Elihu has only been pretending to be
poor all this time. Nicely sold all those people
at the farm will bel"
| Sara turned to her husband. He smiled, and
drew her closely to his breast From that hap
| py day not a wish of hers or Ben's has been
ungratifed. And all the romance of her life
began instead of ending (as she for time sup
posed) "when Elihu came home.'
| How MCGINNIs WoN.-A man whom | will
call McGinnis, says Max Adeler, represents
county in the State Senate of Pennsylvania
| He is a Republican and he was elected by a
large majority, although his county hitherto
has always gene Democratic. Everybody was
| amazed to find that it had elected Republi-
can candidate, and nobody could understand
the reason for it. When McGinnis came to
Harrisburg, happened to meet him, and
asked him how it was. He said:
Now don't mind tellin' you how l worked
that thing, but | don't want you to give me
| away on it. It's secret. When l was nomi-
mated, saw at once that had no chance of