Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-11-11

full OF consideration for her welfare. She
knew she never could return his kindness,
and felt that she did not deserve 1t. She
often told Dame Danced that show Of
hostility from the worthy farmer would not
have panied her SO much as his unremitting
attentions.
Ihen when the neighbors came in to gos-
SIP they sometimes spoke against Luke.
They would tell her that a man who would
suspect her on such slight grounds and act
as he did could never be true to her; that he
would see some other woman whom he would
prefer and some day send home word that he
was married; neither was it likely that he
would ever come home alive from the Indies.
These poisoned arrows, which were meant as
comfort, glanced harmlessly from Lucy, who
was invulnerably shielded by trusting love
and hope. She would answer: "Very like
ly," or 1t may be-" or "There is no knowing
what may happen In this world Of trouble"
and still rattle about her lace pegs over the
pillow on which 1t was made with the quick
ness OF magic. Amongst her visitors, how
ever, there were two who invariably offered
her better consolation: these were Larkin
and his sister. Tom "1stuck up" as he ex-
pressed it, for his friend Luke and always put
the blame OF enlistment on the wiles and arts
OF the recruiting Sergeant, whs regularly en-
trapped him into the deed. Many happy
winter evening was spent in that humble cot
tage. by Lucy and her friends. Luke was
never forgotten in their Conversations for
there was the lace which was being un-
weariedly made for his release to remind
them of him. When Woodbury. made his ap-
pearance land this was very often) the sub
ject was OF course dropped.
A year passed by. Neither Lucy nor Mod.
bury had made much progress in their sew
eral aims; scarcely a 1.-THE Of the requisite
sum for Luke's discharge had been saved;
neither could Woodbury. perceive that his suit
advanced Lucy's conduct sorely perplexed
him. She always seemed delighted when he
came in, and received him with every mark
of cordially; but whenever he dropped tie
slightest plea IN his behalf tears would
come into her eyes, and she entreated him to
desist. He began to remark, also, that be-
sides the presence OF the old dame, which
was surely sufficient safeguard against any
warmth OF manner he might be betrayed into,
Lucy always contrived to have Susan Larkin
with her. Should she be absent Lucy would
be telling Woodbury. what a good, indus
trious, excellent girl she was; which, indeed,
was the truth.
No letter came from Luke, and there was
no proof that he had received hers. Lucy
began gradually to despond; for work became
slack, and at times she only got enough to
employ her half the day Not to lose ground,
however, she hired herself to the neghboring
farmers wives to sew during her spare time,
leaving Dame Damerel to the occasional care
of Susan Larkin. While she was sitting at
work during one of these engagements she
compared her own cherries lot with the hap
piness which surrounded her The farmer
was reading the newspaper, his wife and
daughter assisting her in the work she was
doing. AS she made this comparison, and
thought of Luke banished as 1t were from
his home, and enduring perhaps severe hard
ships, she could scarcely refrain from weep
tt.sr ny.A t1n
paragraph from the paper, and presently ex-
claimed" All, our young squire has got safe
to his regiment in India" At these words
Lucy trenIbed but went on rapidly with her
work, lest her emotion should be noticed. She
had previously heard that the son OF neigh
boring proprietor had bought commission
in Lube's regiment, and this was almost like
having news of Luke himself. Presently the
reader went on with the paragraph-"We
understand there has been n fatal disease
which has carried off many of the -"
The farmer made a pause here, and Lucy's
heart sank within her. sob, ! see" the old
gentleman calculated; 4" the corner is turned
DOWN" has carried OFT many"-yes--
6 many of the--horses"
This little incident produced such strong
emotions in Lucy's frame that though she
felt, upon the whole, much gratified by mere
ly hearing about Luke's regiment and its
horses, vet she became too i'll to proceed with
her work, and found it necessary to return to
the cottage.
Lucy soon altered her plan of engaging
herself out; for the idea struck her that if
she were TO make lace on q sort of specula-
ton, and keep it by her till it was wanted, she
would in the end make a greater profit Hay
ing, when her father was in good circum-
stances, been partly educated at an Exeter
boardng-school, she had acquired there some
knowledge of drawing, and by exercising her
pencil she now invented some very pretty
lace patterns
Lucy wrought and hoped on for another
year. Still nothing was heard from Luke. A
new calamity had fallen upon Lucy. Her
father, broken and decayed man, had come
to live near her. and was now nearly depend
ent on her for support. Both Woodbury. and
Farmer Larkin gave him little jobs TO do for
which they literally recompensed him. The
quantity of lace Lucy was employed to make
was so small that 1t Just sufficed to keep her
and her father; while her little capital, in
stead Of Increasing, was gradually absorbed
by the purchase of materials for the stock
her industry accumulated. Susan Larkin
frequently visited her, and Woodbury. was sell
dom absent.
No ill-fortune seemed to depress the per-
severing girl. Even though she was work.
ing almost night and day, she still kept up
her spirits. Indeed, at every new misfortune
fresh accession of firmness and resolution
seemed TO nerve her. About this time her
father died, invoking blessings on her for
having been so good daughter. After the
first shock of grief had passed she continued
her task amidst the most hopeless circum-
stances. The lace trade sunk lower and low
er; still Lucy wrought on, under strong
presenument that il would improve. She
did not relax one hours labor, although she
was now receiving much less for it than
when she began. She accumulated so large
a stock that at last every shilling OF her saw
ings was spent for materials. In exchange,
however, she possessed large quantity OF
beautiful lace, that, even if sold at the
present low prices, would have yielded
small profit. AT last things became so bad
that a sale seemed unavoidable, disadvanta-
geous as it might be. Lucy, now an object OF