The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-15
LAUREL SPRING.

LAUREL. SPRING.
Twas having my fill of fashionabl,
life. 4 hands breadth from me Their,
We're diamonds flashing. there wer,
priceless silks cleaning and trailing
along a polished floor. there were light,
and perfume and music. and a splendit
company. smiling and graceful an,
gracious. We're going through the fig
ures of a quadrille. Others were prom
groups. Just past the window wher,
| stood Il pair of these radiant creatures
swept at this moment. the lady coquet
ing with her ieweled fam Icould hav,
put forth my hand and touched her a,
she paSSed->o near. and vet SO fal
apart from me. \ stately picture. Sc
in costly frame. having nothing il
common with such everyday. toil-wor,
folks as the ruStic> who stood looking
on from without. and among whom
Jacob and l. lured by the lights ant
music. had stolen up.
1t was the piazza of the grand hote|
N Laurel Spring. and Il grand ball was
in progress. All. how beautiful it all
was. II seemed like Kaleidoscope OF
jewels. flashing. changing, alluring, as
| stood there at the window looking
through.
How should | look in Just such a
silk? How would Jacob appear in just
such white vest and elegant dress
suit? looked up ut Jacob. He was a
tall. brawnv fellow. was Jacob, and he
was my husband. and l had got SO used
to seeing him in that blue shirt working
ateld that could not fit him into the
fashionable rig to my satisfaction.
But said. ecStatically, Don't they
look beautiful, Jacob?'
But Jacob answered never a word.
He stood there at my side looking on
absorbed
Again the music sounded, and the
splendid movement on the floor kept
time to it. 1t SO wrought upon me that
in spite of my Quaker bringing up l
felt my heart beating quick, and my
feet putting themselves in motion.
.'Oh, isn't it beautiful | said again.
clasping my hands by way of steadying
myself
Its a grand play" said Jacob,
grutiiv. land | suppose we've right
to applaud it if we like
"Ah. but, Jake, jealous old Jake,
why don't you own up that it's beauti-
ful?''
"Pshaw!" said Jacob, impatiently;
Il see nothing beautiful about it. It's
all commercial affair-the whole
thing bought and paid for. These
shoddy shop-keepers and officc-holders
and oil-diggers, and Heaven knows
what all, send their women folks here
to keep trade going-for nothing else
under the sun but to bargain and hag-
gle and ogle for places and power and
money!
Then it's business said l, admir-
ingly: for l was determined to lure
Jacob out of his moodiness. "Well, /
never have seen business look so fair
and desirable, Jake-unless," l added,
laughing, "when I've caught glimpse
of YOU working aiield in your old straw
hat"
"Ah. that's different story-a diff
ferent story. indeed was the grave
reply. :. That's business of another
sort. Matte: grinding. hard work, anu
too much of it.. And this summer, con-
foand it. failure at the end of it all.
All. Matte, YOU don't know what a
load I've carried under that old straw
hat
All. but did. Many a time had /
looked from that quiet doorway and
seen Jacob working atield with shad-
ow on his face that was not made by the
brim of that old straw hat.
He was revolving bitter things now,
| knew, as he stood there a spectator OF
the revelry.
Little Matte" said he, presently,
you've as good Il right to he there as
the best of them, my wee woman
laughed. l did not want to be
there, and had no desire to represent
commercial interests. But Jacob was
grasping my arm with an almost pain
full grip. by heavens!'' he said, his
gray eye lighted up with strange
fire, Il thought SO. There's Stephen
Risdale wonder! the villain that robbed
me-the villain that got my land in his
grip, with his mortgages and his trust
deeds, and the deuce knows what He S
there with the best of 'em-the man
that got foreclosure on me, and left
me to scrape and screw with the fag
end of all my acres, and to grind a liv-
ing out of the rocks! A gentleman is
he, with diamond stud and gold
chain bought with the money for which
I've been bond-slave for life. And,
by heavens, I'll have it out of himr'
As Jacob uttered these words, he lifted
his hand and struck sharply the broad
window-sill. My heart gave great
throb. l thought that everyone in thai
great assembly must stop and stare al
us. But the music sounded loudly, the
dancing went on, and no one seemed
to heed us. AS we went down the step.
saw ..Jigger Jim," the village idiot
grimacing and gesticulating and MIN
licking the dancing, with group Of
village folk nodding and applaudine
and urging him on, and l was glad thai
no one had heard Jake's words.
For to me those words were appall.
ing. This was the first time since we
had been married that had ever heart
Jacob utter any thing approaching al
oath. 1t startled me like the light of ,
flame suddenly glaring up red and lurit
in the midst of quiet woodland.
Jacob had been reputed a little wild
good many wise old folk had shool
their heads when we came together. L
was said he had run through with al
his thrifty fathers money, had beer
wasteful and speculative and dissi
pated, and had none of the thrifty
qualities and forehandedness deemed
so essential among the orderly farming
people of Laurel neighborhood. SomS
said I would surely repent If I married
him. Had the time for repentance
come nowe