Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-09-08

bear up under lif2's burden while she
has the strong prop of a mans love to
lean upon. But it the prop breaks it is
well for her if the burdens do not crush
her altogether Fanny, however, was not
without a certain quiet fortitUde, She
ielt that her prop was giving way and
nerved herself to do without it,
Fanny" said Mrs. Kennaway, one
evening, as the young dressmakcr sat
sewing in her window seat, you are not
looking well, my child ] wish William
would come and take you out, lie hasn't
b zen here very often lately, has he?'
" No. mother, not very often
d" think YOU are working too hard,
continued the poor woman, signing, 81
get well very slowly, Fanny, and the
beef tea and port wine cost a great deal,
I've made up my mind child, to write to
\ my brother at last
"But, mother, you'll be d~readfuljy
distressed il he doen't answer, And YOU
have often said that he would never for
! give YOU for marrying poor father
Give been a widow for nearly five
years, Fanny. Surely Steven can bury
the old grievances in my husband ;
grave"
" You know best, mother. But father
always spoke of him as a hard man,
Well, at any rate, | shall make an
attempt to soften him. Don't try to
talk me out oft, Fanny, | believe it is
the right thing to do
Fanny held her peace, but she had
little hope that her uncle Fenwick
would reply to his siste's letter, She
knew that he was a rich city merchant,
several years older than her mother, but
She had never seen him, and had founded
/ her opinion of his character solely on her
fathers dislike to him. The late Mr..
/ keunlway had been one of those men
who have a natural turn for borrowing
money, and are generally severe on the
| friends who refuse TO lend. Perhaps
| Mrs. Kennaway had taken some pains to
hide the fathers faults from the chiId's
ewes, fer Fanny had never discovered
them.
Now, Fanny said honest Mrs.
Marks, bouncing into the little room,
/" to.morrow's Saturday, and you are 60
Ing to have a whole holiday, Every
thing. planned, so you may leave: oft
shaking your head, Mary Baker has
promised to come and sit with your mo-
Their. Ny man and | have arranged to
take YOU right otto Durant Farm, where
my sister lives
Mr.. Marks and her husband were the
Kenuaways' next door n~eigbbors, They
were a endless couple, and instead of
wasting their affections on dogs and
parrot, they looked out for young people
who needed love and sympathy. Fanny
had 10 idea they knew all about her
sorrow. She did not realize how easy il
is for shrewd eyes to read the signs Of a
sick heart
Early the next morning a hired chalst
ratified out of George steet, containing
Fanny and her two friends. Of courst
it could not be quite Il perfect holiday
without William; but the girl enjoyed
fresh air and rest, and was grateful fol
kindness. Is was a long drive, and wher
they reached the farm house Mrs. Marx.
declared that Fanny had picked ~
wonderfully, 4 day or two in tn,
country, she said, would put a littl'
color into those pale cheeks, and brighter
the eyes that were dull with watching
and working, All, poor Fanny.
Durant farm stands upon the out
skirts of a wood, which has always beeI
l a f%ayoritc haunt with picnic parIie,
I The fates had decrced that the Derry
5 should give a picnic that day; it wa
early in September, and townfolk wante
r to make the most of the waning summer
| Miss Julia Derry wore an entirely ne'
costume, bought for the occasion, and
charming rustic hat adorned with poppiC
I and wheat ears. 1t was very agrecabl
to be admired, even by a mere merchant
I clerk, and she lavished her sweete.
smiles on William Parr.
, Arm in arm the pair stralled ava
4 from the rest Of the party. He talke
nonsense and she laughed and listent
l and led him on, without a thought b
70 yond the hours amusement, She W
wiser in this worlds ways than tool:
William, whose vanity had been tickle
until he really believed that he ha
: made a conquest. He was bending dow
, to his companion, with flushed chez
and sparkling eyes, when a turn in Il
path suddenly brought them face to ia
i with Mrs, Marks and Fanny kennawa
a Even then things might have turn,
out well, if William had only been trl
!, to himself. But there was Fanny in h
e shabby everyday gown, and the bonn
had gone completely out OF tashio.
and there was the superb Julia hangil
1t on Parr'sarm, and quizzing his betroth
'e with naughty eyes. The worst part
ID the young mans nature came uppermC
as at that moment. He gave one qui
Iy glance at Fanny, and then swept {
without be:towing even a bow of recC
It, milton on the little dressmaker.
st Well" said Mrs. Marks, drawing
S; long breath Il only wonder that
earCh don't open and swallow him up
Fanny took her lovers desertion il
very quite way. She knew that the E
be had come, and did not try to get q
al comfort out of a dead hope. When
No fire had gone out she is a wise won
Iv who sets herself to take away the as
i. and clean out the CRATE, ever when
M knows her hearthstone will be cold
,is many a year afteaward. Our iii
no dressmaker went on sewing and snipp
ak as usual, saying never a word about
Ir trouble,
We Meanwhile the household burd
ut were lightened. Mr. Fenwick wrot
Id kind reply to his sisters letter, and
ak closed Il sum large enough to supply
with all she required.
vet "Iou a get yourself a new &c
a now, Fanny" said her mother, Cheerful
ed "It has made my heart ache to see
he wearing that old gray thing. | like
eft little glrl to be well dressed"
ok Brave Fanny! If a sick heart W
it pered that it didn't matter what
he wore nowadays, she never needed
on voice; she chose the material with
oh much care as if it had been the stuff
her wedding dress, and set about max
nd it up in her best style. When it
i? finished Mrs. Marks came in and
er, olutely cleared away the signs of We
ng and then sent Fanny upstairs to put
no the new gown and 60 out walk