Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-05-29

to see this day. -e ta. ~. .-s..f ...,.f.-.t
Edith herself was at the end or her re-
sources. For awhile she lay PROSTATE
On the bed, where she had flung herself
beside her mother, the two mingling
their tears. r7 OH .U.o-b
But the brave girl rallied at last. She
remembered that there was nothing in
the house to eat and that she had no
money to buy anything with. At first
she thought of going to the village store
and begging for little more credit, but
when she recalled how CURLY this had
been refused only a week before, she
abandoned the idea in despair
, Suddenly it flashed upon her that the
wheat was being cut upon the great
Wheatland farms. In the squire's time,
the poor had been allowed to come with
a sickle and cut what they wished 1t
was a scriptural custom which the
Wheatlands had maintained from father
to son for generations. The old squire
was dead, but Edith had no doubt that
the privilege would still be accorded;
aud, looping UP her skirts to look as
much like one other rustic neighbors as
possible, she took sickle and went forth
like Ruth of DID, >a +. 7".'.
Her heart did not begin to fail her I'M
til Just before she reached the harvest
fields, when she remembered that the
heirs of the squire, whoever they were,
were said to be abroad, and that Mr..
Jupp was their agent. ..,. g.
=" New men, new measures said she,
and stopped at the gate with a beating
heart. 9 What if | am driven OFF, m
But the thought of her sick mother
and the empty cupboard made her des-
perate. She opened the gate and went
in.
The reapers were sweeping on ahead
in a long, graceful line; others, far be-
hind, were binding up sheaves, and an
overseer, or what seemed one. was on
horseback, directing operations.
Edith began in corner, near the gate,
far away from the rest. She looked fur
lively now and then toward the overseer,
and seeing that he had noticed her, yet
did not interfere, she gathered up more
courage.
If she could have seen herself then, in
a mirror, though the least vain of her sex,
she would have been startled at her
own beauty. Excitement had given a
bright glow to her cheek and an even
increased brilliancy to her eyes. Her
half-rustic attire, coarse as it was, was
admirably adapted toset off her beautl-
full figure; her white arms shone daz-
lingly; every movem ent was grace.
Suddenly a harsh voice behind her
cried: ...... ...f..
"None of that! Throw down your
sickle, Well have no thieves herer"
Edith dropped her sickle, trembling
all over, and looked around. Mr. Jupp
stood there, also on horseback, and his
whip was raised menacingly. Edith
shrank back; her knees gave way under
her; the harvest field swan around her;
she grew blind she thought she was dy-
ing. She had but one feeling, one
thought the man was about to strike
her. Oh, the degradation of it, worse
even than his words of insult. B.
But she did not faint. Just AS every
thing whirled dizzily around her, just as
she was losing consciousness, the quick
thud of a horse was heard galloping over
the stubble, and stern voice addressed
Jupp: @ .W +. ta .
"What are you saying to this girl %
it cried angrily "Not telling her to go
away? How dare you Didn't you
this and the Wheatlands from
time immemorial? We have never
ground the faces of the poor. | saw
you raise your whip menacinglv, if |
am not mistaken. By Jove, if you were
not an older man than myself I would
thrash you within an inch of your
life ~
All of sudden the angry voice
ceased, and the speaker, turning to
Edith, addressed her in tones, soft as a
woman's; .......
my poor child" it said, "don't
mind Jupp-I'm master here. Take
up your sickle and cut as much
wheat" .........'I p esna.-
He stopped suddenly. Edith. up to
this point, had stood with bowed figure.
half-rmconscious, her gaze bent in shame
on the ground, but touched by these
kind words. and even more by the tone,
she lifted her eyes, full Of tears, and
gazed at the speaker.
In that look there was something
that both thrilled and abashed the be-
holder Young Wheatlands, for such
was the horseman, was one of the
handsomest men of his day, and he
was accustomed to admiration; but
Edith s glance seemed to say" Surely
you are more than human; you are
some knight of chivalry- come to rescue
me from foul enchanter." "o So
1t was this that thrilled him with
strange, wild feeling of happiness, such
as no woman's glance, had ever before
awakened. But on the other hand, in
stead of finding himself in the presence
Of a village rustic, as he had expected,
and as the dress led him until this very
moment to believe, he beheld, to his
amazement,1 not only a face of rare
beauty, but one instinct with that in
herited and acquired refinement, which
for want Of g better word, is called
highbred. This, he saw at. once, was
no mere village girl, but young
princess in disguise. And he had offered
such one aims J. He had spoken to