Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-12-06

Don't scold! Oh, my head, my head!"
moaned poor Mrs. Chetwynd.
All the time En- was silent, though
her troubles were equally important
why not, she was only En-.
There's no hope of ever getting out
OF this" reiterated Garcia, in lower
tone.
My dears," family essayed their
mother, you forget your Aunt Bethia." "
" Oh, she will leave her money to an
institution for providing nondescript
dogs with silver collars and patent ven
tilated dog Kennels" cried Grace, who
was the witty one Of the family.
" l don't know why you should be so
scornful to your aunt, my dear girls.
She is eighty years old now, and has al
ways treated you civilly, though not
seeking your society. She is feeble,
and prefers seclusion and her pets to
more exacting society. I, myself, have
no doubt that she will remember you
both-all remembering Em) in her
will Now be comforted with that idea,
and don't fret any more to-day. 1t
quite wears me out"
The summer went by. Ems hands
grew hard, and her young body so
weary, that she often could not sleep
at night for the aching of her limbs;
but she infused into the family what
little comfort and content existed in it.,
and no one complained of her lot but
John Melvin.
The three young men usually came
out on the train every Saturday night,
walked from the station and spent Sun
day at Strawberry Farm. Melvin saw
Elm growing thin and pale, and he very
well understood the reason.
Its too bad-a burning shame They
will kill you among them, EN-. Why
cant Grace take care of your mother,
and Garcia help do the .housework and
sewing"
Grace can't be broken of her rest at
night. Mamma always takes nourish-
ment in the night. and it would be too
hard to get up. Garcia does help lit
tie with the housework, but she don't
know how to cook, and don't like to
sew; it makes her side ache"
"Umph! | don't suppose your side
ever aches, En-? You are made of cast
iron, aren't you? You look like it. See
here! who weeded that onion bed?"
L did"
Il knew it. Easy, isn't it?''
No; it's rather hard-that is to work
all the afternoon, when ones little
tired to start with. But our neighbor,
Farmer Stebbins, advised us to work
the garden. The vegetables help along
with the living in the winter We got
it planted, and l take care of it.
"That's enough. | won't stand it,
En-! I'm gong to manage some way
to take you away out of this"
"Oh, oh" cried Garcia, dancing into
the open doorway. Aunt Bethia' S
dead, and she's provided for us all in
her will
Garcia" cried En-. starting up and
turning pale, " Garcia, don't speak so.
"Well, I'm delighted, and there's no
use pretending anything else. Come in
and here the letter read.
So they all went into the next room:
the letter had just arrived from Penn
sylvania, where Aunt Bethia had lived
many years, though it was not her ma
tive place. Her will had been left in
care of her lawyer. who, upon her death
which had been uncomplimented by Wis
its at her request, had written to hel
deceased brothers family informing
them of the dowries. The singularity
was, that while they were named, they
were not respectively presented.
We are to take our choice" crleC
Garcia
Stop" said Mrs. Chetwynd, leaning
upon her pillows and reading the letter
with flushed face, while En- regarded
her anxiously. 1T is recommended
that the eldest daughter take the unim
proved Pennsylvania land. That's you
Grace
L won't have it, cried Grace. 81
am going to have the Gothic cottage OF
the Hudson!"
Recommended" went on Mrs. Chet
wynd, reading, " that the next take the
Hudson River estate"
Grace has that | am going to have
the prairie-f farm and new house ou
West I'd like to 60 West Jack ant
Tom are doing rst-rate-making for
tune Lieutenant Egbert shall leave
the army and turn farmer-he wa
brought up on farmland III keel
house in the Western style, and yol
shall all come and partake of my hospi
tality once year!" cried Garcia, gener
ously.
But the Western estate is recon
mended to EN-" hesitated Mrs Chet
wynd.
And those old marshy Pennsylvani;
lands left to mel cried Garcia angrily
That is just as you and En- can agree,
interposed Mrs Chetwynd. Don't ge
into passion, Garcia
They all looked at En-. She, rathe
than the others, seemed quite suited t.
be the mistress of a Western farmhouse
and it certainly was home, and woul
enable the owner to marry nicely; Johl
Melvin, too, preferred to go West 70
practice. En- stood silent and pale
IF EN- wants it, she must have it,
suppose" said Mrs. Chetwynd.
"Yes" cried Garcia, and | hav
nothingl Be doomed to stay and die i
this hole! Take it, En-. OF course yo
will"
En- had involuntarily looked up a
John Melvin. He felt the delicacy Q
interfering, but his momentary gaz
seemed to bid her hold her rights. Blu
at Garcias stormy words she startet
and her patient eyes dilated with pal
as she looked at her sister.
No, no, Garcia, it is harder for yo
to stay here than for me- You sha
have the new house and be married
John and | can wait while longer"
She looked up at him cheerfully, bu
he turned white with bitter disappoint
ment. AS for Garcia, she had not eve
the grace to be grateful to her siste
She only exclaimed, pettishly:
"Wait? | could wait as well as 70,
if there was anything to wait for. l al
not an old maid yet, if you are tiv
years the youngest, EN-
Yes, that is the way they took all he
sacrifices. For Garcia, of course, too
the beautiful, highly cultivated West
ern ihome, and En- was left with tn
marshes.
Grace and Garcia were marie,
, Neither of them offered to assume tn
care of their invalid mother, who woul
certainly be an invalid all her day
They considered that Ems work Will
out doubt.
Well the life at Strawberry Farl
was little easier after they were gon
certainly; and often while finding no be
ter opening, John Melvin and En- cam
IL .L;,,l, +bot - p,;0ht do for a hop,n T.,