The Osceola times., 1878-11-16
coed. He must be powerful anxious b.
got homa l sm all in tslly.

H9t nOmd 1 ein al III ysuy.
knew his anxiety Was chiefly begot
| by Vislets love o, last driving, but We
did iudsed find the poor woman tuckered
| out, as che ssid, when we reached hon
! In spite of the spinal renovstor she grew
worse day by day, and on Saturday she
| took to her bed. Betsy had 10 put by
her shears and attend to the house, and
though the scrubbing and securing were
somewhat abated, there was wondrous
improvement in the domestic atmos-
| phere. All the place ever wanted TO
make it a paradise of homely comfort
and cheer. was peace from biting ton
que, and that WAS quiet enough in one
| of the upstairs rooms, where the help
les. woman lay many weary day, at
tended by Betsy and Mr.. Higgins, who
took the nursing in turn, and bore II
with cheerful resignation. Instead OF
| the sour face OF the farmers wife, there
shone now at the head of the table the
rosy one of Betsy Crouch; and every
day it grew more and more rubicund,
what with tasting the domestic wines
and hearty psrtski"g of the numerous
good things about the place. The tailor
ing for the present was held in allegiance,
rs Betsy said "there was no knowing
what mought happen, and the pantaloon
stuff being OF purplish. gray, could do for
the boys in case of any sudden ordering
of Providence, while sbe could turn
John Higgins black ones, and make 'em
e'n-a most as good rs new"
"Ths 'orderin' of Providence" began
to take so practical a shape in the minds
of these simple people that ! found to my
CONSERVATION they were even fore stall
ling the awful capabilities of the future
in a way that shocked my less frank and
more fastidious taste. Mr.. Higgins grew
more and more solemn every day, but
kept his stockings on and always wore a
collsr. And there was remarkable
speculation in his eyes when they rested
upon Violet that frightened her as well
as myself.
One night, narrowly escaping him in
the hallway, Violet ran into me quite
pale and trembling. "Oh, Lide, let's 20
home. Please take me home"
"With all my heart, W." and the
very next day we started for the city.
Mrs. Higgins was too i'll to be dis
turbed. but the rest OF the household
took our departure sorely to heart, the
children calling after US TO come back
again, and kindly tears rolling down the
honest face of Betsy Crouch as she open
ed the gate for the farmer to drive his
horses through. His hands were un-
steady and his face Was pale through
the tan and freckles. A singu ar change
had come to the farmer. He was cleaner,
he was quieter, he was wonderfully hu-
msnzed. There was sort of pathos in
the broken smile with which he listened
t. Violet's conversation.
We had reached the top of the steep
hin that overlooked the stage road
Violet looked eagerly for the yellow
numbering wheels OF the coach that was
| TO speed us on our way. ] was some-
what charmed and terrified with the
grandeur of the ravine, on either side of
us. One false tug of the reins and we
we're done for; in Farmer Hiegins's
hands was our destiny, aad his hands
had been very unsteady. At this pre-
carious part of our journey he turned and
looked at Violet, who shrank for mo-
ment from his side; and | confess was
glad, when he leaned over her and spoke
very low--I was glad to see her bow her
head and get back steadily in her seat
again. 1t was no time for q display of
glrlish vanity Of any sort we might all
have been tumbed to the bottom of the
ravine in the twinkling OF an eye. When
think of it now / shudder, as well
NAV.
Violet was subdued and gentle, and
heaven iorgave her when she bade the
farmer goodbye, her voice trembled and
the color fed from her face. As for
poor Higgins, there was 30 sore strug.
gle in his rugged features one could not
tell the emotion that had the mastery.
Violet gained her color and her spirits AT
the first sweep of the steamboats, wheel
cily-ward and upon our arrival, who
should he there TO meet US bat our prin-
cipal, Mr.. Baxter! We were hurried
into cab, and Mr.. Bsxter's peculiar air
of ownership with violet was soon ex.
planned by his remark that l might
as we'll give my consent to his hsppines.
and Violets, that she had sent for him
to be there, and wouldn't l kindly make
the best of it?
bowed gravely without word, and
that night Violet and | had a serious
talk together.
al think | had better be married at
once, Lide," said Violet "My endeav-
ors to cultivate the human race are, like
all missions OF this kind, sometimes
frsught with danger. Oh, Lide," said
Violet, with a sudden tremor OF terror,
"we might have been thrown off that
horrible rock, and horses, Higgins, trunks
and all come to sudden and awful grief,
had lost presence OF mind in that die
extremity"
81 was afraid so," ] replied, "and
took a long breath when | saw you sit
close TO Higgins again. Now, vi, for
| give you on one condition-that this il
your very last offer of marriage"
MY very last, Lide, promise you"
But 1t happened that; sons months
later on, Violet and l were sewing away
at the wedding fnery that Uttered our
room, when there was q ring at the
boarding house bell, and presently the
maid knocked at our door with the mes.
sage that visitor was waiting for Miss
Violet in the parlor We both thought
it was Mr.. Baxter, and violot, running
to the glass, pulled her curls down over
her forehead. smoothed out her dress,
put some roses in her hair, and noddi,g
to me with q pretty blush, fed lightly
| down stairs.
Ten minutes later she came back TO me
pale and trembling; the roses had fallen
from her hair aud fed from her cheeks;
she clasped her hands with au air OF dis.
traction.
$50 down, Lide," she faltered-"de
no doxn and net rid of him IL xou can