Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-07-06

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you ? Didn't you know that my
uncle always allowed this-ay, and +
the Wheatlands from immemorial !?
We have never ground the faces of
the poor. / saw you raise your
whip threateningly, if / am not
mistaken. By Jove, if you were
not an older man than myself, I'd
thrash you within an inch of your
life ~
All of a sudden the angry voice
ceased, and the speaker, turning to
Edith, addressed her in tones as soft |
as woman's:
"My poor child" it said, "don't |
mind old JupP-I am master here.
Take up your sickle and cut as much |
wheat
He stopped suddenly. Edith, up
to this point, had stood with bowed
figure, half unconscious, 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 thrilled and abashed the be-
holder. Young Wheatland, for
such was the horseman, was one of
| the handsomest men of the day
and he was accustomed to admira-
ton; but Edith's glance seemed to
say, ''Surely you are more than hui
man; you are some knight of chiv-
airy come to rescue me from a foul
enchanter."
1t was this that filled him with
| strange, wild feeling of happiness,
such as no WOman's glance had ever
! before awakened. But on the other
hand, instead of finding himself in
the presence of a village rustic, as
he had expected, and as the dress
led him to believe, he beheld, to
his amazement, face not only of
rare beauty, but one instinct with
that inherent as well as acquired
refinement, which, for want of
better word, is called high-bred.
This, he saw at once, was no mere
village girl, but a young princess in
disguise. And he had offered such
a one aims! He had spoken to her
as if she were a mental! His usual
ease of manner failed him. He sat
there dumb, as if himself the Gull
prit.
EulCn broke Il6 spell.
ooh, sir !" she cried with sob,
clasping her hands and looking up
at him imploringIy, ST meant no
harm. I used to see other people
do what l did. And-and-we-
were starving mother and L"
Young Mr.. Wheatland turned
aside for moment to brush away
a tear. Looking up, he saw Jupp's
gaze fastened on him, and there was
a sneer on the lawyers face.
The young man cOlored angrily.
"Ride on, if you please, sir" he
said, sternly, to the lawyer. 81
wish to say something to the young
lady alone"
The lawyer obeyed, feeling, per-
haps that he had gone too far, and
wishing he had never seen Edith.
Then young Mr.. Wheatland, lift
ing his hat to Edith, as if she had
been a princess, said, 81 beg a
thousand pardOns. l shall settle
with Jupp to-day, and discharge
him. Believe me, | would not, for
worlds, that this had happened"
"Oh, sir, don't on my account
quarrel with him." cried tender
hearted Edith. "He was only doing
what he thought his duty. Besides
-besides-n
"Besides what ?" kindly.
"Besides, he holds the mortgage
on our cottage, and it might make
him harder on us than ever"
mortgage on your cottage! Is
it," he said, as if a certain light had
broken on him, "the little house
down in the meadow ??
A mute nod of assent was the re-
ply:
Ter. You dOn't-you don't mean to
say the rascal has been threatening
you about that?
"He is to sell the place next
month";" answered Edith, looking
down, and feeling, oh, how humili-
ated.
Something very like an execra-
ton half broke from Mr.. Wheat
lands lips. 1t might, perhaps, have
been one but for the presence of
Edith.
He stopped from his saddle and
offered her his hand.
Goodbye for the present, Miss
Miller" he said "but tell your
mother she need not worry herself
about the mortgage. |, not Jupp,
can alone dispose of it. l used to
know your father when | was a boy,
and down here; and l shall ever
respect anyone who bears his NAME"
With this he lifted his hat again,
wheeled his horse, and spurred after
the discOmftted lawyer"
The whole village was in a stir
the next day with news that young
Wheatland, the heir Of the Wheat
land estates, had returned from Eu-
rope, where he had been at his
uncle's death; had come down to
Shepperton the evening but one be-
fore; had quarreled with his dis
charged lawyer, Jupp, and had
given out that he intended to reside
at Wheatland Hall, on the home
farm, thenceforth, and to look per-
SOnally after his affairs. But we
anticipate.
How Edith got home from the
harVeSt-fieId she never afterwards
could tell. All she remembered
, was that she had rushed into the
, house, and flung herself on her
knees by the side of the bed, and
| nau SODDSu OUT Wllulyy OH,
mother! mother dear, the cottage
isn't going to be sold. | have his
: word for it.
1t had been nearly an hour after
that before she could rally her dazed
faculties sufficiently to give her
mother a coherent narrative of what
: had transpired. She had scarcely
, finished when there was knock at
!, the door, and a boy from the store
keeper brought several parcels, con-
tanning tea, sugar, coffee, biscuits,
, a ham and various other edibles.
master says as how he heard the
missus was i'll, ;" said the boy, land
so he sent these things, reckoning as
how you was too busy to come and
, order 'em. You can pay for 'em
, when times is better, and you can
have as much as you like after this"
If Edith had a suspicion that
some kind intercessor had caused
, this credit to be given to her, she
, had no proof. She pondered over
the problem as she prepared a hasty
meal for her mother, and had just
cleared the table when there was a
knock at the door, and on opening
: it she saw a high-bred middle-aged