The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-11-21
ood. He must be powerful anxious 10
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hhN" hin hhAiNNJ Won Nhishs w ~
by Vioets love OF last driving, but we
did indeed find the poor woman tuckepd
out, as she said, when we reached home,
In spite OF the spinal renovator she grEw
worse day by day, and on Saturday she
took to her bed, Betsy had TO put by
her shears and attend to the house, and
though the scrubbing and securing were
somewhat abated, there was a 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 II biting tom
que, and that WAS quiet enough in one
of the upstairs rooms, where the help
less woman lay many weary day, at
tended by Betsy and Mr.. Higgins, who
took the nursing in turn, aud 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 a hearty partaki"g OF the numerous
good things about the place. ThetaiIOr-
ing for the present was held in abeyance,
AZ Betsy said "there was no knowing
what mought happen, and the panta'oon
stuH being OF purplish' gray, could do for
the boys in case of any sudden ordering
of Providence, while she could turn
John Higgins black ones, and make 'em
e'n.a' most ~ good as new,"
"This "orderin' OF Providence" began
to take 80 practical shape in the minds
of these simple people that | found to my
CONSERVATION they were even tore sla'-
ling the awful capabilities Of the future
in 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
collar. And there was remarkable
speculation in his eyes when they rested
upon Violet that frightened her as well
~ myself.
One night, narrowly escaping him in
the hallway, Violet ran into me quite
pale and trembling "Oh, Lide, let's 60
home. Please take me home"
"With ali my heart, Vi" and the
very next day we started for the city.
Mrs. Higgins was too i'll to be dis
lurbed, 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-
manized There was a sort of pathos in
the broken smile with which he listened
t. ViOlet's conversation.
We had reached the top of the steep
hill 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 Higgins's
hands was our destiny, and 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. IT was no time for display of
girlish vanity Of any sort; we might all
have been tumbled to the bottom of the
ravine in the twinkling OF an eye. When
! think of it now | shudder, AZ well |
may.
Violet was subdued and gentle, and
heaven forgave her when she bade the
farmer goodbye, her voice trembled and
the color fed from her face. As for
poor Higgins, there was 81 core Il 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
and upon our arrival, who
should be there to meet us but our prin-
cipal, Mr.. Baxter! We were hurried
into cab, and Mr.. Baxter's peculiar air
of ownership with violet was soon ex-
planned by his remark that ! might
AS we'll give my consent to his happiness
and Violet's, that she had sent TOR him
to be there, and wouldn't kindly make
The best of it?
bowed gravely without word, and
that night Violet and | had serious
talk together.
81 think | had better be married at
once, Lide," said Violet. "My endeav-
Drs to cultivate the human race are, like
all missions of this kind, sometimes
fraught with danger. Oh, Lide," said
Violet, with 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,
mad lost presence OF mind in that die
81 was afraid So" | replied, "and
took long breath when | saw you sit
close TO Higgins again. Now, vi, | for
give you on one condition-that this is
your very last offer of marriage"
MY very last, Lide, promise you"
But it happened that; some months
later on, Violet and l were sewing away
at the wedding fnery that Uttered our
room, when there was 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
H. the glass, pulled her curls down over
her forehead. smoothed out her dress,
put some roses in her hair, and noddi1g
to me with pretty blush, fed lightly
down stairs.
Zen minutes later she came back 10 me
pale and trembling; the roses had fallen
from her hair and fed from her cheeks;
.he clasped her hand, with an air OF dis.
traction.
$50 down, Lide," she faltered-"de
20 down and get rid OF him if you can.
Don't stop a moment. There ia person