The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-05-12


This was the old parsonage; my uncle
lived here, with little or no salary. He
didn't care for that; he came here to do
good, to show people the road to heaven,
there was no church, then, for miles
around, and he had money of his own.
Nv mother and | came with him, and
after she died we two lived on here to-
gether and he taught me all | know, it
isn't much But when | was fifteen he
came home one day from the city, where
he had gone on business, and told me
that some wicked people had ruined him,
that his good work was ended; and he
threw his head back, sitting on his arm
chair, and gasped once or twice, and !
was all alone, quite, quite alone After
that, people came aud looked at the place
and the Thornleys among them; and
was little moping beggar, knowing not
which way to turn, and the Thornleys
offered to keep me for maid-of-all-Tork
for food and clothing. There was moth
ing else for me to do, and the neighbors
ali said it was a providence; but since
then have struck for higher wages and
now / have day-dreams. When l get
enough money | mean to go away to
school, even if Pm old as the hills, and
then maybe | can do something nicer
than to churn and cook for my daily
bread"
"And you have saved something"
"a hundred dollars already"
Baxter smiled. "And when do you ex'
pect to have enough to set out and seek
your fortune?" =,
"Do YOU think it will take very longY
she asked, anxiously. "Shall be toe
odT
81 should think not" he replied, still
smiling to himself.
This was not the first walk Baxter anC
Polly had taken together, neither was
this the last confidence reposed in eacl
other.
"You two do seem to have an everlast
ing lot of talk together" commented
Hannah, "and Polly amt no talkel
neither; and what's queer, you always
come to full stop when body catches
up to you." She had Just overtaker
them on the highway, as it happened
; though usually Miss Hannah's interrup
tons were not owing to chance. NJ
sooner did she see them strolling off to
gether after work was over than sh'
= slipped out the sinkroom door with un
dignified haste, took short cut through
: the woods, and joined them as if she wer
returning from asneighbor's.
YOU'D oughter not take to trampin!
round the country so much with Baxter,
she advised Polly on one occasion; "folk
, will begin to talk about you"
Talk about me? What can they say?'
asked Polly.
"They'll say Baxter's making fool o
} you, and they won't be far wrong
"Why should he wish to make fool o
: mc% persisted Polly, the tears gatherin!
in her eyes, "Why should he take tn
+ trouble%'
: at amt no troube-it's amusing
: You're an easy victim, ] reckon"
After that Polly made an excuse whel
Baxter asked leave to go with her on a
, crrand, or begged her to step outside o
: fine twiIights and listen tohcr whip-pool
l wills; she had always stint to finish, th
: bread to mix, the milk to set, or som
t homely duty to detain her. An olde
5 woman than Polly would have seen tina
: Miss Hannah herself had set her hear
upon Baxter, followed him about like hi
shadow, courted him with sweetmeat'
and tlattered him within an inch OF hi
life. Baxter's that cute about place
it's a pity he wasn't born twins" she use
to declare.
Though he be tramp" Thornle
t would add.
; But il was loves labor lost. Her fla
/ teries fell upon unheeding ears, as sll
was not slow to discover. By painful d.
b grees her keen eyes took in the situation
y and her emotions changed, as the case b
: came hopeless, from love to hatred; 81
:? seemed to echo the poets assertion:
t ITO love you was pleasant enough
But, oh It's delicious to hate you'll"
a Neither was Polly's existence mat
/ more agreeable just at this time. Ha
it nah's amusement was to thwart Baxter
e his love-making, to send him a wild-goo
G chase of a mile or two in the wrong dire
ton, to put stumbling blocks in the wa
IS But she did not stop here; she suggest
+, to Thornley's slow mind the possibili
If of an elopement, of duty neglect
st "along of spooning upon Polly"
DO we know anything about Baxte
)" Did he have recommendation" s.
m darklv insinuated. Didn't l cautio
lie YOU against taking him in? If you lo
)" anything through him and Polly, dol
OF lay it to my door, that's all"
le Him and Polly" gasped Thornlt
"Baxer!"
ne Hannah had hit the mark at la
ed Blessings brighten as they take thu
n flight. Polly might have lived at Tho
an ley Farm for a century, and Thornl
no never have found out that she was deal
he to him than Hannah, till some one e
nd should threaten to claim her. AT
be that Baxter could do nothing to plei
him; he lay in wait and watched
ke lovers as a cat watches mouse, and "
rd ried them as cruelty.
One evening Miss Hannah entered
r" room where Polly was sitting in the t
la light.
ou plotting mischief, I reckon she sa
care you fond of darkness, Polly, 'ca
2" your deeds are evil? Strike light, G
I'd roll of crisp bank bills in my ha
an hour ago-'Squire Emery paid
t." butter bill this afternoons; / put 'em
un my gown pocket when Hiram called
to turn the grin'stone-and they're 60
MT Now you needn't tell me they're g
M without hands"
yer "There has been no pickpocket h'
Miss Hannah"
) a "Ain't there? When you take folks
out of the highway, without no rec'
yd, mendation, how do you know what IL