Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-11-21
tsBut what will you do without us,

"But what will you do without. us,
we make too long a stayp'' as' 'l',i ii.'5,s
"Don't mind about me-. can keel
bachelors hail. he added laughing. Two
weeks after and Mrs. Graham had gone
and Hiram Graham had the house all t,
himself. IL ~ 80 -. ss-,, 3. 1.,.l.
T After the lapse of five weeks he went tt
the station to meet his wife and children
They had enjoyed the most delightful Wis
it, and all were glad and happy, and a.
they drove homeward there was much t.
be told, and may inquiries to be made
As they neared the house Mrs. Graham
looked suddenly forward while her hus
band watched her face and rubbed hi
hands together in quiet glee. What wal
that soft, lustrous gray, cleaning ou
from among the green trees? Was sh'
dreaming? No; it was the house with it,
green shutters and porticos. 'a@ =
"Why, Hiram Graham, what have yor
been doing?'' M 1898 ,sisa1..ass Il
She looked again. 'sAnd picket fence!
And the most charming little gate! And a
graveled walk;;'' and then she couldn't
keep the glad tears from coming. 'f
'Come, Jennie" said Mr.. Graham, teas
ingly, although his own eyes moistened
with sympathetic happiness, s'don't feel so
| glad about it. I may have worse things
yet to show you. There, how does that
suit you % he asked after they had en-
tered the house, pointing. to the bay-wln.
dow. II didn't understand such things,
so got a workman that did; you see it is
all complete, ready for the plants. And
here, . he said, leading the way through
the kitchen and throwing open door, lis
the wood house; and here,n' opening a
door, sis a pantry that can't be beat any,
where. And this is something you didn't
MENTION he continued, approaching a
neat sink in the kitchen; and laying hold
OF the handle of cistern pump that stood
in the one end, up gushed jet of soft
water, which told of a good cistern under
meath. s'Look through the window and
you will see covered drain that carries
away all the waste water. am going to
fix it SO you can irrigate your flower gar
den with it. You see didn't do anything
with these things he said, after they had
entered the sitting room, glancing depre-
catingly toward the dingy colored paper
ing, the dilapidated furniture and thread
bare carpet. would rather trust that to
you. And besides found there was SO
much real enjoyment in it that I would be
generous ana leave some of the pleasure
for you. Here is the money that is left,''
he added, presenting her goodly roll Of
bills. '' '' ''ai'''.-.'1 -'i'@ 9se'f eG'4
One pleasant day in Autumn and all was
complete, and indeed, as Mrs. Graham
said it looked like ga bit of Eden.' II
do believe she said, turning towards her
husband, with a glad bright look in, her
FACET do believe that am just the
happiest woman in the world. t1 =.
He drew her gently to him. 'Jennie,"
he said, ''what were you thinking about
that morning found you churning under
the locust tree, and looking SO intently at
that old stone building on the hill ?" Her
only answer was a merry laugh. .s.f5 r
did you ever think so before?" AL
though he asked the question hesitatingly,
he looked very wistfully into her face for
an answer. --s> s. .s,... q >s.---.
"No, you dear, simple darling, and am
sure never never shall again; and, - look
ing up archly, II didn't then!'' r.,.a., d
I Six years had passed away, and one
bright morning in spring Mr.. Graham en-
tered the house. He had changed in three
years; the slight roughness which had
characterized him previously had worn
away; there was an increased dignity and
manliness in his hearing. His children
had also grown to be constant source of
parental pride and delight. So surely do
our inner natures conform to the plan of
our outward surroundings He held up
paper he had in his hands. ''There," said
he. addressing his wife, sis the deed of
that Southwell forty, clear from, incum-,
brance. IT it had not been for you." he
continued, smiling, 81 should have owned
itlong ago, and the wholeSouthwell farm,
TOO, perhaps. But I thank God that
didn't" he added earnestly. "If had 1
would have been SO close over the work
rack by this time that 1 never would be
able to look up" .s,. ia.,i,.y oI