Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-07-15

strange to him at first, for do not be-
lieve that anybody had ever given him a
kind word until he came to Meadow
Brook
But he made ladders for her flower
vines to run on. and got shells for the
borders, and propped up the dahlias, and
did thousand other things which took
them out in the garden after supper, and
which made them the best of friends.
Lucy had a playful, childish way about
her that made her seem much younger
than she was; then she was small of her
age, so that at fifteen she did not seem a
bit older than YOU are, Cora.
Well, she rode on the top of Justin ;
hay cart, and helped him husk corn in
the barn, and pretty soon the farmer no
ticed change in Justin.
He got him new suit of clothes, and
his face lost its down look, and after har-
vesting Farmer Reid made him an offer
to tarry all winter.
So Justin stayed with the farmer four
years. Then he had a good offer some
where in New York State, and concluded
to stop for the winter only.
Lucy Reid had grown into a young wo-
man by this time, and handsomer one,
children, these dim eyes never looked up
on. | don't know how it happened, for
Lucy might have had her pick among the
BOYS for miles around but somehow she
took to Justin; and when he left they
were engaged to be married one year
from that time.
"Why, Grandma Dean! You amt go
ing to stop now" cried Cora, in alarm ;
for the old lady had laid down her knit
ting.
NO, my child" she said, moving her
spectacles and wiping her eyes; but the
rest is a sad story, and | must hurry over
it. don't exactly know how it hap
pcned, but that winter Lucy's father got
into terrible lawsuit with Squire
Wheeler. There was some flaw in the
title, and the people said it was plain that
the old man should let the homestead 90.
They said, too, he'd never survive 1t,
and better, perhaps he never had, than
kept it as he did; but one day Squire
Wheeler, to all the neighborhood aston
ishmcnt rode over to the farm.
What he did there was never exactly
known. but in little while it was ru-
morcd that the suit was withdrawn, and
next spring Lucy Reid was to be married
TO his son, Stillman Wheeler. And so it
was. One bright March day, she went
to the old church yonder and gave herself
10 him.
He was good-looking man, but never
ovcrsmart, the ncighbors whispered, and
always thought that it was his father 5
money more than anything else that kept
him up.
but Justin, Grandma Dean-what
became of him.
There is dark look about the whole
matter. Lucy was made the victim OF
some terrible falsehood. never blamed
her father, for the losing of the home
stead seemed completely to shatter him.
only know that Squire Wheeler and
his son were at the bottom of it, and that
Lucy Ried went to the altar believing that
Justin had been false to her.
Dear me, how drcadful,-did he ever
come back
'.N'es. the next May Lucy had been
a wife two months. Justin had not heard
of her marriage. She was at home visit
ing her father. When she first saw hin
she fell down like one stricken with fit
But he carried her into the house and
there learned all. Both had been de-
ceivcd.
1t was a terrible scene the old front
room witnessed. Justin sworc vengeance
and it was not till, with clasped hand,
and streaming eyes, the young wife kncli
to the only man she ever loved, and plead
ed for the life of her husband that he
promised, for her sake, to spare his life.
But from the day of Justin visit Lucy
was changed woman. All the light
and gladncss of her being seemed dead
in her. She moved about her house pale
and quiet, with look of patient suffer
ing in her once sunny eyes, that made my
heart ache to behold.
And her husband-did she ever tel
him what she had learned:
Il think not. His father and Lucy:
had died in less than two years after the
marriage. The squire was much les
wealthy than was supposed. The mex
spring Lucy and her husband moveC
West and somehow people lost sight o
them.
And JUSTIN
"You know the rest, my child Ht
became a moody, unhappy man, asking
no sympathy and giving none. But hi
was always smart at bargain in a few
years he had laid up enough to buy Dea
| Platt's farm when his son went south.
Ever since he has added acres to hi
land and hundreds to the bank; out fo
all that he is a man soured toward all hi
race, man who was never known t
give little child smile or beggar
crust of bread.
have sometimes thought his hear
was like desert, without a tree to SHADE
or stream to gladden. it. And yet i
bore bright blossom once; and, believ,
me children, for it is the word of an ole
woman who has seen and known much o
the ways of man, it is always so. Tn,
heart may be a great Wilderness, but il