The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-05

grounds, just completed The picture For
she lad been fairly settled in her cottage
now for six weeks, and it was with no Ittle
| pride that she looked about her. The
neglected apple trees had been trimmed
into neat shape, and BOW were a gorgeous
mass Of pink blossoms. The vines had
been pruned also, and trimmed up, where
they were growing finely, and giving great
promise of fruit Che present ssason. A
large plat Of neglected Strawberries had
been carefully cleaned out. with plants left
at the proper distances, and the whole
top dressed with dne compost The bal
ance OF the garden was most promising
Lettuce, peas, onions, gooseberries, sspara-
gus and in fact everything in the line of
garden fruit and vegetables, we're in Q
thriving condition.
John Marks had proved an invaluable a..
sistant, and Ednas time was fully en-
ployed in overseeing the work, and plan
ming for future operations. katy was with
her, and had the fun cure Of the indoor
work.
Edna had not been permitted 10 choose
her mode Of life unmolested People had
advised, sneered and exclaimed, according
70 their various ways Of viewing the mat-
ter. But Edna had eoolly ignored them
all, and kept resolute,y on, seeing which
many Of her former friends quietly give
her tho cold shoulder. DR.. Gray and
Thorpe Clifford were not among them.
True and steadfast, they stood by her, and
their friendship had smoothed many diff
cuities from her path. She had written to
Leslie Holmes in answer TO one of his let
ters and in It she had told him of the
change in her worldly affairs, and what she
had concluded TO do. Since that time she
had heard no word from him. BE had al
ways answered her letters punctunlly be-
fore, and somehow she felt az though her
strong -mindedness, az Mrs. Horton per-
sisted in calling it, had something to do
with his silence.
With last glance over the garden, she
turned to enter tho sittling-room, where
Chirp was singing his sweetest songs among
the flowers in the window, when she was
arrested by DR.. Grayt rough, hearty
tones.
Viewing your work, chr" he said,
stopping beside her, and casting glance
around. ''Yoa came, you saw, and you
conquered, Madame Edna. Really didn't
think it WIS possible to work such a
transformation as you have accomplished
here"
Il am glad you like the looks Of IT, DR..
Gray. Without your counsel and help,
am afraid I should have had poor success.
If men would accord women more of such
friendship as you have me, we would have
better world than we do"
DR. Gray looked away off where the hills
and the horizon met, and still further
away look in his eyes, and said: =
Il never was much Of lady's man,
Edna slowly and deliberately, 'but 1
have trotted you on my knee many time
years and years ago, aud it is nothing more
than natural that | should take an interest
in you now. Have you heard from Leslie
YETI"
II was the doctors way TO jump from one
subject to another, and the abrupt question
did not surprise Edna.
mo; it has been seven weeks since I
heard from him. wrote him when re-
moved here, informing him of my intend
ed project, but have not received an an
swer yet"
The doctor meditated, but said no more
on the subject aud after stay of half an
hour he took his leave.
'It looks a little suspicious, and YET
don't hardly believe it," he soliloquized as
he went down the path. 81 don't like to
be mistaken when I form an opinion of
any one, and if Leslie Holmes throws Ed
na over because of her go-ahead- a -tiveness.
shall lie, and he will deserve 10 be
Kicked" and the doctor stepped little
brisker, Us if he would find pleasure in ad-
miniStering the punishment, should it be
necessary. ''She'sgot the true grit, i" medi-
tatively, 'tand she's bound to go ahead and
win. She's sensible girl, remarkably
sensible girl, and amt afraid to soil her
fingers to gain an honest living. If Leslie
marries her he will get prize"
With this the doctor climbed into his
buggy and disappeared down the road in
cloud OF dust.
''What shall I do, Edna? Every dollar
is gone-cyen the roof over my head lis not
my own"
''All gone, aunte 1t seems as though
something must be left"
mo, everything is swept away. It was
all entrusted to Ackron, my business agent
and he speeulated largely and lost, and has
left the country. The debts had to be paid,
of c0urua aud II took tho last dolIar in tba