Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-11-21

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in and fo. nd her not in the house, 1t was
not a bad habit in the man. His very life
seemed bound up in her; and although he
had the, reputation among his neighbors oi
being .''close'' in his business transactions,
he was kind hearted and generous, too, in
| his way. This morning he had something
Of Importance to communicate.
l didn't tell you last evening"" he said
....that had already had some talk with
lSouthwell about that land. He wouldn't
listen to cent under 50 900 then, and ]
! wouldn't offer more than 81, 500. He
calHe over to see me this morning, and Of
fered to split the difference. Amt that a
bargain, though! A little better than
spending money for paint or paper, Jen-
nie2 Oh" he said, rising to GO. II came
near FORGETTING to tell you. Powers is
here. He wants to hire out through the
harvest. I have hands enough. but / sup
pose the more help have the better !
shall get along, so told him to go right
to work. don t suppose he has been to
breakfast yet, his folksar so slack, SO you
might set out "a bit for him to eat. Try
and have the lunch ready by half-past
nine; you can blow the horn. and I will
send one of the men down for it, - : . =
Poor Jennie! It was like the last straw
that broke the camel's back. She strug-
gled hard, but the tears would come. ".
Graham turned back and came instantly to
her side when he saw that she was in
trouble.
"What is the matter, dear?" he asked
ompassionately, while his large, kind
hand glided down her hair with a soft,
caressing touch. - "
There was no answer, and tears only
came ster.
''If you are not feeling well, I will slip
down and get Miranda Powers to come
out and help you. guess I'd better anv-
way, hadn't I?'' "i93 ~ '5s''9','}
Mrs. Graham mastered her emotion with
an effort '''''is'1 ''' 4'.i' e+ssf's''
sob, no." she said. "There isn't any
thing.' e 87' 7'''--''''. ~ '''''4' ~ - g
Mr.. Graham hesitated; he was not salts
fed with this explanation.
]. There!'' she said. ''Now do 60 along
to- your work, or 1 shall be foolish enough
to cry AGAIN." and, indeed, she looked
very much as if she might. a. ''4'', 's4 NJ
Hiram Graham had faint idea as to
what the matter was, and was very willing
to do as she babe him. He felt considera-
bly, annoyed that his wife could not see
the advantage of the proposed purchase
that would so materially add to their mu-
tual property, And then he began to
wonder what she was thinking so silently.
about while she stood looking off toward
the distant hill. A little jealousy crept
in with the thought. The owner of that
fine mansion had once been formidable
rival of his. There could have been no
reason for her choice but the one she so
shyly confessed to him in the soft twilight
OF a summer evening ten years ago. How
proud and happy he had felt! He vowed
she should never want for anything which
he could procure. But he had changed
since. He had but little to commence
with. They had to practice such rigid
economy, and to watch every dollar SO
closely, to be able to meet the payments
on the farm. that he had learned to love
money, not SO much for the good it could
purchase as for its own sake. -.
When he came in to dinner. followed by
his troop of hands, he could not help no.
ticing how flushed and tired she looked,
but she was as cheerful as ever. The
morning cloud passed; and with the sweet
spirit of self-sacrifice that characterized
her, she had buried her dead hopes and ia
ken up the burden of life again as she
could. yi8 tiati3 ts@6 s7i = Eiuaa
Hiram Graham was not ignorant of this
sacrifice, and it touched him keenly; the
thought of it troubled HIM during the at
ternoon. He even forgot to estimate what
the probable yield per acre would be as the
heavy sheayes were showed off the rear
platform and lay so near together on the
shorn ground. He could not deny that
his wife had worked as hard as he during
the years past, and the economy that he
had practiced had been mostly in her do
main. He began to wish that he had
treated her wishes more respectfully, at
least. But then he could not help looking
over to where that forty acres lay. What
a choice piece OF land it was How long he
had wanted it! And now when it was al
most within his grasp, must he let it go?
And even were he to yield to Jennie's
wishes now, would not she know that he
had done so reluctantly and against his bet
ter judgement? And during the after
noon he thought the matter over and
Powers he called out, as that indi-
vidual was leaving the field at night. eff
the folks at home can spare Miranda, let
her come up in the morning and help my
wife," iEsa a1a se4tflA4 <,s 30 >
,''All right, she will be glad to come .
was the answer .,..t ...',.s III III T.
Harvest was, over, and Mrs. Graham
spoke of discharging the girl. "You had
better keep her to help you," advised her
husband ,ss,.. >. vi1s,asa y 4o55 yt,H
Mo-" said Mrs. Graham; "when there
| is none but my own family can do the
work easy enough alone. 1 believed like
to work." added she, smiling; tat least /
am always happiest when am busy" =
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