Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-12-27

Pm" Mrs. Horton stopped for want
OF words to express her feelings.
Edna smiled, but she stitched away
quietly as she replied:
Il knew you would be surprised
auntie, but think moments refiec.
ton will convince you that it is the
wisest course. have but one hundred
dollars in the world, and the furniture
that was left from the sale. 1t isn't
much, but with few expensive addi-
tiOns it will furnish the cottage. DIR
Gray approved my plans, and he will
rent me the place very reasonably. The
grounds are planted with fruit trees
currants, strawberry, blackberry, rasp.
berry and grape vines, and although
they have been neglected, careful prun-
ing and training will restore them, and
they will amply repay it in fruit. Katy
will stay with me, and there is Widow
Marks son, a strong, willing fellow
whom l can hire"
Good gracious, Edna, to think of
hiring man, the most improper thing
of all. What will people say% and Mrs.
Horton sank back upon the sofa, COM
pletely overcome.
Edna answered coOlly, as she kept on
with her work:
l. d
to help me, as DIR. Gray, a single man,
has to keep hOusekeeper. As for the
people, don't care in the least for what
they may say"
"But there is your sewing machine,
Edna. 1t would be so much more
wOmanly for you to earn your living by
sewing, as you are determined to be indie
pendent; and as far as home is con
cerned, you are welcome to stay with me
as long as you live. Besides. here Mrs.
Horton hesitated an instant-"there is
Thorpe Clifford; / do not think you are
obliged to take this extraordinary step.
You will pardon me: Edna, but Think it
very strOngminded and unwOmanly."
Edna did not answer Immediately.
She was thinking how bright and hap
by everything looked month ago, when
her father was living, and she had
hardly given the future thought. And
then, when her father died suddenly, and
his affairs came to be looked into, it
was found that he was deeply in debt,
and his house was sacraficed to liqui
date it. She was entirely alone then,
but her aunt brought her, with the few
things that were saved from the wreck
to her own home.
THANK you for your offer, auntie T"
she said at last, "but do not wish to be
dependent. and could earn but a poor
living with sewing machine. AS for
Thorpe Clifford, do not love him, and
the woman who would marry a man
simply to gain home would be both
wicked and worldly. l will prove to
you, Aunt Helen, that 1 am not I'M
wOmanly enough to do that"
She spoke with energy and spirit. and
Mrs. Horton, watching her reSOlute face,
was silent moment from sheer amaze
ment. She never had understood her
niece, and was farther from doing so
now than ever before. Of course, if Ed
ma was determined to upset herself, she
she had the privilege of doing so, but
Mrs. Horton could not relinquish her at
tenDt to diSSuade her without another
effort.
"Edna," she said, suddenly, shave you
forgotten Leslie Holmes? What do you
suppose he will think when he hears of
this?"
Edna bent trife lower over her work
as Mrs, Horton spoke, and her thoughts
sped away to Leslie Holmes, seeking his
fortune in far away California. They
were not engaged, but Edna thought
they understood each other, and they had
cOrrespOnded during the two years he
had been absent.
be, he will think no less of me; and if he
Is not. it does not matter what he
thinks"
Then she threw aside her work, and
went to feeding Chirp, her pet canary,
while Mrs. Horton sighed till her specta-
cles nearly dropped off, over Edna's
'fOOlishness."
1t was pretty place that Edna her
self, standing under the shade of the ar
Dor, and glancing across the grounds,
Just completed the picture. She had
been fairly settled in her cottage now
for six weeks, and it was with no little
pride that she looked about her. The
neglected apple trees had been trimmed
into neat shape, and now were a gOr-
geOus mass of pink blossoms. The vines
had been pruned also, and trimmed, and
they were growing finely and giving
great promise of fruit the present sea-
son. A large plat of neglected straw
berries had been carefully cleaned out,
with plants left at the proper distance.
The balance of the garden was most
promising. Lettuce, peas, onions, goose
berries, asparaguS-and in fact every
thing in the line of garden fruit and
vegetables, were in thriving condition.
John Marks had proved an invaluable
assistant, and Edna's time was fully en-
plOyed in overseeing the WORK, and plan
ming for future operations. Kate was
with her, and had the full care of in
door work.
Edna had not been permitted to choose
her mode of life unmOleSted. People had
advised, sneered, and exclaimed, accord
ing to their various ways of view
ing the matter. But Edna had cOOlly
ignored them all, and kept resOlutely on;
seeing which, many of her former
friends quietly gave her the cold Shout
der. DIR. Gray and Thorpe Clifford were
not among them. They stood by her,
and their friendship had smOOthed many
difficulties from her path. She had writ
ten to Leslie Holmes in answer to one of
his letters, and in it she had told him of
the change of her worldly affairs, and
what she had concluded to do. Since
that time she had learned no word |
from him. He had always answered her !
letters punctually before, and somehow |
she felt as though her "strOng-mindness,"
as Mrs. Horton persisted in calling it, |
had something to do with his silence
With last glance over the garden, |
she turned to enter the sitting
room, where Chirp was singing his
sweetest songs among the flowers in the
window, when she was arrested by DR..
Gray's rough, hearty tones.
"Viewing your work, eh?" he said,
stopping beside her, and casting glance
around. "YOu came, you saw, and you
conquered, Madam Edna. Really, l
didn't think it was possible to work such
a Transformation as you have accom-
plished here"
# am glad you like the looks of it, DIR.