The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-27
The Farmers Strategy.

Farmer Evans walked round his wood
pile and surveyed its dimishcd proportions
with considerable lowering of his shaggy
eyebrows. 'Somcbody's helping them
selves, he thought 81 must set my wits
to work to discover the offender" lie sat
down on log, rested his elbows on his
knees, and after scratching his head awhile,
by way of Frightening his ideas. he settled
his temples in the palms of his hands and
mcditated. The result Of his cogitations
must have been satisfactory, for he rose by
and by with a queer smile ovcrsprca,ling
his wcathcr-beatcn face, and walked into
the house, chuclling, "Ill do it; that II let
the cat out of the bag"
lie found Harry Bailey, young likely.
looking farmer, in the Kitchen with his
daughter
''That young fellow is courting Jennie,
sure enough" thought the old gentleman,
as he dscreetly passed into the sitting room.
"Wcll, he's as likely to make her Il good
husband as any one. If she likes him,
shan't object"
And he fell into fit of muSing over the
memory Of the gentle wife who had been
lying under the flowers since Jennie birth
Meanwhile, in the kitchen Jennie was
tripping about, engaged in some household
work, and Harry was watching her with
love-lit eyes, and could not make up his
mind to tell her he loved her.
The Rev. Mr.. Walker, of the Orthodox
Church in Bclton, had prepared discourse
for his sinful congregation, upon the subject
of endless punishment. The parable of the
rich man and Lazarus was his basis, and he
hurled tho anathcmas Of wrath al the black
sheep of his flock rs though he were an
avcnglng angel, and many members of his
congregation felt guilty tcrrors. Little
lin Bates sllivcrcd in isshoes, and thought
OF the pic he had taken tho night before
and then told his mother a lie, and debated
whether he should confess, or run the risk
OF the punishment Illuminated by the par
son. Bnt he did not settle the matter that
time, for the minister was suddenly brought
to full stop in the midst of his discourse,
and the congregation electrified, by trc-
mcndous crash and report in their midst,
as If heaven and earth had come together.
Farmer Evans rose to his feet simultnnc-
ously with his frightened daughter and the
rest of the congregation, and poor little Tim
was not sure for moment that his future
had not begun. The cause of the noise was
found to be an explosion in the stove,
through the internal agency known as gun
powder. How il came there was mys-
terry to all except Farmer Evans Harry
Bailey, who made the fires and found the
wood for stated sum, came forward with
Il white face and explained that the thing
was unknown to him. The farmer walked
homeward thinking, 'Bad, bad! Pm very
sorry that he's that sort | never suspected
nm OF all others; and jennie likes him."
The farmers first impulse was to nip in
the bud tho acquaintance between Jennie
and young Bailey; but his natural kindly
feeling ultimately prevailed over his anger,
and on his next meeting with the delinquent
he abruptly addressed him.
'Iou arc courting my daughlcr?"
Harry Bailey admitted the fact bashfully.
"And you make the fires for the Ortho-
dox Church 2" continued the old man.
Harry asscntcd
"And furnish tho wood 2"
.'Yes, " said the young man, growing red
and white by turns.
'l'crhaps you would like to have the
mysterious explosion in church last Sunday
explained5 l knew my wood-pilc was 60
ing somewhere, and put a small charge of
powder in one of the sticks. l need not
say that | was surprised to find you were
the thief, and you dared to come counting
my daughter ~
Harry quailcd before the stern, clear
glance of the old man.
81 know Pm too mean to live, much less
to love her." he broke out 'T don't OK
pcct you to overlook it. IL had hard
year on the farm; you know what losses
met: meant to pay it back again, but l
don't expect you to believe me. One thing
l bcg-dont tell her anything about IL; /
couldn't bear to have her think 80 badly of
me-"
The old man regarded the ashamed, re-
pcntant face with pity.
'I.ook here, Harry" he said; 'T'll for
give you and will not mention it to a soul
if you'll look nc in the face and promise
solcmnly to be strictly honest from this time
forth"
Bailey caught his hand gratefully, and he
felt his reward begin as he saw the shadow
OF new hope dawning Oh the troubled face.
81 solcmnly PROMISE" lie said, "ncvcr
again to touch pcnny's worth that is not
lawfully my own"
sat the end of the year you can have
Jennie if you want her, and we'll unite tho
farms.
With al ovcrflowing heart Harry stam-
mcrcd his thanks, and the farmer never re-
grcttcd that he had given him chance
to redeem his sclf-rcspcct.