, 1879-08-21

| are my precious wife, Moron, ana 10
you turn for all the happiness my life
will ever hold
He dried her tears and then they
talked it over
"Just because / am city-bred, she
thinks ] am lazy, and naughty, and
dainty, and
"Never mind, Marion. She will find
out some day, My father"
Eyes, bless the dear old man lie
has added My love to my daughter
Marion Oh, I know l should love
him, and your mother, too, if she would
let me-"
ave will invite them down when L
come home. By the way, Marion, L will
stop at the farm on my way home and
invite them down, and bring them home
with me-"
"George, dear, I've been thinking about
that trip West. l think you had bet.
ter go and leave me at home. 1t won't
be so very long"
Marion was eating her egg while she
spoke across the cosy little tete a-tete
breakfast table.
"Spoken like my true little Marion.
and when l come back I'll bring you a
present, What shall it be, dearest 2"
2 "Your mother and father from the
farm" 1t shall be that hope that shall
bear me company when you are gone.
A fortnight after that Marion Glenn
ents ate her breakfast alone, the traces
of tear or so on her pink cheeks; then
she dashed them away with merry,
joyous little laugh.
"This will never do, and now that
George has gone for six weeks to pre-
pare for his return. And pray Heaven
that it shall be such q coming as shall
delight his soul"
"Pm sure L don't know what to say.
The land knows l need help bad enough,
but it pears to me that such slender
little midget as you couldn't earn your
salt. What did you say your name wasl"
"Mary Smith. And, indeed, if you
will try me for a week, I'm sure you
will keep me till the seasons over"
Mrs. Clements looked out Of the win.
dow at the great clouds that were piling
gloomily up and then the wind gave a
great wailing shrek around the corners
of the house.
"You can cook, ken youl or shake
up feather beds--good big ones, forty
poundersl"
A gleeful little laugh came Mary's
lips.
"Indeed can. | may not cook to
suit you, but can learn.
Mrs. Clements walked out to the huge
open fireplace in the kitchen, where the
deacon was shelling corn.
"What dye say, deacon; keep her
or not2 kind o like her looks, and
the dear knows it nd be a good lift
while we're KILN, if she couldn't do no
more'n set the table or make mush for
the bread"
"Take her, of course, Hannah. You
are hard driv', 1 know. Let her stop a
week or so, anyhow"
So Mrs. Clements came slowly back
and sat down again.
"You can't get away tonight, any
how-there's snowstorm been brewin'
these three days, and it is on us now,
sure enough. See them ere flakes fine
and thick. You may as we'll take your
things up stairs to the west garret, and
then come down and help me get supper" !"
Then followed directions to the west
garret, and when she was gone Mrs.
Clements turned to the deacon and said !:
"I never saw girl before I'd trust
UP stairs alone. But such as her don't
steal | can tell you that if nothing
else." ''
Directly she came down in purple
print dress and white apron her hair
brushed of from her face into net a
narrow linen collar, fastened with a sail
or's loop of narrow ribbon. 1t seemed
as if she had life, too, so handily she
fitted in and out of the pantry, and then
down the cellar Then, after the meal,
she gathered the dishes in a neat, quiet
way, that was perfect bliss to old Mrs.
Clements ears.
"She's determined to earn her bread,
anyhow, and like her turn, too"
And the deacon had "taken shine
to Mary Smith. One by one the days
wore on the hog-killing was over and
done; long strings of sausages hung in