The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-21
A SLIGHT MISTAKE.

A SLIGHT MISTAKE,
Katie ran into the kitchen singing
but the song died on her lips when sh
saw her sister Hannah's stern look, ant
her mothers tears falling over an oper
letter in her lap.
Whats the matter?" cried Katie
"Mothrr. has anything happene,tp"
Nothing but what we expected,
said Hannah before Mrs. Derwent coulc
open her lips to reply. THE agen
writes that We must give up the farm
next Monday"
The tears started to Katie's blue eyes
AND this is Wednesday," she said
sit Is too bad! l just hate that Mr.
Ariel Why does he, with all his wealth
want TO take away our little farm? Oh
dear! Can t anything be donep"
Mrs. Derwent only sobbed in answer
but Hannah looked keenly at her young
sister, as she said, meaningly:
"You are the one who can best an.
swer that question, Katie"
Katie's tace turned crimson, and then
grew very pale.
"Oh, Hannah" she said, implor-
ingly. "don't ask me to do that, for
cannot; no, never can!'
"You would rather see us turned out
of home than make g small sacrifice,
then7"
' "A small sacrifice, HannahP To me
it seems very large"
Heaven only knows what we are to
dot' walled Mrs. Derwent. 1--WE
haven't fifty dollars in the world"
Cant we borrow enough money
from Squire Davis to pay off this mort
gagep" asked Katie, desperately.
no sense" said Hannah, sharply. "He
would know well enough there was no
chance of our ever paying him back.
Wemanage to make just enough off the
farm to live, and that's all.
"To think that should have to go,to
the almshouse in my old age" moaned
Mrs. Derwent.
"Oh, motherr' surely not quite so bad
as that?" said Katie.
Perhaps you will kindly suggest
some plan, said Hannah, sarcasticaffY.
know of but one way in which we
can keep our home, and that does not
appear TO suit you"
"l'il have to think it over" said
Katie, land while l am thinking,
viii catch that gray rooster you want
for dinner, Hannah"
"Very well; but Paul can't help you,
for I've sent him on an errand. And
hops, hops you'll think to some purpose
Hannah began to wash up the break
fast dishes as she spoke, knowing that
her sister understood very well what she
mesnt by her last remarks, for Katie
sighed heavily as she put on her straw
hat aud went out to the farmyard in
search Of the gray cock, which she
found scratching in some straw, utterly
unconcious of his impending doom.
But at the first hutter of her apron,
which she tried to throw over him, he
aed. closely pursued by the young girl,
whose seventeen summers had not
given her dignity, or taken from her Il
childish love of racing and climbing.
But running proved hard work in the
hot August sun, and, out of breath at last,
Katie stopped in the clover-feld, the
frightened fowl still safe distance of.
In Squire Davis great meadow she
could see the busy iaborers loading the
immense wagons with new-mown hay,
and just beyond the stone wall which
divided his farm from the Widow Der
vents, lay one of the men under the
shade of spreading oak tree, his hat
pulled over his eyes, and his rake lying
On the green grass beside him.
A sudden inspiration seized Katie,
who, putting her foot on the jutting
stone of the wall, sprang lightly to the
top.
'.Manm she called loudly-"oh. man !
will you please help me catch my
roosterp 1 know Squire Davis won't
mind il you do"
The man thus singularly addressed
sat up suddenly, his straw hat falling
from his head, and thereby revealing q
wealth Of curly chestnut hair. His
clothes were rough and ill-ftting, it is
true, but his face refined and hand
some one, and his hes, ring far above
that Of the average hire man.
Il will help you in any way / can,"
he said, after a quick glance at the
flushed, pretty face of the girl on the
stone wall. did you say you wanted
me to help you catch rooster?" hesi-
tating just a little.
"Yes, my sister wants him for din
ner, and I've run until I'm tired out.
Do you suppose the squire will scold
if you spend little while helping me?"
Why should hep" in tone of sur
prise.
"Well, he's very strict, and his hired
men have to work hard, I've heard. l
guess he don't know Of your resting
under this tree, and I'm afraid he will
hear of it from the other men, and pay
you your wages and turn you off,"
"Oh, I see," said the young man,
with smile
"It is true; you don't know him as
well-as l do. lguess you haven't been
working for him long"
"Only this morning"
"You LOOK smart enough to make
something better Of yourself than 8
hired man in a hay field" pursued
Katie. But of course that is your
own affair. Don't let US waste any more
time talking; that rooster is getting al
his strength back"
The young man sprang lightly ovel
the stonewall, and again the chase be
gan, the poor fowl succum bing to hi!
destiny after five minutes OF hard run
ming. ,
"And now you had better hurry bacl
to the bayfield," Katie said, after thank
ing the young man for his assistance
''or YOU will certainly lose your place
It isn't very pleasant to be turned on
Oh, dear, / forgot that we are to b.
turned off ourselves next Monday"
What do you mean~
"Well, I suppose you've heard
everybody in the neighborhood know
it-that there's a mortgage on our farm
It has been due six months, and now tn
agent writes we must leave next Mon
day. "Oh, how hate that MIR. Arle!
setting her small white teeth togethe
vindictively.
The young man started violently.
lis he the holder of the mortgage?
he asked, biting at a wisp Of hay il
held in his hand, his dark eyes bent o.
the ground, 80 =,
Is true, to afford to make US a present Z
the old farm. But I must 60. or Hanna
will be scolding;" and, with repeate
thanks.tor the help he had given hel
she hurried away, thinking him fs
superior to any laborer she had eve
previously met. and hoping the squl