The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1880-11-06
ZHE DzEM]IOCR4T
81 TUBD.4 z. $50. .Arou. g.
BLAKE'S.LOSs


ut work for nearly a week; to-day
they had come 10 the family sit
ting room, which besides being
cleaned was to be newly papercd.
At this point the Squire had mild
Is declared that he didn't see the
need ofturning everything upside
down, ifthcy were cleaning boxes"
The room opening from the sit
ting room was lower in the walls
than that, thus giving space for two
small closets, one on each side Of
the chimney. It had been thought
best 10 have these paperel over,
they were too high for frequent
use. Mrs. Blake had n plot in. her
mind regarding them, and that was
to fill them with some old books
which were now "only numbering
up tile hoNse," in her. view, though
little Squire had been told of this,
his opinion might have been quite
different for he seemed to have a
mania for second-handcd bnoks,
aud bought all he came across.
m the 'SQuire's family lived II
boy by the nameof Archie Turner,
who wasa child Of a ncighbor Of
the Blakes. About 4 year before
our story begins, his parents died,
leaving him,and sister without
relatives or money; the Squire,
seeing that he was i smart, intelli-
gent boy, and wanting some one to
help about the Chores" had taken
him to live with them where ho
was considered as one OF the f;,nli-
"; his sister found q home with
some friends in the neighboring
town Of Chclton. z
Squire Blake was not a poor man,
and there would sometimes be, MS
the neighborhool said, "quits a
fortune to fall TO somebody" So
Archie was considered to be very
fortunate in having a home here,
for the Squire and his wife had
often spoken Of adopting boy,
their OILY child being the little
Amy, u girl Of eight or nine
years-and now it looked as
thought Archie might be the boy
whom they would adopt.
But while we have wandered
from;the scene at the beginning,
the cleaning has progressed finely ;
Mrs. Bake has called Archie to 80
with her to the attic 10 help bring
down some books which have been
crowded out Of tho house. She
selected some volumes, and taking
an ar,nful, left Archie 10 do the
same, and went down stairs. AS
she entered the sitting.ronm she
was motby Mt. Stevens q wealthy
farmer. i5i75=z
How'd do, Mrs.zBlake,'' said
he Cleaning zhodse, reckon; well,
i won't hinder you long.=Icouldn't
find the Squire anywlere's round,
SO I just dropped in to leave that
money you heard him tell Of, very
likely; ifhe hain'tto home no mt.
ter. Guess l can trust it. TO you
and with q good-natured cha, ha,'
in appreciation of the joke, he pro.
.duced u generous pockct.bo ok and
taking from it n roll ofbills, count.
ed out the sum wanted, and hand
ed il to Mrs. Blake. "The Squire
understood; there is no need Of d
receipt" he said; then, with q
good day." he was gone.
Mrs. Blake stood n moment with
the money in her handsome hun
dred dellars-when she was star
tied by hearing II cry from Deho'
rah; hastily dropping the bills, she
ran TO her assistance, and found
swaying mournfully back and
forth. -"
"1t,s done gone'n broke my arm
now To- sure" she walled. Mrs,
Blake hcl Ind her to Il more comfor'
table place than the kitchen floor,
ascertaiued the fact that she had
fallen down some steps. The brok.
en- arm proved to be nothing more
serious han a sl,rained wrist (; that
was bad enough, however in Dclm.
rnh's opinion, though it might
ha' ben wusser," she confessed.
Mrs. Blake batlcd her wrist, and
at length she was in q condition 10
go home. Meanwhile, Archie had
packed the books away in the clos
cts and busted himself out Of doors.
1t had taken some time to
"straightcn things out" as Mrs.
Blake expressed it, after Deborah's
accident, and the money was moi
thought Of again until after tea
when suddenly Mr.. Blake exclaim-
ed, ''Land sakcs, Reuben, Mr.. Ste
vens was here today aud left that
money; bless me, | hain't thought
Of it since. I've been 50 hurried"
The Squire turned a few leaves OF
his book. "Well, where is it now,
I wontlcr7" but his wife had gone
TO the sitting-room.