The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-01-22

"Most folks count It good. Fact is
mother, I've made up my mind to mar
~
20, Williaml' her pale cheeks color
ing:
II made up my mind three month,
ago. And the girls courted, and thu
weddings to be tomorrow. There, now
No need for you to look in that way. I'm
generally pretty close-mouthed abou,
my own business; you might know that
And I didn't chose to have the matter
cackled over at home. The girls Mist
Sodhy Crawford"
His mother came toward him. He wal
her son, after all, aud this was the turn.
ing point Of his life. She put her arms
about HIM and kissed him. "God bless
you, my boy" she said.
He stood immovable as log.
"Don't let's have any FUSS" he said
You'd better sit down. You're shaking
all over. Well, that's all. Therell bt
wedding hubbub here. l don't hold t.
spending money in feeding lot of guz
cling fools. The Crawfords have regu
lar Blow out in the morning. But YOU
don't want to go, reckolf'' uneaslly
~ should like to see you married.
timidly.
30, nonsense! There's no sickly senti.
ment about me. I'll have Sophy home by
supper time. You'll have to see to things
here
He lighted his candle and turned tc
go. "By the way, she was here month
ago.
"Yes.' Mrs. fancy remembered dis.
tinctly the gross featured. black-eyed
young woman who had swaggered
through the farm house in her cheap silk
and gilt jewelry.
"She came just to look at her new
home, and-well- rather took fan.
cy to the south chamber. You'd bette,
fix it up for her."
my room Wllliam2''
"Yes. It's all the same to you. OF
course you can 60 up to Lefty
Lefty, who had been at work inside
came out and threw her arms sobbine
about her mother. She knew that
this had been her mothers room fol
thirty years. All Mrs. Taney's children
were born in it; The baby died there
William stopped and came back, say.
ing, "Now just look here! It's just a.
we'll to speak plainly at once. I'll have
no opposition to my wife from you, Let.
ty, nor from-from any other woman
I'm the head of this house. NV wife shall
be mistress in it. She brings me snug
bit OF money, and I'll not have Der mol
her family insulted in it,
"My son!''
But he stalked off to bed.
There was no time next day for Mrs
fancy or Lefty to even think of the com,
ing trouble. They were up as usual, two
or three hours before day, klndline fires
milking, and cooking breakfast tor thu
six harvest hands. Then came W. sh1ng
9 dinner at noon, all the work of farm,
in short, which falls on the women il
addition to which was the cleaning and
preparation of The room which the bride
had chosen for her own. Mrs. Tauc,
moved sluggishly through the latter par
OF the work.
"What is the matter, mother9" sale
Lefty.
Mrs. fancy laughed feebly.
II don't know. I feel like a cloc}
that is nearly run down.
Lefty made no reply. The child hat
lately Deen absent, almost Indifferent
while her mother talked, apparent,
wrapped in her own thoughts. Ceult
II be, the mother thought, that Lefty ais,
was forsaking her! Mrs. fancy had onl,
had one other daughter--the baby VIII,
died. The other children were sons, al
of whom except William had gone t.
the West and married there. She otte,
had wished they would ask her to visl
them, that she might see their children
But they never did.
While they were hanging ont tn
clothes that afternoon, Mrs. fancy heart
q tap thee times repeated on the orchart
fence. Letty's face colored. She dropp
ed the clothes and ran down behind tn,
apple trees. AS she came back, her moth
er saw her thrust note into her pocket
Mrs fancy grew suddenly sick at heart
Lefty with secret! Lefty carrying OF
clandestine love affair!
While Mrs. fancy stood doubtinl
whether to ask the child for her conf
dence, Lefty disappeared. A few min
utes later the girl went down the road il
her clean dress and un-bonnet. It wal
but trife, yet it stunned the faded Wo
man as sharp knife would have done
The other farmers daughters kept up
perpetual vulgar flirting and secret court
ships. But Lefty was her own one eve
lamb, delicate and pure.
Mr.. Burke, coming over the fields tina
afternoon with his Ratchet and bag O
specimens was amazed to see Lefty stand
ing IN the road in eager conversation
with man IA course, red awed, beer,
looking fellow" was his angry verdict
The fellow talked long and earnestly
then took Letty's hand and pressed i
tervcntly. Burke turned his back OF
them and struck across the hills. TIL,
girls mother should hear of this at once
he said to himself, decidedly. Then b,
sIackened his pace. What was it to him
Why should he vex himself about this
girl, or NEEDLE in her love affairs7 HI
went slowly back to the hills. But thu
blood rushed with a strange heat through
his veins. a., >. ~
~ HI hout Lefty was Dack and at work
with redoubled vigor to make up 70,
lost time. Her mother scanned her limo
cent, meek face with q breathless terror
Surely there was no guilt therel She
would not doubt her; she would not asl
question. ~
II have dressed the table with flow.
ers, the mother said, land made a cake
"A real bride's-cal1e. I hope William
won't be angry. But this il 20 didesen,
from weddings in Virginia. - o. Lefty, Il
you and could only 20 to the old hous<
and sleep for one highs in the room
which was mine when I was a child
Just that little thing would give me
years OF life.'' 4 ':',:; = IT"
"There they comel'' cried Lefty, q.
the big Crawford carriage was seen dash,
ing up the road. She grew pale, and