The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-11-16
we'll as / do. guess you haven't been
working for him long"
"Only this mornIng.N

"Only this morning."
"You look smart enough to make
something better of yourself than q
hired man in bayfield," pursued
Katie. " But of course that Is your own
affair. Don't let us waste any more
time talking that rooster is getting all
his strength back"
The young man sprang lightly over
the stone wall, and again the chase
began, the poor fowl succumbing to his
destiny after five minutes of hard run
ming.
"And now you had better hurry back
to the hay field," Katie said, after
thanking the young man for his assist
ance, "or you will certainly lose your
place. 1t isn't very pleasant to be
turned off, oh, dear, 1 forget that we
are to be turned off ourselves next Mon
day."
"What do you mean ?"
"Well, l suppose you've heard
everybody in the neighborhood knows
it-that there's a mortgage on our farm.
1t has been due six months, and now
the agent writes we must leave next
Monday. Oh, how l hate that Mr..
Arle !" setting her small white teeth
together vindctively.
The young man started violently. "Is
he the holder of the mortgage :" he
asked, biting at wisp of hay he held
in his hand, his dark eyes bent on the
| ground.
Yes, and he is rich enough, If report
is true, to afford to make US present of
the old farm. But must go, or Han
nah will be scolding," and with repeat
ed thanks for the help he had given her,
| she hurried away, thinking him far
superior to any laborer she had ever
previously met and hoping the squire
would not give him scolding for shirk-
ing work.
The chicken dinner was much enjoy
ed by little Paul, the only one of the
family who did not feel trouble at the
impending removal from the old home,
and he, poor child was too young to
know what sorrow meant.
Hannah looked stern and forbidding.
Mrs. Derwent's eyes were red, and there
were traces of tears on Katie's cheeks,
for she had not escaped a scolding from
Hannah for unnecessary delay in the
catching of the fowl.
When dinner was over, and she had
helped her sister tidy the kitchen, Katie
took tin pail from the pantry and her
hat from its peg and started out.
"Where are you going ?" asked Han
nah, sharply.
To the stone wall in the pasture to
pick blackberries, answered Katie. 81
saw some nice ones up there this morn
ing, when was chasing the rooster,
and thought moth er would like some
for supper"
every WE'LL" said Hannah "but
don't stay the whole afternoon, for
you've all these dish-towels to hem,
though there's DO telling if we'll use
'em, since we'll be in the poor house
after Monday.
The afternoon sun shone full on the
blackberry bushes, and Katie found
picking the ripe fruit no cool task but
she preferred it to sitting in the house
with Hannah, listening to bitter re-
proaches for her refusal to take the step
which could prevent the old home
from passing into the hands of Mr..
Arle.
"Why should l have nothing, and
Squire Davis all the good things ?" she
said, aloud, Even the cool shade is
on his side of the wall !"
She was interrupted in her rebellious
reflections by the sudden appearance Of
Hannah, almost out of breath from run.
ming.
Katie,n she said, ''come home al
once, Squire Davis is waiting to sec
you"
"Oh, Hannah, 1 can't go 1 dom
want to see him!"
"Katie Derwent you ought to b'
ashamed of YOURSELF" cried Hannah
loudly. esquire Davis is rich, mem
ber of church, and a man any woman
might be glad to marry"
" But he is so old, Hannah, and an
only seventeen"
"Pshaw what does that matter
You will see us thrown on the charity
of our friends, robbed of home, and it
comforts, rather than make a trifinI
} sacrifice. You can't have much Low
for your poor, sick mother or littl
brother. Squire Davis would pay Of
: the mortgage at once if you would onl
L.. Il. l. L