The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-05-06

Hir WAS tall Of hsppT soabds; the iinkle
Of dIHRB, oow bells. The voice Of domestic
fowls aud The sosg Of Wild birds. Bu,
Ter great dlsppolusmen. oFsFsAaaosed
h all
She could thluk Of nothing bat the
great barn ike hon&e palated glaFing
red, wlib IL large, shulierleas windows,
lac Iidlsss eyes. staring out upon The
dusty highway. what wonder, II her
thoughts and eres then wandered ovsrthe
6elds Of waying grain TO where q stately
stone house stood on An smIaenee, She
knew that there vas besnty there;
brtsEes stole into large, airy rooms
through lace curtains, there were rich
eATpsss Aad costly furniture, and libra.
~ that WAS almost an intellectual feast TO
look al; outside there were pleasant
walks aud drives, and = flower garden
filied with the choicest noral treasures; (;
and then she sighed softly As she thought
to herself-but love would not have been
there, aud lite would have been nothing
without that.
Jennie Jenniei Oh, here you are, and
Mr.. Graham came oul through the back
kitchen door aud seated himself upon the
edge Of huge log that bad been hewed
out and did the duty OF esvesdrop and
cistern. Ii was not unusual for him TO
seek her; he always did when be came In
aud found her not In the house. II was
not bad habit In The mau. His very
lie seemed bound up 10 her; and al.
though he had the reputation among bis
neighbors OF being close In his business
transactions, be was kind hearted and
generous, TOO, in bic way. This morning
he hsd something OF importance TO com
municale.
didn't tell you last evening, he said,
that | had already bad some talk with
Southwell about the land. lie wouldn't
listen TO cent under $2 600 then, aud |
wouldn't go over 81, 800. lie came over
to see me this morning, and offered 10
spit the difference. Ain't that bargain
thought A little better than spending
money Tor paint or paper, Jennie! Oh,
rising TO go, came near forgetting TO
tell you. Powers il here lie wants TO
hire out during harvest. have bands
enough, but suppose the more help !
have the better ! shall get along, so told
him TO get right to work. don't sup.
pose be has been to breakfast yet, his
folks are 90 slack, 70 you might set out
bit for him to eat. Try and have the
lunch ready by half past nine; you can
blow the horn, and | will send one OF the
men down for II.
Poor iJennie II was like the last
straw that broke the csmePs back. She
struggled hard, but the tears would come.
Mr.. Graham turned back aud came in-
stantiy to her side when be saw that she
was in trouble.
What Is the matter, dear7 he asked
compassionsteiy, while his large kind,
hand gided down her hair with soft,
caressing touch. II you are not feeling
well IN sIip down and get Miranda
Powers to come down and help you. !
guess ia better anyway, hadn't II
Mrs. Graham mastered her emotion
with an effort.
Oh, no, she said. There isn't anything.
Mr.. Graham hesitated. be was not sat.
isfed with this explanation.
There sbe said, now do you go along
to your work, or shall be foolish enough
to cry againl and, indeed, che looked
very much as If she might.
Hiram Graham had faint idea as 10
what the matter was, and very willing to
do as che bade him. lie felt considerably
annoyed that his wife could not see the
of the proposed purchase that
would so materially add 10 their mutual
property. Aud then he began 10 wonder
what she was thinking so silently about
" bile she had stood looking of toward
The distant hill. A lIllIc jealousy crept
Ia with The thought. The owner OF that
Iine mans tion had once been formidable
Iivsl OF his. There could have been no
reason for her choice but the one she had
30 slyly confessed to him Ia the soft twi-
light OF q sumner evening ten years ago.
How proud aud happy be had ielt He
vowed sue should never want for any
hing which he could procure. But he
bad changed since. lie had bat little to
commence with. They had TO practice
.uch iigid economy, and 10 watch every
dollar so closely, AZ TO be able to meet
Ihe payment on the farm, that be bad
learned 10 love money, not so much for
be good II could purchase ss Tor lite own
,Ake.
When be came TO dinner, followed by
his troop Of bands, he could not help
noticing how flushed and tired she looked,
but she was as cheerful as ever. The
cloud had passed; and with the
sweet spirit OF selfsscri6ce that charac-
eriHed her, she had buried ber dead hopes
aud taken up the burdeh OF life again rs
best she could.
Hiram was not ignorant Of this sacrifice
and 1t touched bim keenly; the thought
troubled bin during The afternoon. He
could not deny that bis wife bad worked
As bard as be during the years past, and
he economy be had praesieed bad been
mostly in ber domain. lie begaa TO wish
Ihat be bad treated her wishes more re-
al least. But then be could not
help looking over 10 where The forty acres
Jay. What choice piece Of land II was
How long be had wanted I'll And now,