River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-04-29
BY AUNT MARY.

a pleasant day as this, aud was taking n
eisurely walk in the pasture on the hill
side, at the foot of which ran the little
brook, which in fancy she could almost
hear purling over its pebbiy bed.
Didn't she know all about 1t, hadn't
she many time helped father do up
the evening chores, after hard days
work because ne had no boy OF his own
and because the farm W1s too small and
too stony to pay the expenses of hiring
one, and didn't she know Just how faith
er always let out the stock these bright
sunny days after they had been housed
SO close all winter and had she not done
it herself when father was down with
the rheumatism! So it is little wonder
that her mind was full of bone and
home surroundings as she walked from
the factory this noon with the bright
sunshine all around her, reminding her
of those days when they welcomed it
back with such glad hearts into the old
home that she felt she was now SO fer
away from. And just now she was very
anxious loo, about the dear old gray.
haired couple in that home, for she had
received no intelligence from them for
some time, but then she thought she
had best not borrow any trouble. Jen-
ME Lee had brave heart. She had
volunteered this step, that of going to
the distant city to work in the cotton
mills to do what she could to help raise
the amount necessary TO pay the
mortgage on the little farm, brought
about by her fathers long sickness.
she was doing but little saving not as
much as she had hoped to, but little as
it was, it would help, and if father only
kept well now, they might pay it all IN
due time.
She took off her shawl and hat and
hung them up in the ball, casting a
glance at the same time at the letter
box, to assure herself that there was
really nothing there for her. She walked
into the DINING room, wondering AS
she did SO, why Harry Rowson did not
write, and what he could have meant
about that bit of good luck that he
spoke not long before in one of his let
tiers. Perhaps he was going to marry
her dear friend Bell. How her heart
ached Just then. She and Harry had
always been such good friends that she
gain the ascendsncy in his affection.
Harry ROwsOn was an orphan boy
whose parents had died when he was
quite young, and good old farmer IL
Mr.. Lees neighborhood had taken him
to bring up. Harry knew but little
about his origin excepting that his
grandfather lived ina far distant state,
that his mother had incurred her faith
er's displeasure in marrying, that she
had been alien from her fathers home,
and he had also learned that his grand
father was wealthy. He was of a
bright and cheerful disposition and had
found pleasant home with the farmer.
and so gave the past but little thought
He had been a sort of brother to Jennie
even from her bAbyhood, constructing
playthings for her from bits of pine,
building play out houses for her when
she coul d play of doors, drawing
her TO school on his handsled in Win
ter time, and carrying her dinner bas-
ket home from school warm afternoons
in SINNER time. He had always been
the one to call for her when the young
people went in loads to the apple par
ings and singing school. He bad also
been equally kind and considerable to
her friends Bell. but then the two girls
were always together. and she was Won
dering as she entered the DINING room
that noon, if Harry would not forget her
altogether now that she was away in
paying his attentions alone to Bell.
So we may not wonder at her surprise
on entering the room to be met by Har-
A ffox .f lt1ia
ton, her ready question was for the
loved ones at home, and being assured
of their welfare, Harry told her in a few
plain sentences that he had come into
possession of his mothers share in his
grandfather's estate; that with part of
the money he lad purchased the farm
adjoining her fathers, that the old
place had become so dreary without her
presence that he could endure it no
longer, and in short that he had come
to take her home with him. As the last
sentences fell from his lips, Jennie look
ed up with arched eyebrows and re-
marked:
GLOW very kind you are, Mr.. Row
son."
80 Jennie" ne said, "the self same
proud being that you always were, /
meant with your consent of course. /
love you, always Gid, now that have
got farm, / must have q wife,
will you be miner and so Jennie, ike
the sensible girl that she was, gently
laid her hand in his and calmly said,
yes.
That afternoon they went onto Elm
street, the main thorough fare of Man
chester, to make few purchases, and
from thence in cab to see the falls of
the Merrimack, which at this time of the
year owing TO the melting SHOWS from
the mountains, and the bright pure wa
ters from New Hampshire lakes and
hills becomes rushing seething torrent,
dashing its waters over its rocky bed, in
wild cascades, rising again in foam
crested waves. This beautiful ST sam
passes on, and the music of machinery
beats time to the accents of its rushiug
waters. The whole volume of the Mer-
rimack mas been at this point. IS it
NiagariZed to turn countless spindles
and drive home the shuttes of thous-
ands of looms and move machinery Of
every description. O Merrimack, was
there ever wild beauty like thine, how
our hearts turn to thee IN yearniLg long
ings as the years go by since we stood on
thy ROCKY banks and saw thy rapidly
flowing waters.
They re-entered the cab and visited
the monument which and admiring
posterity had raised to The honor of
General Stark, one of New Hanshire's
heroes. and few other places Of inter-
est in the city and were ready 10 take the
evening train for home. A few weeks
just as the sun was sinking
behind the distant killtops, and with the
front door of the little brown house ajar,
letting in food OF golden sunlight
which rested like divine bensdiction
on their heads, Harry R9son and Jennie
ME Lee became one IN their lives as
Il ey had long been one at heart.
Perhaps it is not necessary to say the
mortgage was paid when it became
due, but such vas the case, and Mr..
and Mrs. Lee lived many years TO en-
Joy the society of their grand children
and their old age was free from care
and xuanf - IHeafeYs1 P,yr0T