Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-06-03

know why.
"She has reason. I've heard the
story from mother. Old Farnham Tilted
her when they were young, and you
know Aunt Phoebe finds it hard to for
give"
Poor aunty"
She raised her eyes full to his.
"I've never heard that said of Doc
tor FarnEam," she answered, with un-
wonted spirit.
well, hope you never may. since
you think 80 much of him." said the
young man. with something glike asigh.
as he lifted the hewn logs and piled
them on his arm as lightly as though
they lad been so many twigs.
Passing across the yard, he laid his
burden within the entry door.
Marcia looked in with a cog quettish
smile.
Won't you come in, George, and
warm yourselfP"
"No, thank you. not now. am on
an errand for mother, and must get
back before sunset"
And he hurried away.
Who was tbatp' inquired the old
lady from her armchair.
George Harrison, aunt"
"A good young man. / wish he
would marry Esther. / used 20 fancy
that he liked her,"
$50 he did, and told her so last sum-
mer, and she refused him. His sister,
Mrs. Temple, told me about it,
Refused hinli And what forp"
"Oh, because just about that time she
got acquainted with young Doctor
Farnhan, and he paid her attention at
tho rrofroofod aofinn ord 1Ho1
with her whenever he saw her after
ward. People begin to notice it, Aunt
Phoebe. They say that he means to
marry her,"
You don't tell me, Marcia! Doctor
Farnham! He's of bad stock-proud
and stuckup folks, who made money by
specerlate- only he's no money to spec
erlate with"
"Oh, he thinks that when he mar
ries Esther he'll have your money to
use.n
He does, hey? That's what he's
after, is it? Well" mumbled the old
lady, her chin trembling with excite
ment, "he'll get no money o. mine, nor
Esther neither, if she means to marry
him. Nara niece O. mine shall marry
Farnham, if | can help it. l know
'em-and so did my family afore me-to
our sorrow. We've had enough of them
Farnhams
An hour after Esther came in, her
cheeks crimson, her eyes fearful and
radiant with soft light.
To Marcia's question she replied that
she had been to the meadow-so they
called the strip of marsh bordering the
,.ixy -to fotoh ho,,oo tho o0xryc
Aunt Keeling look at her with an
angry glare in her dim eyes.
THAT'S Chloe's business. But,
Esther, what is this Marcia tells me
bout you and that young FarnhamP ?
You've deceived me, Esther
No, Aunt Phoebe. / knew that you
did not like him. and so would not
mention him. You see, I did not
dream until this evening that he really
cared for me-"
This evening?" repeated Marcia.
"Oh! 30 you met him down in the
meadow. 1 thought saw him down
there with his gun"
tapping the floor with her staff
9 Esther, | want you to promise me one
thing, and that is, that you'll never
marry Farnham."
The girl looked into the fire and was
silent.
Will you promise, girl? Yes or
nci"
THAT would be breaking my promise
to him, Aunt Phoebe she said in low
voice.
. Yonr promise to him!" screeched
the old lady. humping the stick vio-
lently on the floor. . Do you mean to
say you've promised to marry him?"
SO Yes-this evening-in the meadow
| meant to have told you and begged
you to like him. You would like him
if you knew him, Aunt Phoebe"
She clasped her hands on her aunt's
knee and looked up pleadingly, with
eyes full of tears,
But the old woman was in quiver of
rage, and she declared her solemn re-
solve never to leave Esther cent of her
ing up Doctor Farnham,
And when week after this, Aunt
Keeling died, it became known to every
body that she had left her fifteen hun
dred dollars to her niece Marcia, while
to Esther she had bequeathed the old
farmhouse and the strip OF barren ground
attached.
That" she had said to the village
lawyer who drew up the will" that is
to prevent her marrying Farnham."
A week after the old lady's burial
Doctor Farnham came to see Esther.
In this time he had not fingered about
the river and the meadow. watching
opportunities to waylay Esther as he
had previously done, and the girl missed
the sweet interviews which had thrown
a light and glory over her dreary life.
Now, on this his first open visit to
her, she met MIN blushing and smiling,
and with eyes overlooking with tears
of love and gladness.
He did not take her in his arms as he
had done in the meadow, and the girl
shrank shyly into chair.
After some e. mmonplace talk, he
said:
q Esther, what do you propose TO do
now? You cannot live alone in this
dreary place."
She looked down with a conscious
blush. OF course he would take her
away now, as his wife, to his own
home.
Have you no friend or relative TO
whom you could gopn he inquired.
No." she answered, with cold chill
creeping at her heart.
That is a pity. Marcia is going
back to her school. Could you not 90
with her, or teach school of your own,
as she doesP"
81 am not as clever as Marcia. /