Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-05-06
I" Going :? Where

only there doesn't seem much chance q
getting one without any recommend. y
Do you mean to say that they ar
sending 7ss you away from here'"
But in the name of goodness, why :?
1 &C don't know. Mrs. Nash says sh
don't like to have servants about VIII
are suspected of stealing" The blu
eyes filled again as she spoke, and sh
hid her face. 49,, r... - 49, -... e.
by George! I never heard Of sucl
injustice in my ife,' shouted John
CHOW, Lucy, if that's your name, yo1
just sit still where you are. Don't sti
or move till come back. I'll see Mrs
Nash. I'll put things right" >
To put things right seems easy enough
to a strong, hearty man, with justice AM
argument on his side, but that is becaus
he does not calculate properly on thos
queer bitches and crotchets of human
nature, especially woman nature, which
have no relation to justice and fair deal
ing, and are unaffected by argument
Mrs. Nash proved impervious to john
choicest appeals. Her mind was mad,
up; she "didn't want to hear no NOR,
on the subject;" finally, her temper ris
ing, what business was it of his, she de
manded, what help she kept, or if sh,
kept any help at all? He'd gothis peck
ct book back; accounts were squared be-
tween them; there was no further call
80 far as she could see why he should
NEEDLE with her concerns. The upshot
of the interview was that John flew out
Eof the kitchen with his face as red as
fire, tackled his horses, threw valise and
ed.baginto the wagon, flung the amount
of his reckoning on the table, and adj.
dressing Lucy, who, pale and terrified,
stood, bundle in hand, prepared fol
fight, called out:
"Now, then, my good girl, you've lost
one place by my fault, and I'm blamed
if I don't offer you another. Will you
Jump into my wagon, and go home with
me? My old woman's been talking this
long piece back of getting a smart girl
to help along when she's laid up with the
rheumatics; so you're just the one we
want. She'll treat you fairly enough,
I'll be bound, and you shall have what
ever you were getting here. And if you
behave yourself you'll be well used, not
turned ont Of doors for nothing, I'll en-
gage to that; it isn't the way up in our
parts, :" with vindictive look at the land
lady, who stood rigidly planted in the
doorway. eve don't set up to be extra
Christians, but there's a little honesty
and decency left among us, whichis more
than can be said for all places. Well,
what do you say? Yes or no. There's
my hand on it if it's yes"
He held out his broad palm. Lucy
hesitated, but for moment only.
eyes, I will," she said. GIVE no.
where else to go, and you seem kind"
Another moment and they we're driv-
ing off together down the maple shaded
road, whose yellow and crimson boughs
danced overhead against sOctober's
bright blue weather." There we're peace
and calming in the fresh stiffness Of the
early day. Gradually little color stole
into Lucy's pale cheeks, and Johns hot
mood gave place to wonted good humor
and cheer.
"You've had no breakfast, I'll bet. -
he said, with smile. "And no more
have I. was so mad with that woman
that I couldn't swallow mouthful, but
now I begin to feel sharp enough. Well
stop at the next tavern. Southwick.
isn't it? Five miles and q half. Can
you hold out till then? ?"
"Oh, yes, indeed" with grateful
look out Of the blue eyes.
Johns tone grew more and more
friendly.
"Well have something hot and hearty
there" he said. "You look pale. T
guess you didn't sleep any too much last
SOh, I couldn't sleep at all. Mrs,
Nash told me that I must go the first
thing in the merning, and I felt so
badly"
81 shouldn't think you would want to
stay with a woman like that"
"But it's so dreadful to have nowhere
to go to. And besides" She stopped
abruptly, with look like terror in her
eyes.
''Have you no friends, then ?" asked
John.
emo" The tone was very reserved;
but reserve could hardly fail to melt
under so sunshiny presence as John
Boyd's, and before the long days ride
was done he had won from her the main
facts of her story.
Lucy Dill was her name. Her mother
had married for the second time when
Lucy was twelve years old, and three
years ago, when the girl was barely fif-
teen, had died, leaving her to the pro-
lection of her stepfather.
"She didn't know what sort of a man
he was, said Lucy. "And be he wasn't
that kind of man when she was alive.
I was too young to notice much, and
mother always put herself between him
and me when things went wrong.
After she died it was dreadful. Elkins
that's his son-came home to live.
He never lived there before, and-and
be-
"Wanted to marry your
Yes; and his father said I must.
But I am afraid of him-of them both.
And people began to come to the house
bad people, not good-and began to
suspect things"
"What kind of thingsa"
It was not easy to get an answer to
this question. In fact, the terrified and
girl had hardly dared to
formulate her own fears; but John
gathered the idea that coming or other
unlawful practices were going on, and
Lucy, only half comprehending, had un-
derstood enough to startle and frighten
her into making her escape. She had
effected this by night six weeks before,
and her great dread was of being dis
covered and forced to go back. John
heras well as he could.
"Youu be just as safe at the farm as
if you were in an iron safe, he protest.
But, spite of his assurances, the l,1rk-
ing terror never left Lucy's eyes, though
weeks sped safely by and nothing &C.
Cured to alarm her. Every sudden
noise made her start; the sight Of a
strange figure on the road blanched her
roses to paleness. Except for this fear
fulness, she proved an excellent 'shelp"
in all ways, quick, neat-fngered, sweet
tempered. Old Barbara wondered how
ever the farm had got on without her,
and John in his secret heart wondered
also. It never should be without her
again-on that he was firmly resolved.
Lucy" he said one day, three months
after she became his inmate, :" Tn tired
of seeing Won hmm and n nivo,. and sort