River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-08-12

dusty highway. Inside it was equally
as barren of grace or beauty; the walls
were dingv and unadomed by pictures
of any kind the furniture was guiltless
of paint or varnish, with no works of
literature worthy of mention Lesides
the weekly paper, the Bible and an al
manac.
In this atmosphere she must live,
here she must henceforth work on,
while mind and soul starved; here, too,
she must rear her children to see worth
and beauty is nothing that can not be
represented by gold What wonder,
then. if her thoughts and eyes wander
ed over the fields of waving grain to
whore stately stone house stood on
am eminence? She knew there was
! beauty there, breezes stole INTO the
Iarpe airv rooms, through lace cur
/ taias. there were rich carpets ond fur
nitlre. and library that was almost
an intellectual feast to look at; outside
/ There we're pleasant walks and drives,
and Il flower garden filled with the
rara.t floral treasures; and then she
sighed softly as she thought to herself
But love would not have been there,
and life would have been of very little
worth without that.
Jennie, Jennie Q, here you are, :"
and Mr.. Graham came out from the
back kitchen door and seated himself
upon the edge of huge log that had
been hewed out and did duty f + caves
drop and cistern. 1t was not unusual
| for him to seek her; he always did
when he came in and fonnd her not in
| the house. 1t was not habit in the
man. His very life seemed bound up
| in her: and although he had the repu-
! tation among his neighbors OF being
/ close in his business transactions, he
was kind-hearted and generous, too, i'll
his way-This morning he had some
thing Of importance to communicate.
i didn't tell you last evening, he
said. that | had already had some
talk with SOuthwell about that land.
He wouldn't listen to cent under s.,
| GOOO then, and | wouldn't offer more
! than $1,000. He came over to see me
! this morning and offered to split the
| the difference Amt that a bargain,
though \ little better than spending
money for paint or paper, Jennie? D."
| rising To- 90, Il came near forgetting to
tell YOU, Powers Is here. He wants to
hire out during harvest. | have hands
enough. but | suppose the more help |
have the better | shall get along, so |
| told him to go right to work. | don
suppose he has been to breakfast yet,
! Iii. folks are so slack: SO You must set
out Il lunch for him to eat.-Try and
have the luch ready by $50; you can
blow the horn and | will send one OF
the men down for it.
Poor Jennie 1t was like the straw
that broke the camel's back. She
struggled hard, but tears would come
Mr.. Graham turned back and came in
stanfly to her side, when he saw that
she was in trouble.
What is the matter, DEAR" he
asked compassionately while his large,
kind hand glded down her hair with Il
soft @aressing touch. IF you are not
telling well, | will slip down and get
! Miranda Powers to come out and help
YOU. guess I'd better anyway. hadn't
! II"
Mrs. Graham mastered her emotions
with an effort.
oh no" she said; there isn't any
| thing
Mr.. Graham he9itated, but was not
satisfied with this explanation.
There = she said. Now go along
to your work, or | shall cry again,
ana indeed She looked very much rs il
she Iaight
Hiram Graham had faint idea as to
what the matter was, and was very will
inc to do rs e babe him He felt con
sidcrblv annoyed at his wife could not
see the advantages ofthe proposed pur-
chase that would so materially add to
their mutual property. And then he
| began to wonder what she was thinking
So silently about while she stood look
ing off toward distant hill. A little
jealousy crept i'll with the thought The
owner of that fine mansion had once
been formidable rival of his. There
could have been no reason for her
choice but the one she 80 slyly confess
| ed to him in the soft twilight of Il sum-
mer evening ten years ago. How proud
and happy he had felt lie vowed that
she should never want for anyt ing
which he could procure. But he had
changed since He had little to begin
with They had to practice such rigid
economy. and to watch every dollar so
closely, to be able to meet the payments
on farm, that he learned to love
money, not SO much for the good II
would purchase as for its own sake.
When he came in to dinner, followed
bv his troop of hands, he could not elp
noticing how flushed and tired she look
ed, hat she was as cheerful as ever
The morning cloud had passed; and
with the sweet spirit Of selfsacratice
that characterized her, she had buried
her dead hopes and taken up the bur
den Of life again as best she could.
Hiram Graham was not ignorant OF
this sacrifice, and it touched him keen
"; the thought of it troubled him dur
ing the afternoOon He even forgot tC
estimate what the probable yield pei
acre would be as the heavy sheaves were
pushed off the rear platform and lay SC
neaI together ON the shorn ground. He
could not deny that this wife had work
ed As hard as he during the past years
and the economy he had praC-
main. He wished that he had treated
her wishes more respectfully at least
But then he could not help looking
over 10 where the forty acres lay. What
choice bit ofland it was, How long
he had wanted it, And now, when il
was almost within his grasp, was he tC
let it go2 And even were he to yield tC
Weld to Jennie's wishes now, would mo-
She know Chat he had done SO reluctant
lay Id against his better judgement
And during the afternoon he though
the matter over and over.
'rowers,' he called out Us that indi
vilual was leaving the field at night, Il
the folks at home can spare Mirinda, LEI
her come up in the morning and hell
my wife.
''All right, she will be glad to come
was the answer.
Harvest was over and Mrs. Gahan
had spoken of discharging the girl.
You had better keep her to hell
Won. said her husband
No" said Mrs Graham. "whCn Their,
is none but my own family | can d'
the work easy enough alone. behev,
like to work" added she smiling; "a
least am always happiest when an
busy.
How long has it been since yor
have been home to your fathers on ;
visit? lac asked abruptly
Five years ago last June, when sis