South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-11-25

DrOugM Dem from the Mcbride
farm, Mrs. Tbpey. he said. They
ore q very common kind in tho Shen-
andoah valley, handing them to her.
Mrs. TaneYs features grew warm.
Il remembW o tree Just like these
ut home, she said, by tho old mill.
MY old nurse hscd to hold me up to
pull them for myself
Your little, girl tells me that you
came from Fanquicr county. 1t is a
fine country;
tits the most beautiful in the world
said Mrs. fancy. =
She stopped + went in hastily. She
felt the tears choking her. She could
hear Mr., Burke tell the child that his
school was in Fauquier, and that he
had -ottea passed her grandfather's
house. 1t was for sale now, with a
dozen acres about it wonld sell very
cheap, no doubt. Land had dcprecia.
ted since the war. "A quiet comforta-
BILE little homestead, too he said, as
any in the State .sa.,.,,. 81
Mira. fancy paused in her work.
oh, ii could only show it to Let.
tv,' she said 10 herself. The dear
old farm. The sunny porches, and
the Bourbon roses, and the great oaks,
centuries old She had never spoken
of her old home to her other children,
but to Lefty she had talked of it often
when they were alone Lefty was
like herself; the others were all Ia
neys.
She came to the door.
DO you know Mr.. Burke, if there
is an old negro OH the place-a gar.
dener?' ia
'Uncle Tod' Oh, everybody knows
the old man and his stories about
the Clevelands, dc family, as he calls
them.'
We were the Clevelands. And
old Tod ia really living yetp' she
laughed for tho first time in Year.
When Lefty had gone in Mr.. Burke
paced up and down the porch. He
was a manly, large.natured fellow,
and his heart ached with pity for the
poor, plnched lives of this child & her
mother. All he conld do to show
kindness was to lend books TO Lefty,
which she devoured eagerly, for. she
was fond of reading in fact she had
obstinately persisted in staying at the
free school until she had educated
herself.
William fancy waited until the
young man had gone, and then he
went into the pantry where his moth
er was straining milk. Something in
his manner made her set it down,
trembling.
You have bad news to ter,' she
said.
NO. with an uneasy stricken laugh,
most folks call it good. Fact 'isGmo.
Their, I've made up my mind to
marry
ooh. William her old cheeks col.
oring.
Il made up my mind three months
ago. And the girls courted, and the
weddings to he tomorrow. There
now. No need for you TO look in that
way. l am generally pretty close
mouthed abont my own business you
might know that. And don't choose
to have the matter cackled over al
home. The girl is Miss Susie Craw.
ford
His mother came toward him. lie
was her son after all. and this was the
turning point Of his life. She put her
arms about him and kissed him. =
God bless you, my boy, ..she said.
But1he stood as immoyable as o
log
Don't let us have any FUSS he
said. You had bette: sit down
You're shaking all over. Well, that's
all. There'll be no wedding hubbnb
here. l don't hold to spending mo.
ney in feeding lot of guzzliug fools
The Crawfords have regular blow
out in the morning But you don't
want to go. | rockon? uneasily.
Il should like to see you married,
she said, timidly.
oh, nonsense. There's no sickly
sentiment about me. I'll have Sophy
home by supper time. You'll have
to see TO things here
He lighted his candle and turned
to go.
BY tho way. she was hero a mouth
ago.
Yes Mrs. fancy remembered
distinctly the gross-featured, black
eyed young woman who had swag.
gered through the farmhouse IN her
cheap silk and gilt jewelry.
She came just to look atihcr new
home, and--well, she rather took a
fancy TO the south chamber. You had
better fix it mp for her.
MY room, Willie 2
Yes. It's all the same 10 you.-
OF course you can 60 up TO Lefty
Lefty. who had been ut work inside
camc out, sobbing. aud threw her
d apruu about Ior v,,~4l.-