The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-04-15

~ |IHIIVItHUII M|~N||A @HN HfE ~ ~ Vii
you are able 10 build.
Poor John groancd IN spirit. Take
Mary into 4 dug-out. when she might
have lived IN a mansion! But TopSy's
death had lowered his means. and
4 dug.out was better than going
hungry; SO very reluctantly.
John shouldered his spade. and
choosing d spot where thcground sloped
abruptly he commenced digging into
the hillside. Shoyclinl after shovclful
was thrown ont. until n large. square
cavity was made; then with Jcrry's as
sistancc sods were brought and built
into q wall. Two square places were
left for windows. q iioor was laid. the
door swung and John was ready 70 take
Mary TO her new home.
Mary was blithe and happy, and set
about making things look home-iike.
But John wa a~iscontented, for in spite
Of himself, Silas Greens mansion would
persist in rearing its fair walls In con-
trast 70 his humble dug-out, and again
he wondered IL Mary might not regret
marrying SO poor . man.
The winter passed away, and during
summer John worked busily At his
breaking. He found. Is Jerry said. that
sod corn would not make his fortune;
and 50 another winter came and John
longed for spring. for the crops must
build his house this year. In the spring.
a little life fluttered in and tluttered out
again. and left Mary sick nigh unto
death. When John saw the grief on
Mary's face when they told her her
baby did not live. John almost cursed
himself for bringing her to live in that
sshole in the ground as he bitterly
called his home. For no thought that
IL Mary had had q better home. she
might have had more strength 70 meet
her sickness. \
Mary's health came slowly back. She
was lonely at times. and wished the
bachelors would marry and bring Their
wives to live with them that she might
have near ~neighbors. One day she
carried water to John and sat ON the
plow while he drank 10 her health
Then they stood looking at the whea'
as 1t tossed in billowy waves.
We'll have our house this year
saidJohn; ~ never saw a better pros
pcct.'
..Shall we have a marble or brown
stone front?'' said Mary.
~ trust it will not be a brown-sod
'front.'"
Mary started as something whirres
past her ear, struck her cheek. thel
lluttered 70 the ground.
"What was that?' she said.
John glanced down; then, with
start. he shaded his eyes and looked up
ward.
"what i il, JohnP What make
you 50 paleP" y.
ats destruction said John, huski
"; Its the grasshopper! Look up
Mary shaded her eyes and looked up
Yes, there. between her and the sun
: was the shining mist made BY the gauz
! wings Of the destrovers and down
steadily down. they were coming. unit
the fields seemed alive with them
Mary tried 10 cheer John, teilin
him, aPerhaps they would leave, 3
7 perhaps they would not injure th
4 grain much But in vain. job
I was q sorcly-disappointed man
Z He unhitched his horses and drew
Y in silence 10 the house. and n
3 d~estroyers, left in u~ndisturbed posse:
sion, soon compieteu tne'r worN !
destruction. A nre PASSIVE .nfu wv
. tne iair ne,us cou'u ~ nase -
! ! more utterly desolate.
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