Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-06-16

said he, toward the close of the even
ing meal; "the little gal is so tired she
can't eat nothin' solid"
81 was calculatin' to keep the black
berries for the Donation party to-mOr-
row." said Mrs. Raynesford, rising with
rather an unwilling air.
"Nonsense," quOth the farmer, with
a broad laugh. am having dona-
ton party of my own tonight Here,
little one, see if these berries don't put
some color into your cheeks"
All the evening little Mary sat by
the hearth with her hands in her
mothers, and her large, blue eyes fixed
earnestly on the farmers face.
"What are you thinking about, dear"
asked Mrs. Ellsworth, once. She drew
long sigh and whispered. 30, NAM
ma. he is so kind to us
The tops of the far.olr eastern woods
were turned to gold by that wondrous
chemist, the rising sun, when Mary
Ellsworth and the child set out upon
the long walk to BrOckton. Job
Raynesford went with them to the
gate, fumbling uneasily in his pocket
and glancing guiltily around to make
sure that Hannah was not within see
ing distance. When Mary extended
her hand to say grateful goodbye, Il
bank bill was thrust into it.
"Dont say nothin', muttcrcd Job
with a sleepy air. "Tcn dollars amt
much to me, and if you don't get work
in the factory right away, it may he Il
good deal of use TO you. Needn't
thank mc-yOu are as welcome rs the
flowers in May
"Tcn dollars. calculated Mrs. Raynes
ford, who had witnessed this little
episode from behind the curtains
of the milk-room windows. "Is job
Raynesford crazy? To give ten dollars
to apOor strOlling vagrant! Ifhc don't
get a piece of my mind" And she
fastened out, her cap border fairly
standing on end with horror. job
awaited the coming tempest with
philosophical coolness, his hands in his
pockets, and his lips parted in a good
natured smile
"She means WELL" he said to himself,
when the volley Of wrath had been
discharged on his luckless head, and
Mrs. RaynesfOrd had returned to the
butter-making, "but she's got the great
est faculty for scoldin' of any woman
| ever saw"
The years lifted by, sprinkling the
steep old farmhouse roof with the
cystal drops of April showers, and
thatching it with the dazzling crmine
of January SHOWS, many and many Il
time. Gray hair crept in among the
raven locks of Farmer RayncSford,
carc-worn wrinkles began to gather
around his mouth and brow. Alas.
Those swift footed years brought
trouble to the kind old man.
"Twenty years." mused he, one
bright June morning; it don't seem
possible, Hannah, that it was twenty
years ago this very day that caught
that ugly fall from the hay-rick and
got lame for life And he looked
down at the crutchcs by his side.
Hannah stood in the door, throwing
corn to u forlorn colony Of chickens.
Twenty years had rot improved her
in any rcspect-Shc was gaunticr,
bOner, and more vincgar.Gaced than
ever.
ayes" she said slowly, "and perhaps
you don't remember that it was twenty
years ago this day that you threw
away $40 on that woman and her
child. 81 told you that you'd end your
days in the poor house, and | don't see
but my prediction is likely to come true.
Didn't say you d repent it?"
al won't deny, Hannah" said the old
man, "but I've done many things I've
been sorry for-but that is not one of
them. No, | never for moment re-
pent being kind to the widow and the
fathcrless."
Hannah shrugged her shoulder, but
made no answer. Didn't you say you
were going up to see that lawyer about
the $4,000 note to-day" she asked.
"Yes, but | don't suppose it'll he of
much use. If he'd wait little I'd do
my best to please him. Jones says
he'll be- sure to sell the old place from
over our heads, however; they say he's
a hard man. | mean to tell him Just
how matters stand now
al told you how it would be long
ago." calculated Hannah, unable to re-
strain her vexation, "What ever pos
sessed you to sign for Jesse Fairweath-
er?'
disposed he was IN honest man and
wouldn't see IN old friend wronged"
"Fiddlesticksl that's just your cal
culation, job! There, Zcke has brought
the wagon; do start off, you'll be too
late for the New York train" And
Job meekly obeyed, only too happy to
escape from the endless discord of his
wife's railing tongue. The rays of the
MONDAY sun streamed brightly through
the stained glass easements of MI.
Everleigh superb gothic library. The
room was decorated with appurte-
nances of wealth and taste. Velvet
chairs with tall backs of daintily
carved rosewood, were scattered here
and there; marble vases occupied inches
beside the doorway and the rarcst pic
lures hung on the panneled and gilded
walls.
But the prettiest one of all-the one
which the rich lawyer oftenest raised
his eyes from his writing to contem-
plate with an involuntary smile of
pride and affectiOn-was II lovely
woman in white cashmere morning
robe, trimmed with white velvet, who
stood opposite, arranging flowers in a
bouquet. She wore spray of berries
carved of pink Neapolitan coral at her
throat, and tiny pendants of the same
rare stone in her small shell-lke ears,
and the slender waist was tied around
with pink ribbon.
"There, Walter, isn't that pretty, she
asked, holding up her completed bou-
quet.
"Very pretty" he answered, looking
not at the roses and geraniums, but
directly at the blue eyes and golden
curls of his beautiful young wife.
"You are not even noticing it," she
said.
because see something so much
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