The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
THE ORPHANS FRIEND.

We kept little variety shop, SIste
N1argie, and I, the profit Of which va
quite as small as the wares We sold. Blu
then, we had no rent to pay, owning th'
small, brown, o.d-fashioned house II
which we lived, and which looked
strangely out OF place among the state
ly-looking modern dwellings that crow
ded up against it on either side, quite
putting it out of countenance by then
superior height and appearance.
Grandfather built it when the place
was new and he young man, and wher
all that brick and mortar We're verdant
fields and well-kept gardens, dotted
here and there by houses as few and mo-
dest rs his own.
He owned large farm, and was con-
siderela wealthy man for those days:
but acre after acre had been sold until
nothing was left except this house in
which my father had been born, and
which was the only Inheritance Of his
children. But we made the most OF it,
Margie and I, as you will see.
I hardly think we should have dared
to do such a thing while father lived.
who would have considered it a sort OF
sacrlege; but soon after his death we
turned the front part Of the house into a
shop, with show windows, which
opened out upon the street, III which to
display the articles We kept for sale.
This was matter of necessity rather
than choice, it being all that I could
10 at home; and I could not leave Mar
gle. Poor Margie was cripple; she
had received fall when only four years
old, and had never walked since.
She had been great care to me for
many year. but never burden. She
was so thoughtful, patient, and cheerfrll
that, ID the event of our separation, I
think I should have missed her just as
much as she would me.
She was very useful too; lying all day
on the lounge in our little sitting-roon,
her.hands were never idle, crcchet1ng
4; 1,,ate--u-;stansrt -e6ocno. aRc
3ning various kinds Of fancy-work, fos
which 7 foand sale in the shop, ana
tbonoh the prlce asked was only mode
rately in excess of the cost OF maeeri"i'
it helped US not little.
Margie kept ali the accounts M-o "
having clearer head than l, and q
Inowledce, or rather intuition, OF char-
ectar that was wonderful, considering
how secluded her life had been, never
thought ci taking any step without COLI
We lived very quietly, having 1ev
acouaintances, and no near 1rleno o.
relative-except John.
John was my lover, and no glrl eve
had one more llnd ard true; he wa
poor IN worldly goods. but on. SO rlc'
in goodness and manly worth.
He might have seemed plain to o, thos @
Who knew him not-I cannot tell no.
he looked to other eyes-but there Wa
more than beauty to me N that 1rant
honest face, andin the big brown h''i''
that were so strong and helpful.
We had been engaged ever since W;
e;ohteen-I was twenty-three now-an
NO nearer 10 being married, as cou
coo than we were five years oe1oI
But still we loved and hoped on. JOE
had q widowed and infrm mother, al
r TMaroi,: and though she was anStn!l
Int burdensome to me, l could not TIM
Of adding any further weight to u
hands that were full enough already
Trade not being very brisk during t!
SIMMER. Margie and l decloed 10 e :;
ont our slender income by letting Il
room over the shop. 1t was low, a.
the slant of the roof on one side ana /
chimney made it full OF queer moo
and corners. The furniture was o.
being some that candfalher had Wn
he was married; but with the help
Jobu who would spare me an hour
two in the evenings, furnished 1t up
that it looked very well.
Bv diut of piecing and contrivlng
covered the floor with neat carpet
he'd and windows were drap"d W
white. and some pretty prints NJ
nnon the wall, ard on the whole
very well satisfied with the result OF
When all was done, John wrote
tice Groom to let; Inquire with
Rut though I placed it IN the shop v
dows where it could be seen plal
from the street, nearly three We
passed. and We had only two appnc;
for the room, and from persons
onlv looked at it, and then went aV
One morning, as was dustlns
counter and putting the shop to rig
saw a oueer-loohng, oddly-dresse::
man standing in froAt OF the "ane
his ewes fixed upon the notlce' an'
moving his lips slowly syllaplfylns
word. ,.,o.
+be,n and a snuf-colored coat,
abort vast and long skirts, ana "
looked as if it might have been MS 8
INT the oldest thing about hin
the long white halr which fen upo
sbonlders and the heavy beard 0
same color which touched his ol
A broad brimmed hat completed
quaint, Quaker-hke appearance;
Th, door being ajar. before ha'
to Law aside my duSter, he was 4
counter.
He stared at me foG some MOI
without speaking, and then poln'h
the notice with his cane, sald:
evil thee let me look at 1t?
Inwardly hoping that this al
ton would not share the tate OF
that had preceded it, lied the w
stairs.
To my great relief, our prosF
lodger, far from objectlns to the $ $
roof, and old-fashioned furniture
to regard them with positive feel
interest and admiration. =.
"It is like the chamber l usea u
in when I was boy" he sad,
looked around, and speaking II
himself than me. ::
As wanted Marrie to see III