The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-10-13

"The rough blue paper, like chintz ,on
the wall, some "honesty" and dried
grasses in Opaque white vases upon the
high, narrow mantel-piece, unconsciously
struck his eye while he took his seat, his
mind occupied with other thoughts.
"We've been long expectin' you, sir,
said the old lady.
Her hands, clasped on her spotless
gingham apron upon her lap, trembled u
little, but the serenity of her manner
was not much changed.
But the old mans eyes swan in tears
He rested both hands on the hickory
stick between his knees, as he sat in a
corner, and, bending his forehead upon
them, partially hid his face.
Eyes! yes. but it comes sort O sudden
now" said the old man.
Mr.. FaXon sat in speechless sympathy.
After little pause, old Mr.. Derby
looked up, and met his eyes.
"Of course, it's all right, sir. We
don't question your right to the place;
but we've been sort of unfortunate. l
think so-dont you, mother?"
The old lady lay back among the
cushions of the dimity-covered chair.
She had look of physical weakness Mr..
Faxon had not noticed before She did
not speak.
Her husband looked at her atten-
lively A sudden flash went over his
thin face.
"Its not for myself 1 care-it's her"
he cried, striking his cane violently upon
the floor. "She helped to earn this place
when she was young. There was o kind
of work but what them hands you see
lyin' so weary in her lap. sir, was put to.
She was up early and late, always dom
fur me and the children. God never
made better wife and mother. And
now, sir, it's hard that she should be
turned ont of her house in her old age"
"Hush, hush, Danielv' said the old
lady, softly. "The Lord will provide,
and it's not long we'll have to stay in the
world, you know"
"Wiil You tell me the history of the
place, Mr.. Derby?" asked Mr.. Faxon.
How did you come to lose it?"
cit was mortgaged, sir" said the old
man, at last, ''to pay the boys college
bills. You see we had three children
Selwyn, Roscoe, and little Annie.
Mother an didn't have an education,
but we said all along that our children
should have; an they went to the dis
trict school, and then to the academy
and by and by we fitted them of for col
lege. Bright, smart boys they were -
everybody said my boys had good parts,
though Roc. was always a little wild. l
think mother, there, loved him better
for that He was more trouble, and she
chung to him closer because others
blamed at times. Annie, his sister, was
always pleadin' too, for Roc. He
played truant, and he whipped the boys
who told on him; he was always putin
his bones in peril, and twice half
drowned-yet, in spite of all, he was
ready for college when Selwyn was,
though Selwyn was steady as clock.
Mother and had been scrapin' together
for years, and at last we fitted them off.
"We went on denying ourselves, for
it was just the one hope of our lives to
have the boys graduate with all the
honors; an time welt on, but many OF
the crops failed, and there came disap-
pointment here, and disappointment
there, and failing to get together the
money the boys sent for-especially Roc.
we mortgaged the farm for five hun
dred dollars.
''They were nearly through, you see,
an mother and Annie thought that
Selwyn might be principal of the acad-
envy or something, when he came home,
an Roc. would be a lawyer, cause he
could argue and speak so smart in pub
lie, and the money would be paid back
easy.
"But from time to time there came
rumors l didn't like, as to how Roscoe
was up to his old wild ways again, and
ut last it came like like thunder-bolt-
Roc. was suspended, and had run away
to foreign parts. Well, I'll pass over
that, sir; l tried not to be too hard on
the boy. Then Selwyn came home. He
had graduated well, but he had q cough.
He didn't complain, but he was thin and
pale, an soon mother and saw that the
son we had meant to rely on was an in
valid upon our hands. The thought
struck me dumb. But mother was all
energy. We travelled here with him, we
travelled there. We saw all the noted
doctors east and west. We borrowed
more money on the old place, and we
never paid any back. I had made one
or two payments at first, but they were
but drop in the bucket. At last we
brought Selwyn home to die"
"Dont, Daniel" said the mother
softly.
He wants to hear the rest. There's
only n little more but it's no better