The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-01-08
farmhouse in her cheap silk and gilt jew

''Shc came just to look at her new home
and-well, she rather took fancy to th
south chamber. You had better fix it u
for her"
"My room, William ?"
"Yes. It's all the same to you. y
course you can go up to Lefty"
Lefty, who had been at work inside
came out and threw her arms, sobbing
about her mother. She knew that thi
had been her mothers room for thirt.
years. All Mrs. Taney's children were
born in 1.-THE baby died there.
William stopped, and came back, say
ing:
"Now look here, it's just as we'll tt
speak plainly at once. III have no oppo
sition to my wife from you, Lefty, mol
from-from any other woman. [ am the
head of this house. My dear wife shall
be mistress of it. She brings me snug
bit of money, and I'll not have her nor her
family insulted in it.
"My son."
But he had stalked off to bed.
There was no time, the next day, for
Mrs. Taney or Lefty to even think of the
coming trouble. They were up, as usual,
two or three hours before day, kindling
fires, milking and getting breakfast for the
six harvest hands, then came washing, a
dinner at noon, all the work of farm, in
short, which falls on woman, in addition
to which, was the cleaning and preparation
of the room which the bride had chosen
for her own. Mrs. Taney moved slug
gishly through the latter part Of the work.
"What is the matter with you, mother?'
asked Lefty.
Mrs. fancy laughed feebly.
II don't know; I feel like clock that
is nearly run down"
Lefty made no reply. The child had
lately been absent, almost Indifferent,
while her mother talked, apparently in
her own thoughts. Could it be, the
mother thought, that Lefty, also, was for
saking her? Mrs. Taney had only had
one other daughter-the baby who died.
The other children were sops, all of whom,
except William, had gone to the West
and married there. She had often wish
ed they would ask her to visit them, that
she might see their children. But they
never did it.
While they were hanging out the
clothes that afternoon, Mrs. fancy heard
a tap, three times repeated, on the orchard
fence. Letty's face colored. She drop
ped the clothes and ran behind the apple
trees. As she came back her mother saw
her thrust note into her pocket. Mrs,
Taney grew suddenly sick at heart. Let
ty with a secret. Lefty carrying on q
love affair !
While Mrs Taney stood, doubling
whether to ask the child for her conf
dence, Lefty had disappeared. A few
later Lefty went down the road
in her clean dress and sun bonnet. 1t
was but triAe, yet it stunned the jaded
as a sharp blow would have done.
The other farmers daughters kept up
perpetual vulgar flirting and secret court
ships. But Lefty was her own wee lamb,
delicate and pure.
Mr.. Burke, coming over the fields that
afternoon with a hatchet and bag of
specimens, was amazed to see Lefty stand
ing in the road in earnest conversation
with a man. GA coarse, red -jawed, beery
fellow" was his angry verdict. The fel-
low talked long and earnestly; then took
Letty's hand and pressed it reverently.
Burke turned his back on them and struck
across the hills. The girls mother should
hear of this at once, he said to himself, de-
cidedly. Then he slackened his speed.
What was it to him? Why should he
vex himself about the girl q? Or meddle
with her affairs He went slowly back
to the hills. But the hot blood rushed
with strange beat through his veins.
In an hour Lefty was back aad at work
with redoubled vigor, to make up for lost
time. Her mother scanned her innocent
meek face with breathless terror
Surely there was no guilt there. She
would not doubt her; she would not ask a
question.
II have dressed the table with flowers, y
the mother said, "and made cake
real brides cake. 1 hope William won't
be angry. But this is SO different from
weddings in Virginia. Oh, Lefty, if you
aad l could only 60 to the old house and
sleep for one night in the room which wa'
mine when 1 was child, l think just thai
little thing would give me years of life"
"There they come - cried Lefty, as the
big Crawford carriage was seen dashine
up the road. She grew very pale ane
shrank back. The girl had always beer
afraid of her brother William and hi:
wife, she suspected, would be as hard +,
ruler and more vulgar one.
But Mrs. Taney led her to the porch.
"You must welcome them, Lefty" sh'
said.
The bride watched them from the car
riage window with keen, jealous eyes
Her father had given her hint as to he
future course.
"You've made good match, Sophy,
he said. "Bill Taney's got as long purse
as any man in the country, and his OLE
farms comfortable. But the old womar