South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-07-29

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door. Sad, startled faces, they both
had, but they were cfil. Their greet.
ing was kindly, as t. q friend.
My name is Faxoe,' said the visi-
tor, Il
we know who you be, sir, said the
old man; we know WHO you be, though
we have never seen yCu before. Will
you come in p
MIR. Faxon stepped acros5 the white
hall floor into the quaint, cool and
comfortable sitting room.
The rough blue paper, like chintz.
on the wall, some honesty and dried
grasses in Opaque white. vases upon
the high, narrow mantle. piece, uncon-
sciously, 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
Slngham apron upon her lap, trembled
u little, but the serenity of her man
ner was not much changed.
But the old mans eyes swan in
tears. lie rested both hands on the
hickory stick between his knees, and
he sat IN a corner, and bending his
forehead upon them, partially hid his
face.
Yes yes ! but it comes sort o. sud-
den now said the old man.
Mr. FaXon sat Ill specifies sympa-
thy.
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. |
think so-don't 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 attcn.
lively. a sudden flush went over
his thin face.
Its not for myself care-it's herr
he cried, striking his cane violently
upon the floor. 'She helped to earn
this place when she was young. There
was no kind OF work but what them
hands you see lynn so weary in her
lap, sir, WAS put TO. She was up early
and late, always DOM for me and
the children. God never made q
better wife and mother. And now.
sir, it's hard that she should be turned
out OF her house in her old ace.
Hush, hush, Daniel 7 said the old
lady, softly. The Lord will provide.
and it's not long we have to stay in
the world, you know
VIII you tell me the history Of the
place, Mr.. Derby ? asked Mr.. Faxon.
How did you come to loose it?'
1T was mortgaged, sir said the old
man, at last, 'to pay the boys college
bills. You see We had three children
-Selwin, Roscoe, and little Annie.
Mother an / didn't have an eluca.
ton, but we said all along that our
children should have an they went
to the district school and then to the
acadeny-and by and By we fitted
them off for college. Bright, smart
boys they werc-everybody said my
boys had good parts, though Roc was
always little Wild. 1 think mother.
there, loved him better for that. He
was moro trouble, and she chung TO
him closer because others blamed at
times. Annie, his sister, was always
a pleadin', TOO, for Roe. He PLAYED
truant, and he whipped the boys who
tod on him; he was always putin
his bones In peril, and twice half
drowned-yct in spite of all he was
ready Tor college when Selwyn was.
though Selwyn was steady as n clock.
Motherand had been scrapin' to0eth-
er for years, and at last we fitted them
off.
we went on denying of ourselves.
for 1t was just the one hope OF orr
lives to have the boys graduate with
all the houors; an time went on. but
many OF the crops failed. and there
came disappointment there, and fail
ing to get together the money tbe
boys sent for especially Roc-ye
mortgaged the farm for five hundred
/ dollars.
They were nearly through, you sec.
an mother and Annie thought tbat
SeIwyn might be principal of the
{ academy or something, when he came
home, an Roc would be n lawyer.
cause he could argue and speak SO
smart in public, and the money would
be paid back easy.
But from time TO time there came
rumors / didn't like, as to how Roscoe
was up to his old wild ways again.
and at last It came like thunder
boIt-Roc was suspended and had run
away TO foreign parts. Well. pass
over that, sir; j tried not to be too
hard on the boy. Thcu Selwvn came
home. IIc had graduated well. but
he had a cough. Uediln'tcomplain.
but he was thin and pale, an soon