San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-10-19

her nose, ana cfleu anu shiieu Soo"
deal over her troubles.
There's the little room with the
sloaping roof close to the chimney,
suggested Marah, where we keep the
chests of linen, and herbs, and seed
corn. We might fit that up nicely.
| could but down a breadth of new
rag-carpet beside the bed and make
curtains out of the WORKOUT sheets;
and, dare say, the young man won't
be particular" ,.....-,
But he's mere clerk-a porter,
for all we know" whined cousin
Louisa, whose deceased husband had
been bartender in a railway saloon.
81 guess it won't hurt us to associate
with him." said Uncle Abner, dryly;
land l tell you what, mother, If our
Marah has all the extra work and care,
she shall have the board money, eh?"
"Of course she SHALL" said Mrs.
Flint.
And cousin Louisa sighed deeply,
and remarked "that some folks always
had all the luck and she never got no
chance to earn money!"
The young man from the store az
rived-a mild, unassuming person,
who was very quiet and made very
little trouble. He walked in the pine
woods-foi his health, he said-ard
helped the stalwart wood cutters now
and then. He sat by the fire and read.
He answered Uncle Abner's questions
about the house of Marchland & Co.,
with great frankness. Yes, he liked
the business. He hoped in time to
work his way up in it. Mr.. Marchland
was very kind to him. He did not
consider Mr.. Marchland naughty
miser (this in reply to cousin Louisa,)
Mr.. Marchland probably had his faults,
but it was not his place to criticise his
employer.
Poor fellow" said cousin Louisa,
when he had gone out with Uncle
Abner to ride with the OK team into
the woods. 81 don't s'pose he gets
six dollars a week, to Judge by his talk:
l thou ht p'r'aps 1 might be induced
to change my widowed condition, if he
was a likely fellow, with q good income.
But / guess l shan't waste no more OF
my attention Oh him!" ,f a.-
HE seems very quiet and pleasant"
said Marah.
''And he steps about awful spry for
a sick man. remarked grandma, who
sat knitting in the chimney corner.
"Oh," said Mrs. Flint, "he isn't real
sick. He's only little down with
MALARIA and over work. He'll be all
right by spring; you just see if ne
WON'T"
At the end of the first week, when
he offered to pay bis board, Mrs. Flint
gave it back to him. 4
you needn't mention it to your
Mr.. Johnson" said she.
John Johnson was the name on the
boarder's ,valise.) But we was
me and Marah, that p'r'aps
you wasn't very well off, and so we'd
make you a present of the board"
"You are very kind" said the young
man, with a slightly flushed face,
but" & & asA - .alat
Its Marah's present, not mine"
addressed Mrs. Flint, bluntly. We told
her she should have the money for the
board" But he did not argue the
point any further.
And Mrs. Flint confidently informed
her niece that "she thought the board
was. quite an object to Mr.
Johnson, poor fellow"
While cousin Louisa elevated her
roman nose and remarked that "she
idn't take much stock in paupers.
If folks couldn't support themselves
lecently, she thought the'd ought to
20 to the poor-house."
Marah, however, had all her sympa-
,hies thoroughly enlisted in behalf of
he silent young guest. She mended
lis stockings on the s. y,-she saw that
us linen was kept Ill goou order,
,he, made little dainties to tempt his
eeble appetite, from time to time.
You are very good to me, he said
me day as he saw her swift needle
gliding in and out of the pocket hand
lerchief of his, which he got torn
lmong the bushes from which he had
,een gathering scarlet wild berries.
1--WE are both solitary and alone in
he world" she said. "Only that you
re friendless, and I have my good
mole and aunt to rely on"
Il am not so friendless as l was a
ew weeks ago." said he. For l ven
ure now to count you among the list
# my friends. / have even dared to