Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-06-09
New England farm. and there was WORK

The lines of duty and patience were
deeply. graved in her rugged face, WHICH
yet beamed with kindly common sense.
But Dora had come to her mother late III
life, as an old tree sometimes blossoms IN
to loyeliness after every one has forgoeeen
it. Her little feet had walked in easy
paths, and Prudenc &c yearned over her ike
a mother. $50
She sat now by the open Gre, bending her
graceful head over some delicate work that
Prudence would never have found time TOT,
and her red dress and the Pickering freight
made Il picture too lovely for that duh
room. Prudence" she said suddenly,
''as this is Jne's last night, think III go
down and say good bye to him.
"You might call him up here"
''No; think I'll go myself
81 believe haven't ever told Yea. Dora.
how much you pleased me by giving up
that childish way of going on with him
that you used to have. 1t did very we'll
for you to be- fond Of each other when you
were li.tle. but Of course it is entirely out
IF the question now.''
T. might have been the red dress and the
freight that brought such vivid flush to
Dora's cheek as she listened and turned
away. She ran lightly down stairs and
opened the door of the great farm kitchen.
A young man sat by the dull fire, look
ing into it as one does into the eyes of an
enemy before the 6ght-a great overgrown
farmer boy, in homespun clothes, with
nothing about him to fall in love with,
least Of all for the brilliant little figure
that now stood waiting for him to look
up. He was too much intent on his own
thoughts to notice her, till she went swift
ly across the room, and taking his head
between her soft hands, turned his face up
to hers.
Joe. you bad boy, were you going away
without letting mo know ?"
The dark lines of his face softened and
frightened under her gaze till one would
not have known him for the same man.
81 thought should not see you tonight, ,
he said.
s'You know better; you know l would
have crept through the keyhole for one last
little minute with you"
"How long will you wait for me, Dora?''
eTill you come back"
''If it were seven years think how long
it would be.
eff you loved me as you make me be-
lieve," said Dora, ''youwould not 90 away
at all. but work here until you could build
little house, and then we would rough it
together
mo, little Dora, that's not my kind Of
love; my mother tried that and she lived a
slaves life"
"Dora, Dora p called Prudence from
mp stairs, "what on earth are you doing
down there ?''
Il must go now. and I must, truly
said Dora. as she felt herself locked in arms
that would not give way ''If live with
out you for seven years shall be homely
old maid. aud you will not thank me for
waiting for YOU"
He put her away then and looked at her
curiously, as if he had never thought Of
her pettishness before.
s'Do you know what your name means?"
he asked earnestly. 81 saw it in the paper
that Theodore means Gift of God and
you have been jIst that to me. If l had
never see you | should never have had Il
notion above days work or nights sleep.
1 will write whenever have any luck and
come home on New Y ears eve, when do
ONE, and if you wear this red dress, l
chall know you have waited for me-"
81 think shall live to wear it when you
come home, it it is seven years, Joe, for
women are very hard to KILL SAID Dora,
slowly disappearing from the kitchen.
"What have you been doing all this
time 20 said Prudence severely.
II was only giving Joe some good ad-
vice."
''Well, hope he'll profit by it,"
so do IL said Dora heartily.
IT'S as easy to say seven years as one :;
and we read of Jacobs seven years service
for Rachel, which seemed but as one day
for the love that he bore her. Rachel's
feelings are not thought worthy to be men
toned in holy writ, but if her love was
like Dora's every day seemed seven years
And here, in nut shell. lies the differ
enee between mans love and a wo.
mans.
Jacob had the sheep to mind, and he did
mind them uncommonly we'll. Joe went
to seek his fortune in new scenes, and only
thought of Dora when he had nothing else
to do. The poet thought he had set hard
task to tnep when he said
Learn to labor and to wait"
but it is immeasurably harder to be idle
and to wait.
Till her lover went away, D1ra had neve
cared to ask herself whether she was a
child or Il woman.
Sunshine had been plenty with her, and
she had early sugared and gilded the plain
thing that farm life afforded her.
Before the first year came to an end she
felt that she should soon arrive at patri.
archal age if she did not do something to
kill the time which died so hard on her
hands.
''Teach SCHOOL, 1 guess net,' said her
father, when she broached that to him.
"You AIM starvin' yet; and if you want
some new furbelows just say so, and not
come at it slantin' ways like that"
II don't want anything, father, but there
is so little to do at home.
Nonsense In my Time gals was al
ways full OF business. Can't you make
sheets and pillow cases and get ready to be
married? Who knows but semebody'il
ask ye one of these days '''
"But I'd rather do some work father, if
yon were willing''
"Waal, wal, folks can't have their'd
FATHERS in this world. / amt willin', and
that's the end on't.''
But this was not the end ont, and