Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-06-27
SOPHRONIA.

chair. when he heard rap at the front
door. 1t stood open-for it was warm
day in May-and framed delightful
view across slope and valley, view
a, this moment eclipsed by the figure of
a tall and handsome girl, who stood
at the threshold.
"Eh, Miss Sophronia :" said Mr.. Bill
ings bowling his head to peer at her be-
tween the shaggy gray tufts of his knitted
brows and the upper rim of his Silver
bowed spectacles. wont you walk
in. How's Miss Newcomb :"
Mother is very well, thank you" said
Sophronia, hurriedly, "Can see you
few moments alone, Mr.. Billings: -
"Sartin We can-what's to hender::' ,
said the old bachelor bluntly. There's
the gal in the kitchen, busy mostly break
in dishes, an she wont hear, so speak
right out, Miss Sophrony, and git rid
ont for | own I'm powerful curis TO
know what's brought ye::' =
The girl blushed; it was, in fact, the
first time she had ever been under Steph-
en- Billings roof. I've come to see
about the mortgage on fathers farm
The old man Strengthened up stitily.
le just 20 right back home, and tell
yer father NJ; 10 send n1ae o his petit
coats to me. don, DO business with
gals"
"Oh, Mr.. Billings, father doesn't
know tina, | came - cried the girl quick
ly. Its my own doing; no one knows
word abol, it, AMI yoi mustn't tell.
Mustn't hey
"No, You will no, ell; you have
no righ, for came to yoa in coaf lence,
and you are gentleman and cannot be-
tray me" She was pale, and ,rembled
very much. bu, there was no mistaking
the resolution in her voice and glance.
II ain, no gentleman" Stephen Bill
ings answered, after pause, ''but if We
RELY cum by yerself, amt called upon
fur's know, to be giving on We away
BY blowing. What is it We want -
IN tell you the truth Mr.. Billings,
and I'll speak as if you were my father,
instead of my fathers enemy.
The old mans face changed suddenly
and he pressed his hand hard upon the
arm Of the hair cloth sofa where he sat;
but the girl wen, on without pause, or
hesitation. as if life and death were in
the balance. II don't understand busi-
ness very well, but do know that faith
er canno, pay up the mortgage, and that
YOU have said that he mus; pay or you
mus, have the farm. | want you TO
grant him one year and at the end of it
if he cannot pay you, Mr.. Billings, will.
/ have come to ask you to do this great
kindness to me, Mr.. Billings-not to my
father or my mother, but to me. And
| ask YOU 70 deal with me as you would
wish to have man deal by your daught-
er. if she was in such trouble as am.
The Newcomb farm was small and
the mortgage but trifing sum, if only
Daniel Newcomb had not been poor,
physically disabled, and through the
misdeeds of Others in debt. On the 9TH
er hand, Stephen Billings was rich at
least for Hillsider; but he was known
to be a grasping, as well as a thrifty
man, and few people who knew him
would have dreamed of such an attempt
as Sophronia Newcomb had made. Yet
courage and devotion sometimes answers
better than the subtlest worldly wisdom.
II was a long time since anyone had
spoken to Stephen Billings with this tone
OF complete confidence in his doins what
was right. whether pleasant or not, just
because it was right and it was very
long time since warm young hand had
touched him kindly like this girlish hand
he felt on his arm. When after pause
he raised his eyes TO hers, his features
were working with unaccustomed and
strongly repressed emotion.
"Well, I've heard ye," he said, and
eff | had darter, an she wuz ter cum
ter a man as we've cum ter me-in trou.
be, We said-rd want him ter say, jest
We be easy, III give Dan'l-Tll give yer
father year"
Sophronia had risen when he did. Her
heart was full and her tongue was ne
longer fluent.
u don't m ind tellin' on We" ne said
little huskily, ''for ye ANT the g'rl ''
90 repeating ont: yer mother was th'
only girl ever asked to marry me, an
was a soft hearted lad in them days
She said no and i, spilled things for me
good deal ever sence."
He walked away again. apd stoot
some moments in the front doorway