The Indianapolis leader., 1882-01-28

holding her darning needle in mid-air for
moment over the coarse blue sock she was
mending, II do wish you could see your way
clear to marrying Seth Hallett. He wants
you the worst kind, and he'd be such good
provider."
but / don't like him well enough,
Prudy; and / want something besides
meat and drink and two calico dresses a
year."
Mrs Prudence Hall had sprained her ankle,
and was forced solely against her will, to
sit day after day in an upper chamber, with
a terrible consciousness that everything
about the farm was relapsing into chaos for
want of her personal oversight. Her pretty
sister Dora had come to stay with her; but
''she was only child, you know" There
are only two kinds of love in this world"
said Mrs. Hall, after pause, in which she
had been taking counsel with herself wheth-
er Dora was old enough to be talked to on
such matters at all, and it flashed upon her
that 1.-The child" was nearly twenty years
old Perhaps you like Seth we'll enough
TO marry him. only you don't know it."
Tell me about the two kinds of love-
said Dora, innocently. Il thought love was
love the world over"
II have never known but one kind. /
think. Dora When | married David Hall
he was the most well-to-dO young man in
these parts, and we never had a quarrel
while he lived. He was a good, practical
sort of a man, and never a:ked me to do
anything unreasonable
what if he hadg asked Dora.
well, / guess / should have argued him
out of it. But there Is a kind OF love that
will draw women through fire and water. 1t
makes them throw themselves away on
peor shiftless men that will never provide
for them nor their children, and they know
it as we'll as anybody else does. 1t is the
creates wondert to me why such useless
feeling should ever have been created"
Dora had bent low over her work to hide
her roguish smiles at her sisters discourse;
but at this point she fixed her deep gray
eyes on Prudence, not smiling, but simply
earnest. Such love brings happiness some
times, / suppose said Dora.
Next to never" said Prudence with great
decision. I'VE amt mad to be happy, and
anything that's too good always leaves a
bad taste in the mouth. Comfort is a bird
in the hand. an1 you don't gain anything
by letting it fly on the chance of happi-
ness"
did you ever know anyone about here,
Prudence that threw herself away for love?
1t seems to me they won't look at man
unles he has house and a farm all ready
for Them"
That's where they're right" said Pru-
dence. "You are rather given to high fly
ing notions, aud It's time you found out
that bread don't grow ready Duttered. Yes,
/ did know one girl, who was pretty and
smart and had no end of chances to get mar
ried tI think my David courted her a spell
but he never would own itl and she would
have that shiftless critter, Joe Raymond
who never could make one had wash the
other. Even when sne dying she pre-
tended that she had been happy and would
not have done no other way If she had it to
do over again."
WAS she our Joe's mother" asked Dora
quickly.
"Yes, to be sure; and when he died we
took him to bring up and work on the farm.
He more than paid his way, but he's roll
ing stone like his father and won't never
come 10 anything. / forgot to tell yOu-he's
going tomorrow"
.sGoing Tomorrow cried Dora, with q
great start Il thought his time wasn't out
for another MONTH"
well, it amt out rightly till he.
twenty-one; but he was in such hurry to
be off that gave him the last month";"
Then silence fell upon them.
These two women had the same father ant
mother, though score of years lay between
them. Prudence had been born in the early
married life of her parents, when they were
struggling with stony New England farm
and there was work even for baby hands
The lines of duty and patience were deep
graved in her rugged face, which ye
beamed with kindly common sense. Bu
Dora had come to her mother late In life, a:
an old tree sometimes blossoms into love
illness after every one has forgotten it. He
little feet had walked in easy paths anC
Prudence yearned over her like a mother.
She sat now by the open fire, bending he
graceful head over some delicate work tina
Prudence would never have found time for
her red dress and the fickering freligh
made her picture too lovely for that dul
room.
Prudence" she said suddenly, las this
is Joe's last night, / think III go down anG
say goodbye to him.
You might call him up here
"No; think / will go myself"
81 believe / haven't ever told you, Dora
how much you pleased me by giving VI
that childish way of going on with him tina
YOU used to have. 1t did very well for yol
to be fond of each other when you wer
little. but of course tits out of the question
now"
1t might have been the red dress aid tn
firelight that brought such q vivid flush Il
Dora's cheek as she listened and turne,
away. She ran lightly down stairs an,
opened the door of the great farm kitchen.
A young man sat by the dull fire. lookin
into it as one looks into the eyes of an enc
my before the fght--an oyergrown farme
bow. in home made clothes, with nothin
about him to fall in love with. least of al
ing for him to look up. He was too inten
on his own thoughts to notice her, till sh
went swiftly across the room, and, takin
his head between her soft hands, turned hi
face up to hers. "Joe, bad boy, were yo
going away without letting me known"
The soft lines of his face softened an