Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-09-15

Il did wrong. see it now. I'm sorry
| for it. But do not blame me so, Sarah,
he said sadly. God knows meant TO 90
right, and to do my best for you. Ana III
| go to the city and see this rich man that
holds the note. He is alawver, and they've
/ just made him Governor of the State he
don't need the money, and maybe he VIII
agree to some arrangement, so 1 can pay 1t
Off by degrees and not sell our home.
THAT'S the first sensible word you We
said about the business cried Mrs. Nor
ton.
And she bestrred herself SO effectnally
to get him off at once, that by ten o'clock
the next morning be was ringing at the
door of the beautiful city mansion in which
the naw-made Governor had just taken up
his residence.
He was admitted by servant. WHIP was
rushing out on an GRAND in hot haste.
The household staff was not yet organ
ICED. There was no one in the hall to re-
ceive him. He wandered on, wondering
at the tall, marble pillars and the floor of
tessellated marble till he came to the Goth
ic library where the Governor was sitting,
in company with his beautiful six-month's
bride. Y"
The old man glanced at the rich carpet,
the velvet and rosewood chairs, the tall
vases, the gilded pictures upon the walls.
through the half opened door. Then his
eyes fell upon portrait that hung in the
place of honor above the fireplace, and he
stood still. Yr
A sweet. pale spirituelle face, with wav-
ing. silvery hair brushed back from the
| forehead and look of peaceful benedlc-
ton beaming from the large blue eyes.
81 ought to know her WELL" unused the
old man ''And I know now-it is the
poor lady whe came to our house one eve
ming. with the pretty little child 1t looks
as if all their troubles must be over, if they
| live in house like this.''
In the library, at this same moment,
pair of beautiful blue eyes were lifted to
that portrait, and tears dimmed their light
tears that the lips Of lover husband
soon kissed away.
''lf the picture makes you sad, Lucy, it
must be moved to one of the upper rooms,"
said the Governor. II never wish to see
cloud upon your face again"
mo cloud will ever come there through
you George" replied his young wife. 81
am not unhappy when look at her. and
like to have the picture there, because it
is in this room that we shall be oftenest
! together. I was only thinking how sad it
was that she could not have lived to share
with us this beautiful home"
"Your mother did not care to live long
or. Lucy said the Governor, after
pause. "She told me so herself, after she
had found your Uncle Eustace, and per-
suaded him to do justice to you before he
died. She remained until she saw you my
wife, and knew how tenderly would care
for you. Then I think she was really glad
to go. Her heart was in your fathers
grave"
"l ss; and then she suffered so, in that
dreadful time after his death, when we
had no money and no home" replied his
wife with tears in his voice though none
| fell from her eyes. "You can never mag
inc how she was Inundated and beaten
down into the very dust. One night-oh,
how well remember it-she would GER
tainly have died, if it had not been for a
kind old farmer who took us to his house.
although his cross wife objected, and ac-
tually called my mother paup.r in her
anger. Some day, when you are not very
busy George, 1 wish you would go with me
to see that kind old man, and thank him
in my mothers name.'' t-.
"Very well, my dear. Now will you go
with me to give your orders about the
furnishing of the upper rooms?"
They went out into the hall, There
stood the farmer, turning his hat about in
his hands, and looking like man dazed
"Why. here is my friend-my mothers
| friendP' exclaimed the Governors wife,
dropping her husbands arm, and running
up to the old man with both hands out
stretched to greet him. ''Don't you re-
member me, sir? I am the little girl you
sheltered in your pleasant home. If you
had not been SO good to US, might have
lost my mother Them
81 remember, miss-ma 'am,'' stammer-
ed the farmer, turning crimson all over
his honest face.
"And did you come to see me9 Or my
husband?" asked Lucy, with proud,
fond glance at the Governor.
'sIt was him, ma 'am-the gentleman
that holds the note and the mortgage on
our home. 1t has been foreclosed, and |
must lose it now to pay the debt. would
not have dared to come here ma'am. on
such an errand, only its life and death to
me and my wife. We are getting old now
and havn't saved anything. and don It
know where we could find another home.
| If more time could be given me, could
pay off the note and mortgage by degrees.
But 1 cannot do it now. If am pressed
for it, the home must go.''
SHOW came yon to sign note for
another man, when your own property was
encumbered?" asked the Governor, as his
wife drew the papers from the hands of
the farmer, and placed them in his own,
~ suppose oughtn't to have done it
that's fact, sir. But, you see. neighbor
Russell and were boys at school togeth-
or, and he was poor, struggling man,
with a lot of little children. There was
only Sarah and me at the old homestead.
and 1 thought we could risk it better than
he could. If he had lived, he would have
paid me mack. honest, every cent. But
what could be done if the Lord saw fit to
take him2 1t is all unfortunate, but l |
acted for what I thought was best at the !
time"
George. for my mothers sake, you will
not let him lose the home he has risked to |
help anotherYn said tie Governors wife |