The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-11-15
THE OUTWARD SEEMING.
BY FLORENCE 8 HALLowELL.

givin' help to Susan Bayard an her chill
dren don't come under that head"
"But bein' as they're your own KIM"
said Miss Hepzibah, deprecatingly, ''it's
only natural for 'em to look to YOU"
"Let ZEN look. They'll take it out in
lookin.' I told Tom when he married
Susan Bayard that the day'd come when
he'd rue it. She was alters spindlin' an
sort O. helpless. But Tom was that
headstrong he wouldn't listen to nobody.
He spent his last cent in buyln' that
farm over to Milford, an then had to
mortgage it before he could start his
crops"
at was unfortunit his dyin' so soon,"
said Miss He pzibah, who was a kindly
old soul. "Ef he'd lived couple O.
years more he'd paid for the place an
left Susan comfortable. shouldn't
wonder but she's had hard pull these
two years to get along with those three
children"
Most likely she has. But don't see
as I'm calls i! on to shoulder her burdens
with her, Goodness knows I've enough
already without loo|Sn' out for any
more"
eyes, your hands are pretty full
that's fact,' said Miss Hepzibah. II
hear folks sayin' every day that they
don't know what the minister would do
without you"
IT reckon I've labored pretty faithful
in the Masters vineyard" said Miss
Sarah, ''lf do say it as shouldn't"
And you'll get your reward, Miss
Jenkins" said Miss Hepzlbah, as she
in thinkln' that. But do wish you
could see your way to help Susan bit"
''She don't desarve help" and Miss
Sarah's tone was decidedly acid.
"She'd oughter have taken my advice
in the first place. l tod 'em how it
would he, an it's come out pretty much
as said. ! told Tom she was too ever
lastin' delicate, an would break down
in lessen five years. But he would
have his own way an, marry her, an
now here she is laid up-just as J said
she'd be-"
"Pity they didn't listen to you," said
Miss Hepzebah as she went out But
young foung folks is gener'ly mortal
headstrony."
Miss jenkins often boasted
that she never spent an ids
minute; and there was always
work Of one kind or another for
her to do; but after her visitor had gone
she sat for some time with er hands IN
her lap, thinking over the contents of
the letter she had just received.
Toms marriage to Susan Bayard, the
orphan daught:r of q man who, to use
the expressions Of his neighbours, had
never been "forehandea, had not
pleased his sister, who thought Susan
far too delicate and dainty to prove OF
much help as the wife Of farmer of
slender means.
Tom, however had Teen very happy
! in his welded life, and had never re.
eretted his choice, as he took pains TO
say to his sister whenever he wrote to
her.
And Miss Sarah who wasn't as good a
Christian as she thought herself and
did not fancy being called false proph.
ct, resented his happiness, and allowed
a feeling Of enmity to grow up in her
heart against Susan.
Toms death, seven years after his
marriage, was terrible blow to his
wife and children, who were left almost
penniless.
But Susan, knowing the way in which
she was regarded by her sister-in law,
did not dream OF calling upon Miss Sa-
rah for help.
Through the influence of a friend the
young widow secured the position of
teacher in a district school, and Tor two
years, on very slender salary, had
managed to keep the wolf from the
door.
Then the mortgage on her home was
r,,hi fol.
lowed her removal from the farm to a
small room in the village of Milford,
made it necessary for the trustees Of the
school to Broyide another teacher in her
place.
The sale OF the furniture Of the farm
house provided Susan with money to de-
fray her expenses during her illness; but
| she found herself when conyaiescent ut.
terly penniless, and with three small
children looking to her for support.
It was then that, with heavy heart,
she wrote to her sister-ln-law, and it
| was a letter which ought to have called
forth only sympathy and pity from its
| recipient, but which gave Miss Sarah or
ly strange sort of pleasure in being
able at last to say, II told you so.''
AS she sat in her kitchen that warm
July afternoon, the quiet broken only
by the ticking of the large eight-day
! clock and the soft purrins of the cat by
the stove, she was thinking what she
would write in reply: in what words she
would remind Susan Of Tom S declara
ton that 'neither he nor his should
ever ask for d favor or cent at his SIS
ter's hands"
The clock struck four with loud
whirrng noise, which reused Miss Jen-
| slns with start from her rev erie, and
She sprang up, surprised and shocked
| to find how long she had been idle.
"I'll let her wait awhile for my ans
wer," she thought. "It'll do her good
to be in suspense d bit. And I reckon
it amt too late to 90 after them b lack
berries in the medder-lot. First thing l
| know them pesky own-beys will be
after EN-, an won get none for jam"
She put on her sunbonnet, and taking
large tin pail from the antrv, went
| out. She paused on the path which
led to the meadow to look back at the
house, thinking 1t was Very like Susan
lla calculated on being asked to take
up her abode there.
1t was large, fashioned house.
| with roonly chambers, wide fire. plar, 8,
and plenty Of windows. The grou,,, ,
surrounding it were well shaded. and al,
abundance Of flowers bloomed in the
front garden. It would have becl a
grand place for children to play, hut
none had ever playel the e since Tom
had been grown. The place had been
left to Miss Sarah by an aunt; and Tom
had no share in it. Miss Sarah, how
ever, had cared for and supported her
brother, who was very much her junior,
until he Was able to s'rlke out for him
self; and she made him present Of five
hundred dollars when he attained his
majority. She thought she had done
more than her duty by him, and she
desired that he should pay her some
consideration in the matter Of his mar
riage. She had never ielt the same
toward bin since, though she tried
to heed the old motto, de nortuis nil
nisi bonum." whenever she spoke Of
him.
The blackberries in the meadow
were very ripe and large, and So plent-
eous that Miss Sarah had no difficulty
in filling her pail in very short
time. 1t occurred to her as she walked
ho.newa"d that perhaps the minister re
wife might want to make jam. too, and
would appreciate the gift Of a few quar- s
OF berries, such as these. So, on reach
ing home, Miss Sarah filled a smaller
pail with the fruit, and, starting out
again, turned her steps toward the viii
lage
II look such 8 sight in this sunbon-
net, / reckon I'd best go in the back
way" she thought, as she approached
the neat frame dwelling in which her
pastor lived. Like as not they've got
b.