Saint Mary's beacon., 1883-08-09

81 brought them from the Mcbride
farm, Mrs. Taney," he said. AThey
are a very common kind in the shsn-
andoah valley" handing lham to
her.
Mrs. Taney's thin feature grew
warm.
"I remember tree Just Ike these.
at hons, she said. "By the old mill.
ky old nurse used to hold me up to
pull them for myself"
"Your little girl tells me you csme
from Fauquier county. 1t is fine
county"
"It is the most beautiful in the
worldI' said Mrs. fancy.
She STOPPED, and went in hastily.
She felt the. tears choking her. She
could hear Mr.. Burke tell the child that
his S;hool was in Fauaaier, and that
he had often passed her grandfather's
house. 1t was for sale now, with
dozen acres about it; would sell very
cheaply, no doubt. Land had depre-
ciated since the war. "a quiet COM
Portable little homestead, too" he
said, "as any in the State"
Mrs. Taney paused in her work.
"Oh, if could only show it to Let
tyl" she said to herself. THE dear
old farm The sunny porches, and the
Bourbon roses, and the great oaks, GEN.
turies oldr' She never had spoken of
her old home to her other children but
to Lefty she had talked of it, often,
when they were alone Lefty was
like herself-the others were all Ia
neys.
She came to the door.
"Do you know, Mr.. Burke, il there
is an old negro on the place gar
diner?'
Uncle Tod +? Oh, everybody knows
the old man And his stories about
the Clevelands, de family, as he
calls them"
I'VE were the Clevelands. And
old Tod is really living yet?' She
laughed for the first time in a year.
When Lefty had gone in, Mr..
Burke paced up and down the porch.
He was a manly, large-natured young
fellow, and his heart ached with pity
for the poor, pinched lives of this
child and her mother. All he could
do to show them kindness was to lend
books to Lefty, which she devoured
eagerly; for she was fond Of reading;
in fact, she had obstinately persisted
in staying at the -free-schooI, until
she had educated herself.
William Taney waited until the
young man had gone, and then he
went into the pantry, where his moth
er was straining the last crock of milk.
Something III his manner made her
set it down, trembling.
"You have bad news to tell?" she
said.
No." with an uneasy, strident
laugh. Most folks count it good.
Fact is, mother, I've made up my
mind to marry"
"Oh, William - her old cheeks
coloring.
II made up my mind three months
ago. And the girls courted, and the
weddings to be tomorrow. There
nov! No need for you to look in that
way. I'm generally pretty close
mouthed about my own business; you
might know that. And | didn't
choose to have the matter cackled
over at home. The girls Miss Sophy
Crawford"
HIS mother came towards him. He
was her son after all, and this was the
turning point of his life. She put
her arms about him, and kissed him.
God bless you, my boy" she said.
lie stood immovable as log.
Don't let's have any FUSS" he said
"You d better sit down. You re shak.
ing all over. Well, that's all. There
will be no wedding hubbub here.
don't hold to spending money in feed
ing lot of guzzling fools. The Craw-
fords have a regular blowout in the
morning. But you don't want to 90,
l reckon?" uneasily.
Il should like to see you married"
timidly.
"Oh. nonsense There's no sickly
sentiment about me. I'll have Sophy
home by supper-time. You'll have
to see to things here"
He lighted his candle and turned
to go; by the way, she was here a
month ago."
"Yes. Mrs. Taney remembered
distinctly the gross-featured, black
eyed young woman who had swagged
through the farmhouse, in her cheap
silk and gilt jewelry
''She came Just to look at her new
home, and-well-she rather took
fancy to the south chamber. You'd
better fix it up for her
MY room, William ?"
"Yes. It's ali the same to you. Of
course you can 60 up to Lefty"
Lefty, who had been at work in
side, came out, and threw her arms.
sobbing, about her mother. She
knew that this had been her mothers
room for thirty years. Al Mrs. Ta-
neys children were born in it: the
baby died there.
William stopped and came back,
saying.
"Now look here It's Just as we'll
to speak plainly at once. I'll have
no opposition to my wife from you,
Lefty, nor from-from any othe,
woman. I'm the head Of this house
My wife shall be mistress in it. She
brings me snug bit of money, and
II not have her nor her family in
suited in it."
my SON r.