Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1883-01-09
yes as q useful preliminarY.

gaCeS-
ssI will look out for my rights, y
she concluded, illogically,s as, she
climbed the fence into the strawberry
patch, land the people can takecare
of themselves.
No thought of the Squire s right
entered her mutinous little head, as
she filed her basket with luscious
fruit.
..Dayit always brings home com-
pany on Friday evening"" she solilo-
quized as she picked industriously,
sand whoever it is viii enjoy these
berries / know
She filed her basket evenly to the
brim, and arose with flushed checks,
dishevelcd hair, ,sunbonnet hanging
down by the string tied under her
chin, to find herself face to face with
a stranger-a msn who stood regard
ing her quietly.
Paul stood motionless. He. must
be tramp, in that old. brown coat,
sloucil hat, and dusty top boots.
IL you please, !" lie said, very po-
litely for a tramp, is this trespass-
ihg?'
Paul thought of the notice and the
punishment attending the act, and
was sorry for the man.
SIT is" she said, calmly; sand
you had better leave at once, for there
is no knowledge what the owner might
do if he caught you
Is he so very hard, then:'7 asked
the tramp, with humble Difference to
her manner.
81 fancy he is tyrant,'' replied
Paul, superbly, land means to insti-
tute reform in all its severest and
most disagreeable phases at Deep
Dell. So, my good man, you had
better take yourself off,
With which advice the minister's
sister went her way across the fence,
down into the lane, home to Charlie,
waiting at the gate, and bracing
main yard, according to his idea of
the thing.
'Well,'' he cried out eagerly, ''did
your enemy show himsclf?''
Paul lifted the lid of her basket.
II saw no one but tramp very
gcntlcmanly tramp, must say; and
[ advised the poor fellow TO keep out
of harm.''
Charlie wllistled bar of "a Life
on the Ocean Wavc.''
''IIere comes David with a gentle
man. he said, with sudden gravity.
81 wonder who his Friday night COM
panion is this time? Say, Paul, if #
should he the 'SquircI''
But the girl had fed within to her
tea-tablcs and to sec if the little maid
of-all work had watched the cake care
fully.
Everything was right and daintier
or better served table was never pre-
semted to hungry mortals than that to
which the minister invited his guest
within an incredibly short time after
Paul had disappeared from the gate.
Charlie was right-it was the
Squire.
The young girl bowed calmly to the
grave, courteous man her brotlicfp pre-
sented, her eyes resting the while up
on the dish of ripe. red berries, with
an indignant thought of his barred
gates and notices.
"A puzzled look came into her face as
the strangertalkcd on, and she glanced
furtively at him only to meet his grave
eyes fall upon her and to feel the floor
rock beneath her feet.
$50 they protest against my claim
ing my own,'' he was saying, in an
swer to the minister's report of the
discomfort in the village. 'sThey viii
become Obedient when they find out /
am not tyrant.'
Paul could hear no more. She dared
not look up as the minister helped
his guest to the Strawberries; but with
hurried excuse for the cream( which
was in little silver jug beside the
berries all the whitley, she left the
room with eager steps. -
'tOh, 4CharIie!" she cried. SHE
was the ftamp!''
The gentieInanly tramp ~ and the
boy sat down beside of her aghast.
what shall do!''
She was SO wretched and pale. that
Charlie rose to the situation at once.
II wouldn't mind, PauIinet'' he
said consolingiy.
"0h. but must mindi He is go
ing to raise DaYid's salary, which
means so much for you, Charlie, and
to repair the church. And, after all,
he is right. / didn't see it until i
heard him tell David his plans and
ideas, and-and what does he think
of me:''
Here a miseraEfe tftIe sob cholzcd
the pretty voice, and IGIlarlie grew
desperate
Just come in and have it out with
him, !" he urged. ttMal1e a clean breast
of it, and he II have to be polite then. >"
But Paul lacked courage to confess
her fault and when thc'Squire was a
frequent guest at the cottage and a
kind friend to the whole village, could
She gain strength to speak, and ask
for some little of the kindness he gave
others and denied her.
The Strawberries were ripe again at
Deep Dell, and Paul was walking sad
" down the lane past the corner fence
she used to climb so deity, thinking
not of the berries, not of Charlie away
at college, nor of the new cottages
down in the village, but of her OWL
unpardoned fault, which lay ike a
/