Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-01-12

one token of bereavement or loneliness,
cast acout for some one to, in degree,
fill the empty place, and found it in a
waif and strap, born in the poor house
and having grown up in its shadow.
Silent and shrinking, people wonder
that Huldah Jennison chose this child
from stronger and holder ones; but the
end justified her choice, and Mary
Nichols grew into house wife as prsc-
tical and busy as Huldah Jennisen
herself.
How she bore the amending nagging
OF her daily life it was hard to tell, for
as Mrs. Jepnison came to middle age
her tongue moved as steadily and with
as cutting quality as her fathers, and
she ordered every inch of her hand
maiden's goings out and comings in.
Hardship and often abuse having filled
the first twelve years of the girls life,
a home and enouhg to at seemed at
first all that was necessary, and as she
grew older, custom did the rest, and
she heard with unhearing ears sharp
command or rasping and unceaslng
run of comment. One pleasure was
always sure, and Mrs. Jenninson's one
weakness secured it to her, very
grudgingiy and with many plan for
It's cessation, till Mary proved SO valu-
able to her that she could not be dis
pensed with.
Hens ard chickens were Mrs. Jenn!-
sons passion, and the only softness
ever discoverable in her tone was when
she counted the downy heads of new
brood or coddled setting mother.
There was no attempt at hennery or
any modern method. Hens laid where
they would, and being uomadic beyond
the common run, gave Mary moments
out of doors that would otherwise have
been denied. Instinct seemed to lead
her to the last hiding place OF the most
secretive hen, and there were conven-
fences for such in strange hooks IN the
rambling old barn, built by man of
ampler notions than old Peter Hug
gins.
In one of these hooks, from which
the hay was never fully removed, the
new crop piling in on the remnants OF
the old, Mary kept the treasures her
mistress prying eye would long ago
have rooted out from chest or drawer
"a book or two, the property OF ner
unknown mother; a she'll some one
had given, and in time, as she grew
Into delicate, even graceful girl, lit
tie pin, some earrings, put on on the
way to church after the house was well
out of eight and taken off in the same
way; then a little package of letters,
awkwardly written and spelled as awk-
wardly, but holding the secret Mrs.
Jennison had just discovered.
For, as years went on new phase
developed. Beans and dried apples
might hold all the refreshment she
needed or Mary should be allowed, but
no one should think she could not have
more if she chose. From an OCCASION
al church going, where she listened with
deep contempt to the flowing periods
of the lately settled young minister,
fresh from the Cambridge divinity
school, Mrs. Jennison suddenly APP
peared at the society" gave her
views in full on the various objects for
which ii worked, and so nagged and
beset the life long members that the
president resigned and staid at home
three weeks. Having brought things
to the decree OF effervesence, which
seemed IS much the necessity of later
life a. saving and seclusion had been
of the earlier, she invited all to meet
at her house. opened the loug-closed
best room, brought out the patchwork
quilt Of past generation for the bed
room, where "things" would be taken
off, and prepared supper beyond the
widest dream of the average society
mind. Mary followed with bewilder-
ment but inward delight the una
ccountable and unaccustomed lavish
ness, and studied the cook book bought
for the occasion with wonder that
such delights had been so long known
to human places.
Whatever qualms may have come,
Mrs. Jcnnison gave no sign, and there
after the ceremony was gone through
with once 3 year. The outer world
having once gained admission was not
to be pat out. Mary was looked for
as an essential ia the few and rather
mournful festivals of the New Eng
land hill town. and grid rs Mrs. Jennl.
son might, the young people claimed
her. In spite of the poor-house faint,
the expectation gained more and more
ground, that she must finally be Mrs
Jennison's heir, and though restricted
to calico, painfully sklmpy at that,
Mary's beauty had come to be unde-
niable.
Long ago 'Siah Perkins had found it
out. and with small care whether
money would be gained or lost in the
suit, pressed it with an ardor irreslstl-
BILE, and carrying its own surety OF re-
Spouse.
Once more the course of true love
had been troubled, and Josh Slocum, a
sulky and rejected admirer, had
walked with Mrs. Jennison to her
"shay" as she left the village store.
and, as he helped her in, said some
words which brought flash and a
quick snap to the sharp eyes. And so
we are back once more to where our
story begins, and Mary, very deter
mined and very silent, picked over her
beans ana gave no sigr, save a flush
that would not be put down, that she
heard or cared.
That was three months ago, and Mrs
Jennison had kept her word. No
more hunts for eggs and precious stray
minutes reading book or letter. Up
and down, through the lot, in the barn,
not one moment was allowed in which
Mary coull have given word or look TO
the lover, who had first haunted the
place, then took to moody silence and
much bordering of ways of escape Tor
both.
One point alone was uninveded-tLe
far corner of the upper loft, where
Cropple-Crown still lay. and where
only Mary could climb, but which Mrs.
Jennison approached "a nearly as pos
sible, going up the first ladder TO the
NOW, and cycling the pegs leading to
the second with half determination
to try them. The half one day became
n whole, aud when, after repeated calls,
Mary, driven to desperation, had failed
to answer, and deliberately remained
looking over the precious bundle, she
cautiously up the post and
had put out one foot for a final stretch
to the loose boards of the loft, when
the rescherous peg gave way, and
with clutch that covered her with
hay, she fell, sliding from the friendly
NOW TO n Manager just below, and fall
ing, to the painful amazemeni of old
Dlbhin, at hts side and almost under
his feet. A scream, and Dobhius'
frightened neigh brought Mary st
once, who searched everywhere but in
- IL.