The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-08-15

clear soft water, fed by never failing
streams in the woodland part of the
farm. In the front ofthe house was
the principal field of the farm. This
was broad plain gently sloping to-
ward the pond, and containing from
/ fifteen to twenty acres, with scarcely
a stone or foot of waste space about
it. There were beside the long past.
ure two or three smaller enclosures,
alternately used for tillage or pastur'
age. The house was a roomy, old
fashioned farm house, such as is
seen everywhere in New England,
and needs no further description.
The barns and outbuildings were
roomy and good, but, like the house
was somewhat out of repair. But
the last years salary as teacher
would more than pay for all necessa-
ry improvements.
During the last year prior to the
marriage of Julia and Caleb, the
great banking house of Thalgonburg
IL Hurlburt had failed and gone into
bankruptcy, and this quite reconcil
ed Mrs. Thurber to the choice of
Julia. But before many years were
passed other houses failed. One Of
those periodical returns of disaster
to trade and business closed up
many establishments once thought
firm as the hills, and that to which
Alfred belonged was one of them.
Both Alfred aud Lucy's husband
were reduced almost to penury. 1t
was hard for their wives to give up
the style in which they had lived
Alfred was obliged to accept some
position in a manufacturing estab-
lishment to keep himself and family
from starvation. Lucy's husband
for time managed to keep up.the
extravaganza ofhis household which
was quite mystery as no one knew
of his having any visible source of
income. But the secret at length
came out. He had become a coun-
terfeiter and forger, and to escape
the penalties of the law compelled to
flee the country, and Lucy was left
to her choice between the poor-huuse
and her fathers house, and to this,
broken hearted, she came with her
two children.
Alfred no longer came TO Thorn
vile in a carriage with a span and
driver. Thin and care worn with
uncongenial toll, and worse than all
a thousand times, with the com
plants and reproaches of a wife
whom he could no longer support
in extravaganza and fashion, and
who, in consequence, showed him too
plainly that she really never knew
or felt for him that love which alone
can be mans soiace in the hour of
trial and adversely.
All" said he to Caleb one day, as
he came to the old home now almost
a paradise of comfort and thrift,
what a fool have | been to be allur-
ed from real comfort and lie worth
having, to become slave in the
city"
Come out now. The farm .
large enough for you and me, too"
said Caleb. find more, yes, twice
as much as I can do well myself
with all the help of my wife, and she
| is Il jewel to me- Come, and you
shall have just as much land as you
can marriage in welcome"
Caleb, it can not be; my wife
would rather die than leave the city,
and So | must stay and go the daily
treadmill round for my daily bread
and place to lay my head, and
that none OF the best or happiest.
Caleb would have been willing to
have Julia's father and mother re-
turn to the old farm and live with
them, for their means of subsistence
had well nigh run out, but Julia her
self objected. She knew the temper
and disposition of her mother tn well
to have her with her, though she
was perfectly willing to support them
where they were.
Il prefer" said Julia to Caleb ito
bring up our children without in
reference, and you know grandpar-
ents are often disposed to interfere
in behalf of their grandchildren to
their disadvantage. We can make
them just as comfortable where they
are"