Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-02-28


The rough blue paper, like chintz.
on the wall, some honesty and dried
grasses in opaque white vases upon the
high, narrow mantlepiece, unconscious
ly struck his eve, while he took seat,
bis mind occupied with other thoughts.
We've been long expecting you,
sir, said the old lady, gently.
Her hands, crossed on the spotless
gingham apron upon her lap, trembled
a little, but the serenity Of her man
ner was not much changed.
But the old mans eyes swan in
tears. He rested both hands on the
hickory stick between his knees, as he
sat in a corner, and, bending his fore
head upon them, partially hid his face.
yes, yes! but it comes soft o sud-
now. said the old man.
Mr.. Faxon sat in speechless sympa
thy.
After a little pause old Mr.. Derby
looked up and met his eyes.
OF course it's all right sir. We
don't question your right to the place,
but we've been sort of unfortunate.
| think so-don't you. mother?'
The old lady lay back among the
cushions of the dimity covered chair.
She had look of physical weakness
Mr.. Faxon had not observed before.
She did not speak.
Her husband looked at her at:en
lively. A sudden flush went over hel
thin tace.
Its not for myself l care-it's her!
he cried, striking his cane violentl!
npon the floor. She helped earn thi'
place when she was young. There
was no kind O. work but what then
hands you see lyin' so weary now il
her lap, sir, was put to. She was vi
early an late, always a-doin' for me
and the children. God never made I
better wife an mother. An now
sir, It's hard, it's hard, that she shoult
be turned out of her home in her ole
agel'
Hush, hush, Daniel!' said the OLE
lady softly. The Lord will provide
and it's not long we have to stay il
this world you know
Will you tell me the history of thi
place, Mr.. Derby2' asked Mr.. Faxor
How did you come to loose it?'
1T was mortgaged, sir, said the ole
man, at last, to pay the boys colleg
bills. You see we had three childrel
-Selwin, Roscoe and little Annie
Mother and l didn't have an educa
ton, but we said all along that OIL
children should have, an they went t
the district school, an then the acade
my, an by-and.by we fitted them o.
for college. Right smart boys the
were-everybody said my boys ha
good parts, though Roe was a littl
wild. | think mother there loved hil
better for that. He was more trouble
an she clung to him closer becaus
others blamed him at times. Annie
his sister, was always a pleadin', to-
for Roe. He played truant, and h
whipped the boys who told on hin
he was always putin his bones i
peril, and twice he was half drowned
yet, in spite or all. he was ready fe
college when Selwyn was, though Sci
wyn was steady as clock. Mothe
an | had been scrapin' together fc
years, and at last we fitted them off.
We went on denying ourselves, fe
it was just the one hope of our live
to have the boys graduate with all tt
honors; an time went on. bit mpn
of the crops failed, an there came di
appointment there, an failing to G.
together the money the boys sent for
especially Roe-we mortgaged tt
farm for $500.
They we're nearly through, you Sc
an mother and Annie thought til
Selwyn might be principal of the aca'
emy or something when he came HON
t and Roe would be lawyer, cause
. could argufy an speak SO smart
!, public, an the money would be pa
3 back easy.
3 But from time to time there Car
! rumors | didn't like, as to how R
: was up to his old wild ways, and
last it came like taunderbolt-R
!, was suspended, and had run away
d foreign parts. Well, pass over th
a sir; | tried not to be too hard on t
d boy. Then Selwyn came home. ]
had graduated well, but he had
:; cough. He didn't complain, but
If was thin an pale, an soon mother 6
e | saw that the son we had meant to !
Vt ly on was an invalid upon our ham
:. The thought struck me dumb F
!, mother was all energy. We travel
here with him, we travelled there. \
saw all the noted doctors east a
Y, west. We borrowed more money
a the old place and we never paid a
back. had made one or two pa
e ments at first, but they were but
r. drop in the bucket At last
brought Selwyn home to die
k Don't Daniel' said the mott
At softly.
"He wants TO hear the rest. The'
% only little more, but it's no bett
ID Annie was like Selwyn--good an
tient; delicate-llke, too. We did
m mind it at first, but her cheeks gr
le thin an too red; cough she
from a child grew harder anu thor