The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-20

the once friendly heart was rotten tC
the core? | remembered all-everv
thlng-he white face with the red stains
upon her cheeks, the wild sleepless eyes
the little land she held out to me in
VAN. II had taken that little. hand in
mlne-lt | had grasped her close
Jane Jane Jane - cried, sinking
on the bedside and burying my face in
my hands.
And all at once, rs if in a dream,
heard the sweet voice of my wife say
Yes, John. here am.
started up amid all the ruin | had
made about me, and heard her again
John, john" she called, where are
you?"
L went out upon the landing, and
there she stood, her bonnet hanging
upon her shoulders, her dress all Gov
cred with the red dust of the road. And
how strange is the heart of man! A
moment since and | would have given
all | could hope from earth or heaven
to have my arms about her once again:
but now it seemed as if some black
| shadow stood between us. She held in
her hand roll of foolscap bound about
with red tape, and bit of folded paper
torn from an old notebook.
These she extended to me.
dick told me to give them to you, "
she said. He said you'd know what
they meant"
| opened the note and read these
words, in Dicks round school-boy hand:
- The jig is up Your man has wont No
The rollor tooiscap was ChO decd Of
| Dt-ix's farm. / looked in bewilderment
tony wife again. She had sunk in a
heap on the old hide-bound trunk on the
landing
"l,isn't fair" she sobbed, ''to keep
anything when it's won in that way.
You Eow, John, it isn't fairr'
Greal Heaven! Was she then plead
ing Dick Knowles cause with me?
"And Yet" sobbed my wife, 81 do so
hate to take it back from her now. She's
been so perfectly dreadful, and said such
awful things Dick says she won't keep
it; he says its different with men, but
women have no right to do these things;
but can't bear to take it back. 1t will
always seem as if she gave it to me.
And you too, John, how will you ever
forgive me? You always thought so
much of it; it seemed to you just as if it
was yours always, but it isn't yours any
more, nor mine-it's hers!'
| put my hands on her shoulders.
Jane, / said, solemnly, will YOU
try to tell me what you are talking
about?"
80, you poor dear" she whispered,
''of course you cant understand it.
How can you ever believe I'd do such a
thing?"
Jane" cried, shaking her Shout
ders to and fro, will you please tell me
what you have done?"
why, | hare told you, John. Dick
says it won't amount to anything"
Jane if you mention Dicks name
again I'll throw you out of the window
What hacc you done?"
'Why, what's the matter with you.
John? Haven't | told YOU time and
again that have lost your farm? That
is, it was my farm but what is mine is
yours. 1t was all Maria's fault. She
was SO aggravating one day when we
were talking politics went and bet my
farm against hers, and was sorry right
away, but was too proud to let Maria
see it, and she was SO dreadful she
-s7=tIde me go down to Blanktown with
her and get the deeds fixed, and I've
been almost wild about it ever since
it's just spoiled all my interest in poll
tics and everything. 1t seemed to me
as if wouldn't care aChO was elected if
could only get my farm back and you
wouldn't know what | had done. And
last night | told Dick Knowles about it
= and begged of him to take me down the
3 firstthing in the morning, and l thought
4 should die when found that everything
had gone against u.s. Dick tried to com
fort me, but knew just how you'd feel,
and, oh, John, how good you are to mel"
For | had gathered her to my heart on
the old hide-bound trunk, and taken her
on my knee, and was stroking her hair
and kissing her hands, and hadn't made
such a fool of myself over her since they
shut the door of the carriage and left
us alone together the day we were mar
ried
All at once we heard the sound of
wheels on the gravel walk. There she
is, said Jane, looking out of the hall
! NlullOW. CliC Oi INC lIOuJ ScdJ WIFI
Dick. o, John, what shall | do?n
put her hand in my arm, and down
we went. Sure enough, there they were,
Dicks bays all in lather, as Sam had
said; and no sooner were the sisters
within hailing distance than Maria called
out to Jane, with an air of great be-
nightly, II shan't take your farm from
you, dear; it's enough for me to have
won the day"
My wife's face was picture to see.
Such a struggle with relief and morti-
fed pride; such an eagerness to get back
her farm, yet reluctant to accept it at
the hands of her triumphant sister.
pulled out Dicks deed and went to
the rescue, "You and l have always
been good friends, Maria" | said;
"there's little matter of exchange I'd
nike to arrange with you this morning.
Dick was frowning, and reckoning me
with all his might behind his wife's
back, but went relentlessly on: "a fair
exchange is no robbery, Maria. Dick
and l made little bet on the election.
I'll exchange his property for James"
Maria gasped little she looked over
] Al 4 II