Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-03-14
The Outward Seeming.

"No, not single cent will they
get from me-" said Miss Sarah
Jenkins. with Il peculiar expression
OF her thin lips. as she took her
spectacles from her nose. and slow
~ replaced in its envelope the let
ter she had been reading from her
friend. Miss lIepzibal Jockey. II
think | know my duty as well as
most folks, an givin' help to Sill
san Bayarl am her children don't
come under that head"
''Bnt bcin' as they're your own
kim" said Miss Hepzibah, depreca.
tlngly. IFS only natural for 'em to
look to Yea
''Let 'em look, they'll take it out
in lookin.' | told Tom when he
married Susan Bayard that the
,lay'd come when he'd rue it. She
was alters spilullin' an sort o'help-
less. But Tom WAS that headstrong
he wouldn't listen to anybody. He
spent his last cent in buyin' that
farm over to Milford, an then had
to mortage it fore he could start
his crops"
at WAS unfortunate his dyin' so
soon,' said Miss Hepzlbah, who
was a kindly old soul. eff he'd
lived II couple oyearS more he'd
paid for the place an left Susan
comfortable. | shouldn't wonder
but s"e'S had Il hard pull these
two years to get along with those
three children"
"Most likely she has. But l
don't see as I'm called on to should
er her burdens with her. Good
ness knows Tve enough already
without lookIn' out for any more
"YeS, your hands are pretty full
that's Il fact" said Miss Hepzi-
bah. II hear folks sayin' every
day that they don't know what the
minister would do without YOU"
81 reckon I've labored pretty
faithful i'll the masters vineyard,"
said Miss Sarah, III | do SAY it,"
"And You'll get your reward,
Miss Jenkins, said Miss Hepzibah,
as she rose to go. You can alters
take comfort in thinkin' that. But
do wish you could see your way
| to help Susan Il bit"
She don't deserve help ard
Miss Salah'S tone WAS decidedly
acid. "She'd oughter have lallenIny
advice in the first place. l told
'em how it would be, am it comes
out pretty much as | said. / told
Tom she WAS too everlastin' deli
cate, am would break down in leSS'll
five years. But he would have his
own way am marry her, an now
she's laid uI)@jriSt us said she'd
be-"
'Pity they didn't listen TO you,"
sa Il Miss Hepzibah, as she went
out. "But you know young people
is gencr'lly mortal hcadstrong"
Miss Jenkins often boaSted that
she never spent an idle minute;
and there was always work of one
kind or another for her to do; bat
after her visitor had gone she sat
for some time with her hands in her
lap, thinking over the contents OF
the letter she had just received.
Toms marriage to Susan Bayald,
an orphan daughter to the man
WHO, to use the expressions OF his
neightors, had never been "fore-
handed" had not pleased his sis
ter, who thought Susan far too del
icate and dainty to prove of much
help as the wife of Il farmer of
slender means.
Tom, however, had been very
happy in his welded life, and had
never regretted his choice, as he
took pains to say to his sister
whenever he wrote to her.
Aud Miss Sarah, who wasn't as
good Christian as she thought her
self, and didn't fancy being called
a false prophet, resented his hap
pness, and allowed q feeling OF en-
nifty to grow up in her heart
against Susan.
Toms death seven years after
bis marriage, was IL terrible blow
to his wife and his children, who
were leftalmost pcnniless.
But Susan, knowing the way in
which she was regarded by her sis
t l-in.law, did not aream of calling
upon Miss Sarah for help.
Through the influence of a friend
the poor young widow secu ed the
position of teacher in a district
school, and for twoyears, on very
slender salary, had managed to
keep the wolf tlem her door.
Then the mortgage OIL her home
was foreclosed, aud a long illness
winch followed her removal from
the farm to a small room in the
village of Milford made it neccs.
sary for the trustees Of the school
to appoint another teacher in her
place.
Tile sale of the furniture Of the
farmhouse provided Susan with
money to defray her expenses du
ring her illness; but she found her
self when convaleScent utterly pen
and l., I,,.nn al, II III Il IA II