Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1885-06-12
DRIVEN FROM HoHE.

| - - s---6 o.
old house, the piano, the stock, and my
own little pony? Oh, mamma, must all
be sold? Is there no hope?"
/ And Doliie Danvers gazed ints her
mothers face with pair OF eager brswn
eyes.
Mrs DaAvers shook her head sadly.
A pale-faeed, misunderstanding woman,
she seemed bowed with the weight of
this trouble with which she was forced
to contend.
"Ns hope, Dollie," she answered
mournfully; not the slightest ray; 80
do not think of such thing. Your fa-
ther is dead, and you and l are ali
alone; we must meet this terrible trou-
bic as braveiy as possible. He did not
intend leaving us such sorrow to bear.
In an evil moment he became involved
in debt; he raertgaged the farm then, and
with the money thus obtained paid the
amount of his Indebtedness. But alas
he has been taken from us suddenly
stricken down without moments
warning and be has not been dead
three months, when the holder of the
unfortunate mortgage writes me that he
will be here upon a certain day to take
possession. That day has arrived. Dol
lie, darling, know Roger Whitcombe
by reputation; he is hard old man, de.
voted to money, and perhaps net alto
gether scrupulous as to the manner of
obtaining it. He has no sympathy or
charity, and his heart is as hard as a
stone; no hope of lenieEcy there; and
besides, even if lie should grant us re-
spite, it would only be for little while,
and then we would be as badly off as
before. No, daughter, we must resign
ourselves to the inevitabl there is no
possibility of obtaining the money with
which to satisfy the mortgage, and I
have decided to sell all your possessions,
except sufficient household furniture
with which to fit US up couple Of
rooms somewhere, and we must go to
work to try and earn bare subsistence.
| have my sewing machine, and you,
dear, may possibly get a scaool, and
we'll, Del!ie, God will not forsake the
widow and The fatherless, / am sure"
But Dellie was young and inapetuous,
and it was q ificult task to learn res.
ignatlon.
'1t's a shame, mammal! she storned
angrily, ''a burning shame, and can't
help SAYING SO. The idea of rich cid
man like Mr.. Whitcombe rebbing q
friendless widow in this fashion! Nam
ma, don't believe that God will eyel
forgive him, and -
s'Hush. Dollie!''
! Mrs. Danvers spoke in frightened
whisper, and~her face was quite pale
while her sad eyes were turned toware
the window with actual alarm.
A man was coming slowly up the vic
/ let t-herdered walk to the door-an ole
man with gray hair and hard features
ahd upon every lineament of his harsl
: face was stamped the word avarice.
} Deliie started little guiltily, for i
S was plain to see that Mr.. Whitconb
had overheard her iInpetueus speech.
, 81 don't care," she muttered, soft
vece; che deserves worse than that.
Iu the meantime tie widow had open
ed the deer and tlniidly welcomed tn
:. old man, whe WAS already gazing abou
! hia with al air of preprietership.
). s'Bad business! bad business!' h
grewlcd, after the state OF affairs la
= been thoroughly explained to him
r. ''Mlshty bad for man to run his fari
iuto debt too deep and hopeless to b
ever extrlcated, and then die and lear
his family unproviaed for! a poor MAJ
aser, l say! A man who will be guilt
OF such improvidence is better dead an
II out Of the way! A man who will ro
t. his own family"
a "Mr, Whitcsmbe.'
.e Dollie started forward, white to tt
L lips, save for the indignant flush whit
IL buraed in a tiny red spot upon eth
70 cheek. ''Stop?" she painted angril
re GLOW dare you speak in such hear
to less wsy Of my father-Hly good, kim
ID loving father. How dare you say SUI
I'd things of him when he is dead and ca
n not defend himself! You are cewal
er and wicked cid man! 1t is You wi
ee arc robbing the widow and her fathe
'n less child! If | we're only man wou
chastise you as you deserve!'
n. Mrs Danvers had sunk hopelessly i
IS. to chair, pale and terrified, toe oFe
at come with alarm to venture a reno
4 STRANGE, and Dollie stormed on:
h. "You are acting wicked as we'll
ly a cowardly part, Mr.. Roger VIII
u. cembe," she painted, land l refuse
,rs leave this place-my old home, until
%. "You will leave this very day." ye
.r. ed the old man in burst Of angry p;
We sion. 81 had intended granting YOU
IT. respite, but your own ;npertinence /
CT. sealed your doom! Out you both :
to before four-aad-tweaty hours r
X. areund."
III Doliie grew very pale. Where wol
ith they GO? Two helpless women with
~. ly the pitiful sum of money which v
10 iu their possession! But the fiat 1
IN. gone forth and against it there was
nd appeal So the two fersaken wsa
| it went steadily to work to pack their
he belongings, and that accomplished, d
nd lie tied on her white sun bonnet and
sn. down int the shady old orchard to
/ it goodbye.
She threw herself down at The fooi
a huge, gHaried apple tree, and bu
ing her face ia her hands creucl