Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-07-30

r. "iluOul-dHu Iut CliCn Vi lH0 ldICu duu
EConcussion of the door made further re
useless.
B Poor Betty, her long-cherished pride
Eof self-dependence was sadly shocked.
E"Wby. father. could you not wait till
Sthe boy went away?" she said, not re-
EDroachfully or intending to address her
Ehusband He seeing his wife's distress,
Eand knowing not what to say, replaced
Ennis plate on the stand and made a show
fof preoccupation in mendiDg the fire.
s In anticipation of going out. Betty
& lighted a candle, put her bonnet and
Eshawl On a chair, brushed and combed
Cher hair, and then sat down to await
Ethe return of the boy. Saddened by
s what had just occurred and her forecast
Eof inclement weather. she could not en-
& gage her husband in conversation. The
Ethought that few days of boisteTous
Eweather would compel her to ask for
Ehelp, filled her with dismay. There
Ewere many, she believed, who, apprised
Eof her need, would come to her kindly,
generously. From these, however, ,long+
Ger than from others, she would conceal
Gin morbid sensitiveness. the knowledge
Eof her want. The boy. though, had dis
scovered all. He-a noisy romping fel-
s EIow-seeking nothing but sunshine and
: free air-what thought bad he of feeble
Gage that needs must cover before an ear
Bly, frost or an autumn wind, what tho't
Eof want, of sadness, of wearing Solici !
ztudei
81 With no warning knock. the door was
Npushed open, and Holly, carrying bas-
Eket and much out of breath, stepped
Sover the threshold and went directly to
J. Betty, presenting a coin in his open
Ehand.
8 Here, Aunt Betty" said he, 81 have
Ebrought the pay fer the stockings. And,
s AUNT Betty" he continued, little tim
E3idly, Il have brought some things in q
ssbasket. You know Mr.. Cullick must not
Ego out if it is stormy or cold, and you
szare sure bad weather is at hand"
S She took the basket without word
s.but her quivering lip and trembling eye+
Bids deepened the glow that came on the
ssyOuthful face. Poor dsplomates, these
e the woman in thankfulness, and ad-
s'miration for the boy, forgetting her
tpride-the boy, impulsively generous, a
Sfrank, light-hearted Knight of the Sus-
epender.
8 When Betty had taken the cover from
s3the basket and was removing its con>
Htents, she stopped abruptly and address
Eed boy.
8 Holly, does your mother know you
Shave brought US these things?"
q No; she was not at home. 1 goiI
zthem from Sidney; that is all the same. 7
s "Why is that just the same?"
Because Sidney knows what mother
Epernits, and is careful. When mother
greturns, Sidney will tell her; will do!
sthe same. Now. please, Aunt Betty,
Stake the things out of the ba sket."
8 Il do not doubt you, my good boy; II
swill take what you have brought with
Ggrateful thanks to your mother, and toI
Syeu. Sidney, too; she is good girl; butt
what her mother was thinking when sheE
Egave her daughter mans name,is mOrei
Sthan can guess.
"See, father" turning to Robin, "aE
Square of light biscuit-a loaf Of brownE
sbread dried beef-sausage-a sack of!
zdried peaches -butter-tea-sugar
Sples!"
While Betty named the articles andi
sdisplayed them successfully, Robin sat inE
sexalted amazement, hand on each kneeE
aand his head thrust forward. The in
sventory finished, he approached the box
sand shook his head in silence. HaviBgi
accomplished this, he shuffied back til
Shs seat, coughing a little, on the way, j
1blowing his nose, land endeavoring to sayI
Something to Betty that seemed to haveI
Preference to the noise and dust.
There" said Betty to the boy, sis theE
sbasket-your stockings in it. You areI
simpatient to be gone, l see. But cant
zyou not stay few minutes more, whileE
sfather has worship? To this request theE
Isboy readily yielded.
1t was Betty, though, who read theE
chapter; then asked Robin to pray. Al
formal, grandiloquent opening, the poor
Z man had learned long ago and repeated
ddaily, came to him readily. OF the sub
sject of his prayer, however, he had lost
( 5the sequence and looked to his wife forE
Sprompting. So, at this time, when theE
gold man came to stop, Betty suggested
s''our neighbors and friends" then again, /
S"the sick and the afflicted-the stranger
sand the heathen-the meTcies and bless+s
sings received-and, now," letting her
shand fall lightly on Holly's head. "ask
stbat Holly may keep his cheerful mind. Y
Eyes, yes, Lordl' said the old manE
with touch of fervor, ''let Holly keepE
5his cheerful mind"
Robin aud Betty have both gone outs
sof our story.
Since the November day when Betty'sa
I shand and Robins blessing rested onE
sHolly's head, dozen years have gone.
The church, so dear to Robin, has
come down as it went up,brick by brickE
5and stone by stone and in its place isl
ga stately edifce, with stained glass;
3windows and lofty spire.
Still looking over the terrace upOns
1.-TWO busy streets, sits the court house.H
abut upon Robins roof the shadow of thes
| sSpire fingers no more. The roof and thes
sbouse are gone; so, too, those they shel+E
ztered.
s In an old triangular graveyard, by al
alittle mound almost hidden by long,rankS
grass, there are too other mounds, ands
Robin and Betty have laid down to restE
zby the Blossom.
Here, upon these humble mounds, Ons
Ia September day, in eighteen hundreds
s and sixty-tbree, the unobstructed sunts
slight falls, and naught but the hum ots
peaceful industry in the near by streets /
adisturbs the quiet.
Yonder, beyond the Tennessee andS
Z r ooI>ont Y,,ouptainc Uhora Chiok amau