The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-03-27

dogs, nor company that's worse thai
\ dogs, to eat one out of house and homs
and then to turn their tails when the
eupboard's bare. Farm my own land
end pay no rent; and you know me. ano
if you don't, you ask Manchester OIL.
! Bank or Lawyer Lake, and see wha;
| they say of Enoch Marrish. of Welstead.
I'm not rich, but I'm warm enough for
| two"
..Bless my soul alive! Does the girl
know?'
"A girl isn't blind to chaps sweet
ness on her supposedly"
why, you're old enough to be her
father, MANI
mo, no. Not so bad as that. A
mans as old as he feels. and I'm one OF
the why ones that are old young, and
young old. Besides, it's bad for las
| to be married 10 a young tom fool that
don't know his own mind. know mine.
love Patience; and-you'd best keep
| the land"
"Well. I'm
What he was. Farmer Blackthorn
failed to say. He certainly could not
help seeing that he was being asked to
L.
that hard and grasping man like
Enoch Marrish should find Patience
Blackthorn worth buying at such a
price was very wonderful. nay. very
tlattering thing. He loved his daughter;
he did not like Marrish can like
creditor that appeals to the law? But
the land-the land, If ne loved Pa
tience with all his heart, he loved the
land with all his soul. Ii was his relig-
ion; though the land might ruin him he
loved it, not merely as one loves a good
and dutiful daughter, but as mother
loves scapegrace son.
And suppose Patience did or could
like Marrish well enough to be his wife,
would it not be best all round? The
Blackthorns had always held their
heads high. and a Marrish was-well,
certainly not Blackthorn. Enoch was
the first Of the family who had held land
of his own, while ancient deeds showed
that there were Blackthorns. of Leys
Croft. farming their own fields before
the time of the Tudors. But still,
Farmer Marrish was sound mana
safe man, nay, rich man, though he
did not call himself so. He contrived
to raise good crops. somehow, in the
worst years. and. what was more, he
made not only wheat but money breed.
Why should not Patience Blackthorn
become Mrs. Marrish, if she pleased
And then the, land-was 1T not her
duty, as Blackthorn, to save the landp
1T all depends on the lass-all on
the lass" said he, after a long pause,
and battle with himself that could
have only one end. '.She'll be some
where about the place; well see what
she II say to it, poor thing"
Poor thing?"
''lou musn mind what say, neigh
Dor. What with one thing and another
what with the shame OF being kicked
by the old man in London for beggar,
and what with your talk of losing Legs
Croft. and what with your wanting Pa
thence. my heads all of twirl"
you'll let me have her, then?"
"Ay."
1t was not second between Stephen
Harlow's "Oh!' and his appearance in
the shed. where he found Patience no
longer at the window, but pushing at
her saw, which, wearied out at last with
such usage, utterly refused to move.
Patience! What are you doing?"
cried he. .-.....',
.'Oh. it is your said she. "But
don't hinder me, for goodness sake.
I'm at work, You see"
"Come. Patience he said, taking
her hans in spite of its occupation, and
holding it too. THAT isn't the way to
welcome an old friend-and | haven't
seen you for years.
"Only one! What ought l to do?"
"Why, you ought ought" He
looked as if he knew very well what
ought to be done; but he refrained.
what are YOU doing with that saw?'
Making new gate-poSt. Ours is
broke, across the Home Croft. and we
don't want to pasture Other folks
cows"
You-making gatc-post? Where's
Giles?"
"Oh. Giles! He's left us weeks ago.
There, Stephen-do let go my hand; 1
sha' II have done by bedtime"
% That you won't I'll go after one
of the men"
mo. Don't do that. Father
wouldn't be pleased -
Stuff and nonsense, Patiencer
"Oh, please don'tI' prayed she.
1.-The truth is. there's no men to find"
a" No men to tind!''
No. We've given up keeping
men-and a good thing, too. 'Twould
be a shame, indeed, to keep lot of
idle, useless men about 4 place when
fathers got grown-up girl of course,
twas different when was child"
" A farm without hands. Patience
what does this mean? What has
while / have been away?
What have i come back to find?'
Why, Stephen, how scared you
look at oner' she said with a smile
and though have said she was not
pretty girl. retract my words humbly.
seeing her with Stephen Harlow's eyes;
and all the more, since her voice was
as light and as sweet as girls can be-
He had come two hundred miles to
hear that voice and to see that smile:
and now they made him afraid, she
looked so fragile, and yet so brave.
- You find-me, and you'll find father,
too.
He took the saw from her hand. and. !
in minute, had done the rough work
that had taken her two wasted hours.
Now" said he, you're free to
talk. Don't tell me that you've got |
rid of your men because there's no
need"
Il think-I think-we must have
Just one man-to saw. Oh, Stephen,
how did You do that so fast? Then, |