Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-08

formed from the washing from the
mines.
Johnny, too, was complaining of his
back, and his parents feared to take
him further that day over the rough
roads.
1t was decided, therefore, that Mrs.
Parsons and Johnny should remain at
the hotel in Phippsburg, while the men
went on with the goods, and that on the
morrow when they returned, the heavy
wagon and carriage with the team which
MIR. Blake was to have should be turned
over to him and the family should 90 on
in the spring wagon.
Small as it was, the expense of re-
manning at the hotel was a sad draw on
the few remaining dollars in the posses
sion of John and Martha Parsons, but
it could not be helped and the teams
drove on and left them.
Towards evening the boat arrived,
and on it came Jennie and Lucy. Mrs
Parsons could not leave JOHNNY to 90
down to the landing, but watched at the
hotel window and beckoned to them as
they came up the opposite side of the
street.
When the girls saw their mother they
hurried across the street to the hotel
and into the sitting room where she
awaited them, and in another moment
all three were crying upon each others
shoulders.
.'Oh mother, mother, it's awful to
think that the old place is lost, buried
by the overflow from those mines; is
there no way to save it? Can't it be
fioated off again?" sobbed Lucy, her
whole frame shaking with excitement.
II can't bear TO live and know that YOU
and father are driven out of your COM
Portable home and forced to begin on
piece of wild land again. ] wish you
would go to town and live and let me
teach school and support you. I'm sure
l could do it.
you must not take it so hard,
dears.' returned their mother. still
holding the girls close to her. True,
it is very sad 10 be obliged to give up
the old home, but no doubt we shall be
very comfortable on the new place when
we get it fixed up little. What hurts
me most is the knowledge that we may
never be able to visit you if YOU 60 so
far away as 1 suppose you will do when
you are married to Mr.. Annelsey."
I'm never marry, mother. never"
sobbed Lucy. 81 have written Mr.
Annelsey and broken off our engage
ment, and am going to stay with you
and father and help take care of Johnny
as long as l live. You need not say a
word against it, for it is too late the
letter is half way to New York by this
time.''
To say that Mrs. Parsons was greatly
surprised at this would be but to state
the truth. To say that she greatly re-
GREETED it would not be so true.
She had felt a certain degree of pride
in the thought that Lucy would marry
wealthy, and had sought to obtain COM
fort for the supposed coming separa-
ton in the knowledge that her daughter
could want for nothing which wealth
could buy. yet at times had feared that
Lucy might not find happiness in the
union, and wondered if it would not
have beer better for her to have mar
ried Erastus.
had come upon them. and she saw how
her husband was breaking under it, she
could not help thinking how much COM
fort it would have been to him. and to
herself. if the Young folks could have
found their happiness in wedding each
other and remaining with or near them
in their old age. And now, while she
scolded Lucy little for her haste in
the matter, she could not but feel thank
full at heart that her child was not to 60
from her, at least for the present.
Jennie Joined her sister in deploring
the loss of their old home, and wept
aloud and violently when her mother
spoke of separation, but she did not
offer to teach school to support her
parents, and when her mother gently
babe her cease to weep she wept the
harder and chung the more closely.
"Come, Jennie,n said Mrs. Parsons,
finally. '.you really must cheer up, dear
1t is not so bad but it might be worse.
We have each other yet and no doubt
shall get on nicely in the new home,
and when Mr.. Ensign gets ready, you
and he can be married and live in San
Francisco, which is not so far away but
that you can come home and see us
once in awhile. and may be we can
visit you-why Jennie, what is the mat
ter; have you broken with Mr.. Ensign
also?"
But Jennie only cried the harder and
chung the closer with her face hidden
upon her mothers shoulder.
Seeing the inability of her sister to
speak, Lucy said: Jennie is married
already, mother, and she and Mr.. En-
sign are to start for Chicag 60 next week.
'.Mr. Ensign came to see her the night
that we got your letter telling us of the
breaking of the dam, and found us
crying, and when we told him about it
he urged Jennie to marry him at once,
and finally she consented and he went
and got clergyman. and we all went
down into the Professors parlor and
saw them married"
81 sh-shall ne-never forgive myself in
in the world if you are angry with me-"
sobbed Jennie. ''You know you-you
wrote in the letter that-that We"
Eyes, dear, 1 know" said Mrs. Par
sons, soothingly. stroking Jennie's hair
the while, Il wrote you that if your
lovers urged speedy marriage your
father and l would not object. So you
have done nothing wrong, and l am
sure MIR. Ensign will make you a good,
kind husband, and l hope you will be
very happy. | am only sorry that you
are going so far away. Can not MIR.
Ensign find work in San Francisco"
At this Jennie began to check her
sohs. and from the two girls their moth
er learned the whole story
Ensign had CHANGED to meet a gen
tleman from Chicago for whom he had
worked before he came to the coast,
and who now offered him position at
good wages with the prospect of fore
manship in a short time, if he would re-
turn to Chicago and the old shop.
As wages were not so good in San
Francisco as formerly, and there
were rumors of the factory shutting
do,y, optirolx- he bad JociIa5 fo o.