Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-07-09
"I will'not! Thank you! I understand,
Poor loving patient heart ~

New York, and really seemed to draw in
new life from the idea.
1t was delicious fun to see. Johns wide
open eyes as they entered the parlor of the
great city hotel and were shown into the
bedroom, whose beauties were quite as
bewildering.
'The best room," he had told the land
lord, and Lima could not repress a cry of
delight at the vista of a cosy sitting-room
with piano standing invitingly open.
"Oh, John !" she said, won't you 60 in
there and shut the door for five minutes,
please?"
John obeyed, ofcourse. John, she thought,
gratefully refused her nothing now.
"How lucky brought some of my old
dresses ~ Lima thought. g have not worn
them since | was schOol-marm. Fancy
Mrs. Reynolds scrubbing the floor in this
dressw
John rubbed his eyes and pinched himself
as little figure sailed into the sitting room,
made him sweeping courtesy and went
to the piano.
Was that the little woman that had worn
prints and sun-bonnets SO long? The fair
hair was fashionably dressed, and bands of
blue velvet looped the golden curls. A dress
of blue silk, with softest lace trimmings and
ornaments of pearls, had certainly made
fine lady of Lima. The piano was yielding
most bewitching tones to skilled little fin
gers, and Johns bewilderment was COM
plete when voice of exquisite sweetness,
though not powerful, began to sing.
Only one song, full of trills and quavers,
and then Lima rushed from the piano into
Johns arms.
"John, darling," she said, "hold me fast.
Don't let me slip from you"
80, Lima" he groaned, II was not fit
to marry such dainty bird! But loved
you, little one."
"And I love you, John rough, old John!
Let me sing again. I am very happy to-
day, my husband"
But no wonderful trills filled the little
room now. In clear, pure voice, full of
expression, Lima sang:
II know that my Redeemer liveth."
Every word fell like hot tears on poor
Johns heart, until as the last chord trem-
bled upon the air, Lima turned to him,
stretching out her arms: "Take me in your
arms, John."
He took her tenderly to the room she
had quilted so gaily, and she replaced her
finery by white wrapper, whose lace
trimmings looked like fairy work to his
unaccustOmed eyes.
care you tired, love?" he asked, with
great spasm of terror at his heart, as he
looked at the white, wasted face.
eyes, very, very tired, but happy, John" &"
and with little sigh of entire content, Lima
nestled down against the warm heart whose
every throb she knew was all her own.
The white lids fell softly over the violet
eyes, and she slept peacefully as child:
Softly as she rested, the faint pink flush
gathered on her fair cheek and smile crept
over her lips, while John, bending over
her, lifted his heart in earnest prayer for
fbo I; fa hot rooco hic oyun co hrioht
Mrs. Reynolds was to experience her share
of astonishment during her holiday and it
commenced by the apparition of John the
next day in suit of handsome clothes that
we'll became his manly figure. There was
no foppery, but he looked gentleman,
though he made more than one grimace
before he got, as he said, ''well shaken into
store Clothes"
Can I describe that week? What was
new to John, was old familiar ground to
Lima. Central Park was not soon exhaust
ed, and the little guide grew stronger and
roster every day in Johns thoughtful care,
but guarded against fatigue.
1t was early in the afternoon of sunny
day, when the train drew up at Scotttield
station and John handed his wondering
wife into neat little One-hOrse carriage
waiting for them.
ga new purchase, dear!" he explained.
"We are to have drive every afternoon.
DR.. Greyson prescribed it,"
The house was where it had always been,
but Lima rubbed her eyes and wondered if
she had been suddenly carried into fairyland.
The dull little sitting-room had been pa
pered, carpeted, curtained, and transformed
was very bower of beauty, with a fine
piano, the daintiest of furniture, soft mus
lin curtains, and carpet covered with bou-
quets of exquisite flowers; the bedrooms
were carpeted brightly, and rejoiced in cot
tage sets, and in the kitchen the most
good-natured of stout German girls fairly
She'd tears When Lima addressed her in her
own language.
"But, john" she cried, "the Stanley
farm?"
''Is sold, dear. You were right; we will
make this home so lovely the Stanley farm
will never cost me a sigh. DIR. Greyson
and his wife toook all the trouble here, and
have hired two new hands, so as to have
little more leisure"
'But John," the little wife said earnestly,
81 do not want you to think l am fine
lady, a doll to wear fine clothes, and live in
idleness. want to be truly a helpmeet to
YOU"
$50 you will be, Lima. God meant no
one to be drone in the busy hive of the
world. You are not strong, but you will
find plenty to keep you busy in superin-
tending indoor arrangements and directing
Gretchen. And in our drives, love, we
will see five cannot find some one poorer
than ourselves to comfort and aid. That
will be my thank-offering for your life, my
little wife"
The neighbors stared and wondered.
Comments upon Johns folly and IMPROVE
dence fell from many lips, and old men,
shaking their heads, prOphesied ruin for the
Reynolds farm.
But John was as much astonshed as any
of them, when, after a few years, he found
the farm yielding him larger income than
ever before.
II do believe, Lima" he said one day, to
matronly little woman, who was dressing
growing baby, 'that your tlOWer-garden
last year was worth thousand dollars to
me-"
"Johnw
"You see it was to get you the informa-
ton about flowers that we first began to
subscribe to We Agricut,wist; there found
so many hints that began to think knew
nothing about farming One book after
another crept into the house, and the time
| thought would be wasted, taken from
farm-work, was spent in reading. Now
look at the labor-saving machines l have
bought! See the new stock! My orchard
is going to be the best in the country too"
"And my poultry-yard, John! 1t was
the papers and magazines that first gave me
the idea of model poultry-yard. What
fun we had, John, getting it started"
eyes, indeed. That New York trip was
the best investment l ever made, Lima. |
saw so many things there that recognized
as old friends when l met them again in