The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-08-12


r.Lord. Lord! What is the matterf
falsely" answered Jenny; land cannot bide
with him to be thought sinful, and spurned
at by the people"
aAnd for that your are leaving home!' ex-
claimed tho old woman, who showed no
SYMPTOM of sleepiness. "And you are going
to Winstons What to do there, Miss Jenny"
"My cousin, Bridget Lloyd, lives at Mar
pies, and the coach passes Winston at eight
in t',e morning. To Marples l am going, to
ask Bridget to give me shelter until can
find my living"
"Well, indeed! And do ye mean to walk
five mile tonight Why, ye says t. coach
doth not pass before eight, and where will
ye stay till it comes9"
II have not thought" answered Jenny with
a heavy sigh. "But I will not stop in Grey
stone to be mocked Oh. Mrs. Mead! to-mor-
row morning father would take me to Lon
don to show him the church where I was
married, and this cannot do. What then
will he think! But it is not only because I
cannot prove myself my dearest ones wife
that am leaving home Because father
thinks mo wicked sinner and liar l am
running away, and because oil the town who
have not fathers heart for me will think
worse things of Jenny. Oh, may God lend
me wisdom to know the right thing to do,
and forgive me the sorrow I this night cause
my mother"
She bit her lip cruelty to restrain her tears,
for she feared that the sight OF them would
move Mrs. Mead to hinder her desperate reso-
luton.
"Before you move step or say another
word, ye shall have something to mend your
spirits with" said the old woman, briskly,
and entered Her bedroom, whence in few
moments she returned, with a gown and
shawl on, and, going to a cupboard, produced
little flask OF cherry cordial, of which she
Obliged Jenny to swallow glassful
ut is strange thing for you to do" said
she, resuming her chair and twisting her
scant grey tresses into knot at the back OF
her head. "Doth your cousin, Mrs. Lloyd,
know you are coming to her?"
'No,n Jenny answered II did not make
I'D my mind to leave home till father told me
to get ready to quit for London with him in
the morning. I should fear to be with him
If we could not find the church. Ii he does
not think me truthful then am sinner to
Hill, anu uOJ lOl O'o i|Nuo|t SA'A eA-N>N -
why am leaving him forever"
Her eyes flashed as she spoke, and the hard
look of her mouth might have reminded Mrs.
Mead Of the deacon at his sternest But the
anger melted away, and she cried piteously,
"You will tell my poor mother thatyou have
seen me, and why have left her9 Fathers
harslness to mo is breaking her heart, and
what will she do when she finds her rretty
one gone'" and she paused again to battle
with her tears.
aMiss Jenny, if ys arc wise, yell 60 home"
said Mrs Mead nodding her head. "Why.
whatll folks say when it's known you've room
away2 Sure enough they'll call ye guilty
wench, and you would not like that"
aThey will call mo that if stay-why
should they not, if father thinks it!-and
never could 60 into the street, nor meet
human eyes, with this shame upon me-" she
cried, despairingly.
dts hard to know! it's hard to knowp
gronaed the old woman "Would ye wish
your mother to hear where you arc"
"No!" she answered quickly. "So that l
am living and with friends as you must tell
her, Mrs. Mead, she will not despair But
no one must be told where anl--not one,
NllS. 4ncili SA6e' o"SSt' AS'
an swear it if you please, Mrs. Jenny, !"
replied Mrs. Mead, sympathetically giving
the girl her wifely prefix. "But before ye
make mo take IN oath just think awhile. If
I swear they may drown me and lot get the
truth. Suppose Mr.. Cuthbert-"
aAh!" exclaimed the girl, with a short,
passionate cry, "if he should come-why,
why, Mrs Mead, you would tell him in
stantly; he would be eager and mad to find
me, and l to be with him. o, heavenly
Lord! if thou wouldst but give him to mo
now!' she cried, raising her clasped hands,
while her voice died away into a soft, ex-
quisitely musical plaintive note.
II don't like this business-truly would
rather have no hand III it." said Mrs. Mead,
slowly turning her face from side to side.
"Thy father would come and burn my house
down if he knew had helped you to leave
the town"
"You need not help me, will 60 away
now. Mrs. Mead, and leave you to your rest. "
"That you shall not cried the old woman,
jumping up and laying her skinny hand on
Jenny, who had risen. "Sit down, sit down,
my pretty. Why, how long will it take ye
to walk to Winston! Two hours, will It!
thllu SO YOU Sltll COIlIc w liit Ni!tioS du
three i the morn, and have five hours to
count the daSic; in aforc til conch comes!
Sit down! sit down! Ic'll not leave this
house yet bit, Ise warrant"
"Dut will Dc on my way before the light
comes and the people are up answered
Jenny, sill standing.
so ye shall, but not afore the light comes.
Sit, mistress. Lord save your heart, It's
easier nor standing, und for one nivcr can
think on my feet. Nowhecrs like bed for
tEinkin', say ], and t!s"n you're fiat. Yen be
changing your mind, doubt, if yell sit and
ponder
"Do not say that, Mrs. Mcad. have al,
ready left homc and it Is rs bad rs if We're
a thousand miles Off will not 20 back, i'll,
deed. Bid mo goodnight, and tc sure my
heart is warm to thee for thy Kindness"
"Ah" cr;el Nrs Mead, forcing her, but
not untcndcrly into her chair, 'Itc come from
un obstinate father, and arguments, as I've
always said, is wasted on sitch If 20 moan
to 20, I'll not stop you-and who should know
best hut you, But tho job needn't be worse
nor it is. I'm on"," said size, going to her cup