The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-19


and nobody; but they've told her all
kinds of wild things about nc; they We
told her she might as well jump into
the river as marry such scapegrace.
And, perhaps, if I made her a little
jealous-you know there's no harm IN
that, is there? ATS fair in love, and,
perhaps, if the old folks see me driving
about with Becky Thorne my stock may
90 up, and I may be saved from the
burning as Parson Amory says"
And Becky had consented. How
could she refuse to do a good service
for such true lover2 So slight
thing, too? Sho had often traversed
the same road since on foot, on her
daily rounds of toll or mercy. Sam
Eu3tis had married Lucy Amory years
ago, and was the foremost man in the
| country to-day. Strange how that
friendly drive had interfered with Miss
Becky's prospects; how the simple fact
of carrying home Mrs. Eustis' needle
work should have determined her fate
and devoted her to life of hardship
and the Old Ladies' home at the end!
Talk of trifles! Poor Miss Becky !!
She remembered that once or twice the
opportunity offered when she might
have made it up with Larry; but pride
or sort of fine reserve, had locked her
lips-Larry ought to know that she was
above silly flirtations. O1ce when they
met at Lucy Amory's wedding, when
! they all went out into the orchard
while the bride planted a young tree
and the guests looked for four-leaved
! clovers, she had found herself-whether
by accident or design she could not tell
ON the grass beside Larry; their
fingers met on the same lucky clover,
their eyes met above it, and for an
instant she had it on her tongues end
to confess all about the drive and its
result, to put pride il her pocket; but
just then Nell Amory called to Larry
ooh, a horrid spider--on my arm,
Larry! Kill him quick-do! Oh!--oh--
oh.--I shall die l shall faint"
And that was the end of it.
The old orchard with its fragrant
ounce bushes its gnarled apple trees,
its four-leaved c'overs, was thing o.
the past; q cotton mill reared and thun-
Gored there all day long, where tho
rirds built and the trees blossomed
thirty odd years ago. 1t no longer
/ blossomcd except in Miss Becky's mem
ory. She had turned her thoughts tC
raising plants when she was left to hel
own resources, but one cruel winter
night killed all her slips, and the capi-
tai was lacking by which she might re
new her stock. Since then she had
gone out for daily sewing, hal watched
with the sick. had been in demand for a
temporary houskeepcr whenever sired
matron wished an outing, but latterly
her eyes no longer served her for fins
work, and sewing machines had beer
Introduce |; she was not so alert in tn
sick room as of yore, she moved moro
slowly and her housekeeping talent was
no longer in request; added to this h
bank where her little earnings had beer
growing, one day failed and left he
high and dry. Some Of her friends hac
travelled to pastures new, somo ha-
married away, some had ignored or for
gotten her. AS for Larry Rogers, h
had been away from Plymouth thi
many year. Somebody had sent hir
abroad the year after Lucy Amory'
marriage, to develop his musical &C Mus
He had grown into q famous violinist
playing all over the couatry to crowded
houses, before the first people in tn
land. 1t was beautiful roman ce t
Miss Becky to read in the local pape
about our "gifted townsman;" she di
not blame him because she sat in tn
shadow, because her life had been COO
ness. She sang again the old tunes b
had taught her, and made little sur
shine in her heart. All of happines
S0e nau ever known ne nau DrOuGnC nel
Why should she complain? And no
she was going to the Old Ladies home
'It isn't exactly what l expected !
my YOUTH" she said to the old doctor
wild ow.
mo; but you'll have a nice room an
bright fire, and the neighbors wi
drop in to see you and make it hom
= like. Now, there's old Mrs. Gum
Nothing can persuade her to 60 to th
r home. She says it's only genteel aim
house after all; and so she rubs alon
9 with what she can earn and what til
neighbors have a mind to send in, an
/ they have to do it very gingerly, too, ju
as though they were asking favor
i her. Lor, she docsn' t earn her salt"
= Il dare say" returned Miss Beck,
'Now, if it hadn't been for the rhcr
l matism could earn my living for yea
Q yet, and maybe get something ahea
r again; but it seems as if the rheum
< tism laid in wait for the poor an
3 frien dless."
l You ought to have married wht
7 you were young, Becky" said the do
, tors widow who had forgotten a
: about Becky's love affair, and lahore