Connecticut western news., 1888-12-05
MARIAN'S VOW.

It was bright March morning, the blue-jay darting in and out of tho cedar-trees, the river rippling along under the willows, whose branches al- ready began to be yelled with soft, green mist, and the floor of Seth Calli- per's kitchen had the pattern of the two small -paned windows printed on it's surface in typo of sunshine, when Marian camo in from her morning task of hanging out the clothes.
 Mrs. Calliper looked up from the po- tatoes sho was pairing for the noon din- ner.
 ''Why, Marian" said she, ''what's g the matter2 Got the toothache againa'
 'It isn't the toothache, mothcr," said Marian, depositing tho clothes basket on the floor with something of bang. sIt's-every thingv' V.
 Mrs. Callipor's faded bluo eyes opened wide.
 "Child, what do you meana" said | she.
 Marian's lip quivered. Tho vivid roses mounted to her cheeks.
 'Mother," said she, '1pve suspected something all along, but sometimes these things come over you sudden-like, you know. And when was hanging out tho kitchen towels, behind tn. smoke house wall, Squire Van derbrug gen drovo by with man, and they sor O slackcd up when they came opposite our gate and the squire pointed witf his whip-handle and heard him say tt the other one: That old place is al going to ruin. Look at tho chimney !, topping over; look at tho gates, hang ing on one hinge; look at the shingles, rotting on tho roof; and the stouo wal tumb!iag down. Things can't go on tha way long. It Il be in tho market pres ently and I'll buy it in. But twent. years ago. says he, mother, 'S.th Cal liper WIS tho smartest man and tho bes farmer going. But ho won hundred dollar prize in tEe lottery, and that un settled him. Every cent he made afte that went into the gift enterprise Nothing prospcred with him. All h could sell, ho sold, and all ho coul' mortgage, he mortg aged, until inall.
 his brain gavo way and"
 "Hush, Marian! said Mrs. Callipcr with a quick glance at the room be
 yond, wherc prematurelY white -haire
 man sat rocking aimlcssly to and ire with an unread nowseapar in his lar "He's deaf, but sometimes ho hear
 things when we least expect it." "Mothcr, is it truca You vc kept m
 at Aunt Alma's until tho elder glrl were married. I know scarcely any t thing of what has happened at homo.
 it true, mothcr?'
 Mrs. Callipor burst into tears "Yes, child, it's tru,," sho admitted : "Wo are very poor; we can't keep u the interest on tho old mort gage; an ? how can folks blame us when the SC; son for summer boardcrs was so bad an poor father emit do stroke O work t help usa
 "And yet Louisa and Phebe married
 and left you and father to bear all tn l alonel' 'Ies human natur', child. Wh else can you expecta'
 ! Marian was silent moment or tw' then she spoke with choked voice. 'T won't go and leave you, mother said she, giving Mrs. Calliper such hug that the good soul dropped h potato knife into the parings. '1 : never marry any ono until the mortga! u is p id up, and the fences built owe and the roof re-shingled, and tho o e place made to look like itself agai No, not if the President himself car to ask mew
 Mrs. Calliper smiled through h 5 tears
 : You are excited, dcar," said sh U "You don't mean what you say" v ''Yes, I dol" persisted Marian. mean iti Are the calicoes read : motheri It's pity to miss even hour of this bright sunshine"