Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-11-02

.-------
courtesy, and begged her to drive
over with him to Parson Amory,
three miles out of her way, "that
Lucy Amory may see yon don't
disdain my company. For you see,"
said Sam, who was not as black as
he was painted, or as many liked
to suppose. "Lucy can make me
what she will /; without her l shall
be nothing and nobody; but
they've told her she might as we'll
lump into the river as marry such
scapegrace. And, perhaps, II
make her a little iealous-you
know there's no harm in that, Is
theref All's fair in love; and,
perhaps, if the old folks see me
driving about with Becky Thorne
my stock may go up, and 1 may
be saved from the burning as
Parson Amory says"
And Becky had consented. How
could she refuse to do service for
such a true loveri So slight a
thing, too She had often traversed
the same road since on foot, on her
daily rounds of toll or mercy. Sam
Eustis had married Lucy Amory
years ago, and was the foremost
man In the country today. Strange
how that drive had interfered with
Miss Becky's prospects; how that
simple fact of carrying home Mrs.
Eustis' needlework should have
determined her fate and devoted
her to a lite OF hardship and the
Old Ladies' Home at the end
Talk of triAes Poor Miss Becky
She remembered once or twice the
opportunity had offered when she
might have made it up with Larry;
but pride. or a sort of fine reserve,
had locked her lips-Larry ought
to know that she was above silly
firtations. Once, when they met
at Lucy Amory's wedding, when
they all went out into the orchard
while The BRIDE planted q young
tree and the guests looked for
four.leaved clovers, she had found
herselt-whether by accident or
design she conld not tell-on the
grass beside Larry; their fingers
met on the same lucky clover, their
eyes met above it, and for an In
slant she had it on her tongues
end to confess all about the
drive and its results, to put
pride in her pocket; but Just then
Nell Amory called to Larry:
"Oh, a horrid spider-on my
arm, Larry XIII him quick-dO !
On ! oh oh Il shall die-l
shall faint ~
And that was the end oft.
The old orchard, with its fragrant
ounce bushes, its gnarled apple
trees, its four.leaved clovers, was a
thing Of the past; a cotton mill
roared and thundered all day long,
where the birds built and the trees
bIossomed thirty odd years ago. 1t
no longer blossomed except in Miss
Becky's memory. She had turned
her thoughts to raising plants when
she was left to her own resources,
but one cruel winters night killed
all her slips, and the capital was
lacking by which she might renew
her stock. Since then she had
gone out for daily sewing, had
watched the sick, had been in de.
mand for a temporary housekeeper
whenever tired mstron wished an
outing; but lately her eyes no
longer served her for fine work, ,and
sewing machines had been intro
duced !; she was not 80 alert in the
sick room as of yore; she moved
more slowly, and her housekeeping
talent was no longer in request;
added to this, the bank where her
little earnings had been growing,
one day failed and left her high
aud dry. Some of her friends had
travelled to pastures new, some had
married away, some had ignored or
forgotten her. AS for Larry
Rogers, he had been away from
Plymouth this many year, Some
body had sent him abroad the
year after Lucy Amory's marriage
to develop his musical genius. He
had grown into famous violinist,
PLAYING all over the country to
crowded houses, before the finest
people in the land. 1t was q
beautiful romance to Miss Becky
to read in the Plymouth Record
about our "gifted townsmaD J" she
did not blame him because her life
had been colorless. She sang again
the old tunes he had taught her,
and made a little sunshine in her
heart. All Of the happiness she
had ever known he had brought
her. Why should she complain
And now she was going to the Old
Ladies' Home.
"It isn't exactly what 1 expected
in my YOUTH" she said to the old
doctors widow.
"No; but you'll have nice
room and q bright FIRE, and the
neighbors will drop in to see you
| ood ,ool,a - hornaIiba Non fbaraje