The national leader., 1889-03-09


! overburdened Pardon.
She was tall and slender, with large,
glittering hazel eyes, red-brown hair
and one of those delicate compilations
where the sun lays its touch IN the
shape of here and there cluster of
| freckles.
Fanny was dark, with Spanish eyes,
frinyed- with long lashes. and hair as
1ack and lustrous as jet. Whatever
else fate had denied the Darwin girls,
it had been generous to them in the
matter of personal attributes.
They made their frugal supper of
Graham gems, a very little butter, the
weakest brewing of tea, and no milk at
all, and then Pardon built up the fire,
got her father the last weeks news
paper. which good Mrs. Merritt had
sent over with the Graham -four, and
then sat down in the back kitchen with
Fanny to slice up few peaches for
| drying.
For we have got to look after things
very close this WINTER" she said.
Father seems to have no energy at all
since John James died. / am afraid it
will end in the farm being sold to clear
off the mortgage"
Fanny opened her big, black eyes.
"But we must live somewhere, Par
don," said she.
"You and I can go out to service, "
said Pardon. GAS for father, there is
the poor-house.
Fanny uttered wall of desp air.
mo, no, dear; don't look so distress
ed" said the elder sister, repenting the
rashness of her speech. 81 don't real
ly mean it, Pm cross, that is all. It's
hard doing the work of hired man,
servant girl and housekeeper all in one.
I shall feel better tomorrow after I've
had nights sleep. l haven't got to
get up early and milk poor old Pink
any more"
And once again the sisters mingled
their tears.
''If father had only mended those
bars" said Fanny. sit was so un-
luckily"
But Pardon put ber hand over her
sisters lips.
mot that word, Fanny" said she.
"Remember it's forbidden.''
The two girls were washing up the
breakfast dishes The next day in the
temporary absence of Mr.. Darwin. who
had strol.ed off toward the post-office to
see if the mail was in, when Squire Et-
ting G. o5sed the threshold.
Father ain't to hum, eh?" said he.
swell, 1 reckon l can talk things over
just as well with you, Pardon"
"What things?" SAID Pardon, dis
trustfully.
''That there skatin' rink. down by
the lake." said Mr.. Etting, 'that John
James built. It's goin' to be a good
hard winter if there's any truth in
signs, and I've notion to buy the con-
Germ, just as it stands. and run the rink
myself. The land belonged to your
mothers estate, and 1 s'pose you and
the gal here have the right to sell it."
YES" said Pardon, her eyes fixed
calmly on the Squire's wooden visage
'What will you give for it?"
"Wal, it amt wuth so dreadful
much" said the Squire. evasiyely.
"Say hundred dollars for the build
ing and two acres Of land"
Pardon shook her head.
~ won't sell 1t for that,' said she,
decidedly.
81 dunno what you want TO keep it
for" said the squire, irrltably. "Your
father he amt got the 'go' to run a
skating rink
81 know that" said Pardon, firmly,
''but l don't intend to be swindled, all
the same"
The squire stamped out of the room
in rage.
"Then drive a better bargain with
somebody else, if you can," said he,
viciously.
''Pardon. Pardon!'' whispered Fan
ny, close to her elbow, "call him back!
A hundred dollars is a great-great
sum of money!"
''No," said Pardon. II will not call
him back, Let III. think!"
"But what will father say?"
''Father need never know, Fanny. It
is as Squire Etting says. the land is all
that is left OF our poor mothers prop
erty. 1t is ours to sell or to keep, as
we please. The lumber alone for that
poor building cost John James nearly
one hundred dollars. The squire thinks
he can safely cheat us, because we are
only women. But he will find himself
mistaken"
She put on her green gingham sun
bonnet that afternoon and went over to
the Merritt farm. Joel Merritt was
just driving through the big gates with
load of wood.
'I'm SO sorry" said Joel, courteous
ly lifting his cap. ''Mother has gone