Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-11-21
Zephyr stood on tip.tOe to kiss her

narcissus clumps josthng each other in
fragrant strife. On the threshold they
met an old woman with prodigious
cap-frill and spectacles like moons.
"Here's the dollar we owe your folks
for vinegar, Neighbor Croft" said she.
al guess you thought it never was com
ing. But we've just got pay for them
vests me and Mtlindy have been workin'
on"
''No hurry, Mis- Jenkins, no hurry" s"
said Mr.. Croft, good-humoredly.
And as she tottered of, he turned to his
niece:
"See, Zephyr, there's your money!"
said he. Everything comes, ifwe've
got patience to wait for it."
"And 1 hain't no patience with you,
Daniel Croft" screeched a shrill voice,
in the petulant, complaining accents of
Mrs. Croft herself, who chanced to be
sweeping out the entry at that moment,
and had witnessed the whole scene. "1s
dollars so plenty that you're givin' 'em
away to the right and to the left9 If
Zephyr Lowell wants money, why don't
she work and earn it2"
Zephyr turned scarlet, but she held the
silver dollar tight in her hand, without
Offering to return it to the donor Mr..
Croft shrank before his wifes'words, as
if they had been keen northeast
gale.
"Geutly, mother; gently" said he.
But Mrs. Crofts wrath was not so easily
stemmed. When the avalanche OF words
was over, and honest Daniel looked
around for his niece, Zephyr was gone.
Gone for good and all. When days
and weeks passed by, and she did not re-
turn, Daniel Croft slowly anchored his
faith to the theory (Which was the true
one) that the money had been spent to
take Zephyr away from the farm. She
had not been happy there, and she had
left the place.
"And good riddance to bad rubbish"
Mrs. Croft had said, with certain grim
exultation, which was fully seconded by
her daughter, while the poor farmer sat
with forlorn look on his face, as if
Zephyr's going had somehow left va
cuum iu his heart.
Zephyr LOvell's career was not excep-
tional. She went TO New York, and,
after sundry unsuccessful endeavOrs to
obtain employment, got place as atten-
dant in photograph gallery. The wages
were small, but it was a home, and the
proprietor and his wife were kind to her.
And. one day an invalid lady came In to
be photographed, who took a fancy to
the pretty young girl with the sweet
voice and the dove-like blue eyes. So
Miss Lowell was promoted to the rank OF
companion, and when Mrs. lngraham
died. she became the wife Of the wealthy
widower, aftera a suitable period of time
had elapsed. Here wvs our poor little
chrvsalis blossomed out into brilliant but
ter6y-hood at last.
81 must go down to Drysart Point and
see my Uncle Croft, said Zephyr, one
day. And, Mr.. Ingraham, who was the
humblest of all slaves to his beautiful
young wife, asscnted to her plans.
81 ought to have gone before, said
Zephyr, rehectively. "Well, 1 did not
like to go until could pay my dear old
uncle the dollar that owe him-the dol
lar upon which the hinges of my destiny
turned >
Farmer Croft was sitting alone on the
veranda, when the carriage drove up to
the door. The old house was unpainted,
the fences had tumbled down, the shut
ters hung loose and the pin was lost out
of the gate. The old man himself was
shabbily clothed, and the locks, once so
raven black, were now whittier than the
sea-foam. He listened intently to the
sound of wheels and footsteps.
eff it's Squire Leferts, said he, sit
amt no use. cant pay no interest,
and he'll hev' to foreclose. Ny wife is
lust up from sick bed, and we haven't
got dollar in the house. I've wrote to
nv darter Miranda Jane, and her hus-
band has wrote back that he hasn't no
money to spare, nor he can't fool away
his time comm to Drysart Point. So ye
can see for yourself that it amt no use,
Squire" But with one hand behind his
ear, and dim anxious eyes upraised,
"Why don't you say somethingl I've
been blind since last summers fever,
and"
"Blindl Oh, Uncle Daniell-blind !
Don't start back; it is l, your own
Zephyr, come to pay you back what I
owe you"
And in a second her arms were about
the old mans neck, her sunny tresses
mingling with bis snow white hair.
Mrs. Croft had hobbled out by this time,
leaning on a cane, and staring In amaze
ment.
That evening, when Zephyr and her
husband were gone, old Daniel cried tri-
umphantly to bis wife.
miranda Jane, the daIter that We
sacrificed everything to, has gone back
on us, and so has the man she married;
hut Zenhvr has come between us aud the