The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-08-13

ii little later-to get
milk-thcy were sitting at
+ efubbed table, with battered
Dery between them, both heads |
1lat, both faces shining with cagcrnessX "
md both tongues murmuring somethHoaI
about the maximum of isoperims 't'a'
polygons. <Eurico,s
That was the beginning q, ~ tba,a mud,te 50
interest in Stephen. The H. tbat ii bey ~
highly of intellectual fcT mhon I sho W fornJ
good will was gainen "nen a Snu na;Ind t4uui'
some one who bad|, alone anu unaloeu'
.lmost overtake@ her ii in , her favorltc a''H it
':uuS' 10y ~ nttemvi3ing him, and did it with
'i',eo VI da&ee &C In her air of the beautiful
,nty.se ,nty a
'aW>Certainly teacher like Eunice must
have put new meaning into the dog
cared volumes. She found place for
Stephen now at our picnics and other
frolics, plannings things so gracefully
that her father never seemed to miss the
time of his foreman, and leading Stephen
to talk Of himself with the kindest ma
ternsl sympathy; he was only two years
older than she!
Nor was this all. Early and late, in
season and out of season, Eunice urged
on us all that the boy should have better
opportunities. He was tea times as clever
as she, she declared, though nobody be-
lieved it; it was a pity aud shame that
he did not 60 to school, and something
ought to be done about it. Mr.. Dun
stable told her that Stephens father had
been the skipper of sailing vessel, and
was lost, believe, on the high seas some
where between here and China.
"Haven't you ever seen those outland-
ish knives of Stephens, with the queer
fggers on 'ema That's about all he left
him, reckon" said good Mr.. Dun
stable.
The next time Stephen passed, he was
called up to display these wonderful
weapons, which he brought forth directly
from an inside pocket, thereby reviying
nay theory as to his dangerous character,
which was beginning to waver.
We were sitting at the time out under
the copper-leaved birches with young
heiress, who was boarding down in the
village. She was a collector of curios,
and took great fancy to these knives,
which were beautiful little toys of Indian
or Chinese workmanship. The delicate
ly-curved two-edged blades werc thrust
into short leather sheaths, and the round
handles of ivory carved over with drag
ons. Afterward, and certainly not with
out mental reservation for the owners
own benefit, she offered Stephen twenty
five dollars apiece for the two; but
Stephen, to our surprise, refused to sell
them, saying that bis father had given
them to him and he would never part
with them. Eunice was at no pains to
conceal her vexation.
Meanwhile began to suspect that all
was not right with Mr.. Dunstable's own
financial affairs. He had always been the
unthrifty one of his family, with an un-
fortunate tendency toward "spekilation."
He was an old man now, and somewhat
broken down, so that the management of
the place was left more and more in the
hands of Patty and Stephen. Patty, in
deed, was quite competent to assume the
whole charge; but her father looked so
anxious and worried that guessed, as I
fancy she did, that some bad news was
coming.
At last the blow fell. Of the purse
which the brothers had made up to pay
for Eunice's schooling, one hundred dol
lars had been reserved to cover the tut.
ton fees in the coming September. This
Mr.. Dunstable had risked-invested, or
what you will, and lost it.
Now to go in debt is to 60 branded, in
the eye of a Dunstable. One resource,
however, remained for Eunice. MIR. Dun
stable had colt, raised on the farm, and
dear as the apple of his eye because of
ford belief which he entertained that it
was destined one day to develop ''speed."
1t was in truth a fine colt, though little
long in the legs and lean in the neck,
and given to sundry very lively trick
and diversions.
This colt Mr.. Dunstable determined to
sell. He was young, recently broken,
and useless for heavy farm labor. Hav-
ing raised by the sale of this animal the
formidable sum, Eunice's other expenses
would doubtless be gradually forthcom-
ing. When Eunice protested, her father
sternly silcnccd her, declaring that the
money he had lost was given in trust for
her schooling.
Presently Mr.. Chichester, farmer
from under the mountain who had long
had covetous eye upon the colt, came
up to Dunstable Farms one bright after
noon. He looked the animal over, got
Stephen to show off his paces-how
pretty and docile he was that day to be
sure !-examincd his teeth and his hoofs,
and partly concludeda q bargain. He was
to take him home for week, at the end
of which time, if the animal proved
sound and steady, he would pay down
the 500.