The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-23
DAISY'S FARM.
The Sterile Land That Proved a
Valuable Legacy.

was receiving the merry congratula-
lions of the family, consisting of her
uncle, her aunt, and nearly round
dozen of cousins.
Wharton Hill, young lawyer. slowly
winning name and fame in his profess
sion, was being vigorously hand-shaken
and noisily welcomed by the Truemans,
when Ned cried:
"Perhaps you didn't know Daisy was
an heiress, Wharton"
'Ned-dont!' said Daisy, reproach-
fully.
"a landed proprietress," cried Tom.
II do not refer to the paltry six hundred
year she draws from her fathers
estate, but to her own property"
"Her farm, in fact!'' said Sue.
eyes, her farm" echoed Ned, coming
to the front once more. "When you
are tired of law you can start gentleman
farming upon your country-seat."
After they were all gone, having jest
ed a long time on this subject, Wharton
was surprised to see tears in Daisy's
soft, brown eyes.
"What is it, darling?" he asked.
'They don't mean to hurt my feel
ings," Daisy said, gently, ''but they will
jest about my farm, and-and-I don't
like it,
"But do you really own farm?"
'It is not valuable possession, as you
will see when / tell you about it. When
] was baby, soon after mamma died,
was very i'll, and the doctors advised my
father to send me to the country for
change of air. There was an old servant
of fathers family, who had married a
farmer and was left widow with a
small farm. Such farm, Wharton! The
house has only three rooms, and looks
as if high wind would utterly demolish
1t; the land is so poor that it was slow
starvation to cultivate it. But it was all
the home Margaret had. You may Judge
that she was very glad to receive the
liberal price father paid for me, and my
own mother could not have given me
more loving care. Every year father
came to take me away, and every year
was persuaded to leave me, until l was
eight years old, and marvel of rugged
health and perfect ignorance. Then I
was put in boardingschoOl, but | still
Margaret and my trunk was always half
filled with comforts for her. Having no
one in the world who claimed kindred
with her, no one else but me to love,
Margaret loved me with her whole
heart. Six years ago, after father died,
and | came here to live with Uncle Tom,
Margaret died and left me her farm. 1t
has been joke in the family ever since.
The place is SO utterly valueless that we
can neither sell it nor rent it, and it
represents only the love of an old woman
for her nursling."
'Some time we will visit it. You have
not told me its locality"
sit is in Pennsylvania, nine miles
from anywhere, father used to say, be-
cause it is nine miles off the railroad.
But you can always hire wagon or car
riage at G. to go over to Corn's Mill;
and my farm is very near Corn's Mill. :"
After this explanation, Wharton bore
the jesting about Daisy's real estate
with perfect good nature, and declared
his intention of erecting a palatial
country seat upon the place when he
became millionaire and Judge of the
Supreme Court.
Being people of modest desires, and
having an income of about six hundred
dollars apiece, Wharton and Daisy saw
no reason to delay their wedding, and
were married with a large assemblage
of true friends around them. They
went to housekeeping in a little house,
modestly furnished, and were fair speci-
mems of ''love in a cottage"
But Wharton Hill was ambitious.
Having studied his profession under
great difficulties often going hungry to
buy needful books, often losing his
nights rest to pore over knotty points,
he was both fond and proud of his life
work, and strove to win good position
therein. His love for Daisy, true, honest
love, was never allowed to interfere
with his pursuit of fame in his pro.
fession, and after he was married he at.
tackled his studies with fresh ardor,
spending his time in his Office, when not
actually engaged in the courtroom.
Little Daisy, whose life was affection,
found time often hanging heavily upon
her hands, as Wharton became more
and more popular and the number Of
his clients increased. But she was al
ways ready with loving welcome wher
he did come to his home, and she knew
that much of his ambition and ardol
was for her sake.
The third year of her married life was
nearly over, and her only child Ton
Trueman Hill, was eighteen month:
old, when Wharton, ever busy and full
of energy, began to complain of rack
ing pain in his head, and loss of mem
DRY. Often in the midst of an argument
the thread of his speech slipped from
his mind, and cost great mental strug
gle to be resumed.
He fought the symptoms bravely, bu
Daisy was full of terror at the change
In him. He grew haggard and restless
oppressed with vague fears of loss O
reason, and really suffering great physi
cal pain.
At last, much against his will, he al
lowed Daisy to call in the family physi
clan, whose advice was simple, bu
strongly urged, consisting of two words
only. Perfect rest"
''The brain is overworked," he ex
planned, land no medicine will avail
while he persists in study and practice
Get him away, if you can. H'm-this il
May, good time for country trip
Take him to the country, Mrs. Hill"
Wharton rebelled. 1t was ruin t.
leave his Office, where cases of import
ance were in his hands Hemust work
or they might all starve. He would de
cline some of the practice offered him
would take little trips during the sum
mer: would, in short temporize