The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-02-18
AN OLD LADYS STORY.

sat spinning at my little wheel, in the
sun, for the autumn day was cold, when
heard some one whistling. and, looking up
there was young Squire Turner, with his
arms folded on the gate, looking over.
When he caught my eye he laughed. 1
blushed, and I arose and made him a
courtesy.
He was a handsome gentleman, the
squire, and the hand from which he
pulled the glove shimmered in the sun
with pearls and diamonds, and he was
bonny to look at, with his hair like spun
gold in the October sunlight.
When courtesied he bowed, making
his curls dance over his shoulders, and
said he: 1--WE spoiled one pretty picture
that l could have looked at all day, but
I've made another as pretty, so I'll not
grieve. May / come IN? p
and welcome, sir" said /, and | set
chair for him, for he was my grandfather's
landlord /; but for all that l felt uncomfort-
able, for | was not used to fine company.
He talked away, paving me more COM
pliments than l was used to, for grand
mother, who brought me up, said, "Hand-
some is as handsome Goes," and Beauty
is but skin deep"
Since I'm telling the story I'll tell the
truth. had done wrong about one thing.
Neither of the old folks knew that Wore
Evan Locke's ring in my bosom OF that
we'd taken VOW TO each other
beside the hawthorn that grew
in the church lane. never
meant to deceive, but grannie was old and
little hard, and that love of mine was
such a sweet secret. Besides, money seems
TO outweigh all else when peop.e have
struggled all their lives to turn a penny,
and they knew Evan was poor, strug-
Cling young surgeon. | thought / wait
awhile until i could sweeten the
news with the fact that he'd begun TO
make his fortune
Grannie came in from the dairy five
minutes after the squire hal gone aud
heard he had been there. i didn't tell her
| OF his fine speeches, but there was key
hole to the door sine came through and
have guess she heard them.
That night we had something else 10
think Of Misfortune had come upon
grandfather, but / didn't ioresee that
when the haf-year's reut should come due
not a penny to pay it with would be
found.
All this time Evan Locke and ] had
been as fond as ever of each other, and he
came as often as before to talk with grand
pa on the winter nights, and still every
little while our young landlord Squire
Turner. would drop in and sit. in his ley
way, watching me knit and spin. Once
or twice he was flushed with wine and
n,,orhn1I no fr;aH 10 Ifou R,rt
squire or no, | boxed his ears Tor his
pains, and no softer than / could help,
either.
could not help his coming nor help
seeing him when he came, and l did nut
deserve that Evan should be angry with
me. But he was Eth, so high and
mighty, aud spoke as though one like the
squire could mean no good by coming
to so poor place as the schoclmaster's
He made me angry, and | spoke up.
''For that matter, the squire would be
glad to have me promise to MARRY hin"
said |. ale thinks more o. me than"
May be you like him better"
"I don't say that, replied |. But bad
temper and jealousy scarce make me
overload OF another. l pray may never
have q husband who will scOld me"
For he had been scolding nae. 70
other name for it.
Well, Evan was wroth with me and |
with him-not heart-dcep though,
thought-and / did not see him him for
more than a week. | was troubled much
though. L knew he would come round
again, and mayhap ask my pardon. For
before you are wed you can bring your
lover to his senses.
So l did not fret after Evans absence,
nor quite snub Squire Turner, who liked
me more than ever. But one night grand
father came in, and shutting the door,
stood between grandmamma and me, look
ing at me, and so strangely that we both
grew frightened. At last he spoke:
"Pve been to the squire's," said he.
'FOr the first time | had TO tell him that
could not pay the rent when due"
l opened my lips. Grandmamlna's
hand covered them. Grandpa drew me
to him.
"Thou'rt young, lass" said he, "and
they are right TO call thee pretty. Child,
could'st like the squire well enough to
wed him."
"Eh?" cried grandma Sure. you're
not wandering"
Esquire Turner asked me Tor this lass
of ours tonight. OF all the women in the
world there is but one he loves as he
should his wife. and that Is our Agatha"
Il dreamt of golden rings and white
roses on Christmas eve, cried grannie. al
knew the lass would be lucky"
But [ put my head on grandfather's
shoulder and hid my face. The truth
must out, l knew.
"Wilt have him and be a rich lady?"
said grandpa.
And when he had waited for an answer
burst ont with "No" and a sob together.
'She's frightened" said grandmamma.
"Nay, we must all wed once in our lives,
my child"
Then grandpapa talked to me. He told
me how poor they had grown, and how
kind the squire was, and / had but TO
marry him to make my grandparents tree
from debt and poverty their lives through.
If l refused and vexed the squire, heaven
only knew what might happen.
she'll never ruin U.s." sobbed grand
mamma
All it was hard to bear-bitter hard,
but now there was no help for it. | took
the ring from my bosom and laid it on my
palm, and told thin that IL was Evan
Lockes and that had plighted my troth
to him. And grandmamma called me q
deceitful wench and grandfather looked as
though his heart would break.
Oh, | would have done anything Tor
them-anything but give up my true love.
That night l kissed his ring and prayed
heaven that he might love me always. In
Al "A 4 n n