River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-12-01


afforded il a vantage ground, the
silv ~ tangles of clematis wove love
Iy garland, and tall masses Of golden
rod and purple-fringed asters held up
their clusters of dazzling bloom And
In the hop-ields merry voices echoed
from morning until night
Will Pendexter, walking mp and down
the aisles of siIver-green LEAKAGE, with
his hands behind his back. might nave
reminded one of BOaz in the ancient
Scripture stOry-prineely BOaz stand
ing in his harvest-fields and giving
kind glance and pleasant word TO
everyone.
Isn't he handsome?'' said little Fan
ole Dix TO Miss Morgan, the reetors
daughter Fanny was pale little
dresstlaIxer, with an Incipient cough,
who hal been recommended by her
doctor 20 spend fortnight IN the hop
fields: ana Miss Morgan. whose mother
had died OF consumption, picked hops
every year on principle, just rs Judge
MarIev's daughters visited Long
Branch. And all the haudsomer since
ne has turned grayP do wonder why
he never married.
Don't you know said Mss Nor
gan, sagely.
ssNo."
81 can tell you then" said the rec
tors daughter. VINO dearly loved
morseI Of genuine romance. Because
his first love Tilted him
AS if anyone would jilt VIII Pen
dexter" said incredulous Fanny.
'.Oh, but he wasn't Squire Pendexter
then-alI this happened twenty years
ago." averred Miss Morgan. her flying
fingers never leaving OFF among the
clusters of pale-green hops. That
was before he inherited Pendexter
farm. He was only a poor young
farmer then. with his own living to
make, and this was a beautiful girl
who was spending the summer here
And they were engaged and all-and
the very night before the wedding she
ran away with an Italian, one Count
Caprivi, who was singing on the New
York stage"
Fanny drew long breath
And what became of them?" said
she
sOh. they went to italy. where the
count exne cted To succeed to large es-
tates, and l suppose they are there
now"
Fanny Iool5a.I with sec e. awe u the
rudy face aud ma IN Is eat u,i-at ''i
VIII Pen irNter. a. he ~.eHtcr.-t dow n
the green al Sic nf vSvirsC tsil.. fl- ana
tretuuisu- Ietv-s. an .ltiHust ,,s.li crrti
t. lien t.ln ask y! h..ia les; ~ .iou
lie, A4a-. ID the OFF, .ul q ,iH H-
ruar, of everyday f.. nj give l......
Btuy Bartlett '-gcol Gay," Jus. a. II
there had been no Countess Cdprivi III
the world.
But Fanny Dix was but a girl yet:
she dill not know how twenty yea
will bridge over the darkest gulf In a
human life. There is no scar that viii
not heal in twenty years-thcre j. not 4
grave ON which grass will not grow
ave. and daisies bloom. in twenty
years
Il don't know that we can take
another hand. Simpson" said Squire
Pendexter. meditatIvely. The field is
crowded already"
.'What l thought, exactly, sir" said
the Overseer. respectfully. But this
ere is pretty young slip of girl,
with a feeble mother dragging along
on her arm. And a man doesn't like To
saw no. to such, So l thought I'd just
speak to you. before
where are they?" said the squire.
rubbing the gold knob of his walking
cane against his nose; and Simpson
knew that the case of the forlOrn
strangers was safe enough.
Mother, don't fret; here comes the
gentleman now" said clear, soft
toned voice and Squire Pendexter
found himself looking into a pair of
wistful. deep-biue orbs-orbs that be-
IOnged TO a slight, beautiful girl,
dressed in faded fabric and worn shoes.
who was leaning against the well-curb.
For while simpson had been gone on
his errand Of inquiry. she had drawn a
bucket Of clear, cold water out of the
spriukling depths Of the well and
given her mother a drink out of the
silver-bOund gourd which always hung
there
Sir" without a moments hesita-
tion, Knight have job of work in
your hop-felds? We have come from
the city-mother and there's no liv-
ing TO be picked up there, and my
mother is aiIing. and we thought the
smell of the hops might do her good.
Please. sir. we'd work cheap, if only
we might sleep in the barn and have a
bit of something 20 eat between
whiles.'
Il don't want YOU 20 work cheap
said the squire. assuming an aspect of
unwonted grufneSs TO cover the sym
pathetic thrill in his voice. II never
4
est work As for the bars. my house
keeper can put you in one of the va
cant back chambers over the kitchen.
and there's always enough to eat at
Pendexter farmt'
''PeEdexter fa-m."
The woman who had been sitting on
the messy cattle trough slowly lifted her
head here and pushed back her worn
sunbonnet
where are we, IsOra? Whittier have
we come? knew a man named PEN
dexter. once, who"
YES" said the squire. who had given
little start at the first sound of that
low, contralto voice. 1T was !. Clara
Caprivii To think that fate should have
brought US together again after all
these years
The pale woman struggled 70 her
feet and elutcheS at her daughters
slim. strong arm.
Let Us 20. Isora." said she We
we have made a mistake. Tive me my
shawl. Quicbl Let US GO
"But, mother, why?" soOthed the
girl, who scarcely, Is yet. cOmpre-
hended ali this hy-play. Don't Won
hear what the gentleman says? We
can have work here aud fool and shell
ter. Mother. sit down again! You are
trembling all over.~
i tell YOU. child. You don't know"
said inpatient Clara, possessed with a
sort of wild, unreasoniug terror. I'VE
we must GO"
&C ara" said the squire, he himself
assuming the direction Of affairs, ''the