Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-05-18
PAYING THEIR DEBTS.
How a Life Devoted to Duty Be-
came Pleasant.

came Pleasant.
John Ramsay was working on his
farm, his careless, loose dress display
ing TO advantage his tall, muscular fig
ure, and a broad straw hat shaded
handsome face, with large dark eyes
set beneath a forehead whose breadth
and height indicated powerful brain.
The hands that guided the plow
were strong hands, but whittier and
more delicate than such pursuits usu-
ally allow.
Daisy Hale sat watching him. Her
dress was print but made with hounces
on the skirt, and ruffles on the waist.
Her short golden hair was curled into
a fringe carefully over her forehead,
and gathered in longer curls into q
comb behind, above which was a jaunty
hat, covered with puffs of white mus
lin and bows Of blue ribbon to match
the spots upon her dress.
The face under Daisy's hat was
gloomy, not to say cross. A vs--J pref
ty face, but not pleasant having
petted, spoiled-child frown, and brood
ing discomfort in the large blue eyes
Presently the farmer drew near her,
and taking off his hat famed himself
with it. stopping his horses while he
leaned indolently against the pillow.
you look deliciously cool under this
great tree" he said "And-hemI-
very much dressed for nine o'clock in
the morning"
In five-penny calicoI" she said, con-
temptuously. when are you coming
IMP"
HAt noon, to dinner"
ut Is too absurd" she broke out,
angry tears in her eyes, 'for you to be
blowing and hoeing and milking cows
and doing the work of laboring mani
] thought when you came home from
college you would do something besides
work on a farm"
"And let the farm go to rutn9 That
would be poor way to pay my debts, |"
Your debtsr' she said, looking
astonished. do you owe debts2"
Certainly You and are both very
heavily in debt Daisy. think, when
Aunt Mary took US in, poor little
orphans-I her nephew, you her SEQ
ond cousin"
Third cousin" she interrupted,
"since you are so particular. 1 know
what you mean, but l am very sure
that Aunt Mary never intended us to
drudge on the horrid old farm"
do you know that all the money
she saved in IA life of hard work was
spent upon our educationp Do you
know that she has nothing now but
the farm, and that to take her away
from it would probably shorten he1
iife9"
'She always has taken care of 1t her
self"
"Are you blind that you cannot see
how the four years she has been alone
here have aged her, how feeble she Isl
While we were living at ease at college
and school, she has toiled for us until
she is wearied out"
"But You could send her money i
you were in the city in some gentle
manly occupation"
perhaps so, ten or twelve years
from now. To-day l propose to worI
this farm, and see how many busheli
Of corn I can raise on it"
lie took hold of the plow handles a
he smoke, started the horses, and lef
her, her eyes full of angry tears.
s'He might rs we'll have said what h
meant" She thought, springing dow
and starting for tho house. HE think
I ought to cook, wash, make butte
and work like a servant girl, when
have studied so hard and tried to MAX
myself lady, that he might not b
ashamed of me-"
Yet. In her heart, she knew that h
was ashamed of her, and that she d'
served it. Ashamed that she could 5
I'm her room, selfshly engrossed
making pretty articles OF dress {
readinp, while her cousin, or, rs sh
TOO called her, Aunt Mary, worked
che Kitchen, the dairy, the poultry var
from DAYS dawn till night
She was not all selfshness and hear
lessness. though there had grown
chick crust OF both over her better n
tire Her ideas OF ladies and gent
men depended largely upon clothlI
and nursuit, and she had not yet qul
realized how much more nearly John
standard reached the desired poi
than her own.
As she drew near the house the sttl
Of Johns words penetrated more al
more through the crust she had draw
over her heart, until fresh stab M
her at the door Rocking in at t
open door, she saw a white head bow
in weeping, a slight figure shaken
sobS.
Quickly, through all the selAshne'
self repSoach struck at the girls hear
aud IN n moment she was on her kne
beside the low chair, her arms arouI
the weeping woman
cob. Aunt Mary, what is itP .
pleas, lon't cry so! What has ha
peued?'
''Why, Daisy dear" through so
that would not be checked at
noments notice, don't mind me. /
only tired, jcarie--only tired
Could she have struck deeper? Tire
AT seventy, housework does become
wcarincssl At seventy, it may sec
as If one ought to rest while your
hands aud active feet take up I
burdens she was very tired, IL
patient old woman, who had given b
life work for others; first for h
parents: then for an invalid broth'
lastly, for the orphan children; wi
such innunerable acts of neighboi
kindness as only the recording angel
good deeds knew.
Well might she be tired It v