Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-01-29

Al uiShAOAJ OhAy q PANS"J HsSA~ o@N>t
found himself confronted by an dndeni-
able beauty; face to win homage in far
more pretentious circles than Maysville
boasted, aud gentle grace of manner
none of the girls of his acquaintance had
ever extended to him.
The touch of the soft little hand
offered to greet him riveted the chains
ESTES face had cast about Marks heart,
and made him her slave then and there.
He had starved all his life for sympathy,
and his first half-hour with Essie filled
his longing heart with content. She re-
mcmbered all his boyish aspirations; she
entered into all his hopes and ambitions.
The party was the beginning of an inter-
course that stimulated anew every good
resolution, gave a new vigor to every
hope of Mark life.
The village was essentially democratic,
and the fact that Essie was the only
child and heiress of the richest, most in
fuential man in the place did not prevent
her from visiting Mrs. Lamson upon
terms of perfect equality. She was fond
of the weak, amiable woman, strongly as
she censured, in her youthful strength,
the easy-going Incidence that made her
home such scene of confusion and dis
comfort; and, in her gentle, pleasant
way, she endeavoured to brighten that
home for Mark by suggestions and offers
of help that fell to the ground. 1t was
like fighting feather bed to try to rouse
Mrs. Lamson to an active improvement,
and rebuffed there, Essie could only help
Mark by words of sympathy that were
like wine of life to his love.
An hour with Essie sent him back to
his uphill work full of new hope, every
energy stimulated, every hope bright
ened. He had not dared to set before
him in plain words the hope of one day
winning her heart to his own, for there
was all the humility of true passion IN
that young, ardent heart, but he real
lied new force, new spur to am
bit:on.
Essie never sneered at him as the
neighbors had become accustomed to
doing; Essie never threw cold water
over his plans for improving the land;
Essie was never sarcastic over the clash
ing of his povery and his ambitions. AS
he saw her moro frequently, he ventured
to tell her of wider, wilder hopes, of
some day escaping from the drudgery
before him, and making his way to
city, where his education might give
him start in more congenial occupation
"Father and mother seem to need me,
now," he told Essie, one day; "they are
old, and they have no other child. |
think it is my plain duty to stay"
'I think it is" was the quick reply;
"your mother could scarcely bear a sepa-
ration"
''And while am here, must do the
work that lies under my hand, he said,
"hard as it is! But Essie," and his face
frightened, ''do you know that already
l have made the farm pay double what
it has ever done. Next spring can
hire help out of money | saved from the
sale of last years crops!"
Essie, all eager interest, entered into
discussion of the capabilities of such
lot for turnips, such patch for wheat,
the possibilities of dairy, the best cul
ture for fowls, as if she had never
studied music or filled her head with
French and German verbs.
But the horror and wrath OF Judge Len
nox, when, after two years of mild court
ship, Mark took his fate in his hands and
asked permission to marry Essie, cannot
be described.
"a Lamsonm he cried, when hav-
ing dismissed Mark he returned to the
bosom of his family. ''A Lamson for
Essie's husbandl The fellow wants
my money to spend after all his father
and his grandfather have squandcred. "
"Do you really and truly think Mark
is spendthrift, papas" Essie asked
quietly. "Does he ever lounge about
the stores or taverns, as Harry Carter
and James Rayburn dol
"I-Well, no, never saw him." was
the reluctant admission.
''Did you ever hear that he drank or
gambled, or oven smoked!"
"N-o-I never did,"
s'Is he not regular at church2"
"Ye. .es."
"But, oh, Essiel" struck in Mrs, Len
nox. ''What shabby, half washed
SHIRTS he wears, and his fingers all out
of his gloves, and half the buttons of his
coat gone"
"Poor Mark |" said Essie, gently. she
needs a WIFE"
"Well, he need not look here for
one," growled the Judge.
81 heard Mr.. Thompson say, last
week." said Essie, quietly, "that there is
not better farm in Greene County than
Lamson's."
"Such palace of house!' the
Judge sneered.
"Mark is hoping to put a new house
on the place, next year. He has had
builders over from B, but they say
the old house is beyond repair, and it
would cost less to have a new one."
''And where is the money to come
from2"
"Where the improved farm came
FROM" said Essie; ''from Marks indus
try, perseverance and energy, in the face
of the hardest discouragements ever a
young man had to fight"
"Eh!n said the Judge. tWhat?