The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-03-25

..-3YEXN'5> ION o,
thought her prct-
ty; but her mouth to-day had a shrcwish
look, and there was vindictivc snap in
her small black eyes. Her hair was
twisted so tightly tina, the wind was
powclIrss to ruiilr it, aud in her starchud
calico gown AMI gingham apron thcrc
was Il rim tidin"Ss unrcIicv"I by collar
or ribbon. She had been to the garden,
and shc held in her hand a stalk Of rhu.
bard, from which She was pulling in a
prcuccupicd way the silky red peel
"ph, I've got II sort OF lien ON IL,
but that amt ownin' it" said the man,
without looking up. He was raking the
front yard.
lyon h"F the mortgage, don't you7"
said the woman, biting off q bit of the
rhubnrb.
"Sposc dor"
"Why, the intrcs' ain't ben paid for
three wears. You know that 'thout INV
tclIin you"
"Wcll?" said the man, iudiiTcrcntly.
"WcllV' repeated his wife, sharply,
"how long you con' to let it run ON soi"
Jason stopped raking, and looked at
her unca>iy. "You don't mean, Mi
randy, that you want me to forcclosc on
my own father and mothcr?"
'Why not! business is business, re-
lall"m "r n" relation; an if you did thai,
the placed nc ours to do as we please
with"
81 amt 50 sure about that. It's down
III hiark IN white that, whether the
mt res IS paid or not, fathers aluys to
have Il home here. Uncle Richard usc'
t" h"l the mortgage; an when he died,
some nv" or six years ago, father rot me
I" taxi" II, SOS il wouldn't go out a. tho
family; but 'tain't ever ben changed"
"rhcn twas made out for he married
agint' said Miranda.
"Wcll, what % that2"
"Nuthln' only in that case she ain't
counted in. An she ain. your mother,
any way"
"ShrS th" only mother | ever knew
anything about, Mirandy. She's ben
mother to me ever since | was three year
".--a right down good one, too; an ~
i"r h"r not hcin' counted in, she's juS' as
much r'gnt here ms if she was; cause
Hltrr !athcr got hurt in the blickkin.
,lrr" was good many years that he
WASH able t" Il" much, an ail that time
Sh" KEEP the int res paid up out of her
own pocket. Iuclc Richard tol' me So"
Miranda. who had stood ncrvouslv
nIbhllnG the rhubarb stalk, made haste
To change her tactics. son, of course,
Jason, | Il aFays expect you to re good
to her. But you know yourself 'taiut
very pleasant havin' two heads to a
house, an' SO long M Mother Sands
thinks she owns it all, lasn't say "A
w"rd even if everything goes to rack an
ruin. Besides, she's glttin' too OF to
have the care
Jason listened with II sort Of helpless
patience. Hc was an easy tempered
man, ready to yield almost any point for
the sake of peace, and his wife was well
aware "t his weakness. Ii was to please
her that he had sold his farm; and
though ut the time he fully intended to
buy another, before he could decide on
! one She hai persuaded him to take a
! piar" that had been offered him by IA city
: Trend a. drummer III Il wholesale grocery
| store. II was business that seemed tu
! her much more "gcntccl' than farming.
| M"anwhll" ne trl accepted his m,th,r's
! Invitation To hring his nmlly hum, for
/ Il visit. jus till cln get time to look
up house, he said.
Brl Miranda had always covrt" the
pretty cottage, aud before they had
been IN /; week sh" had de.
/ i"imncI t" set possession of it.
Jason mad never told her of the
4 4, IL.
would Cvcn,rmiiy brl"ng to him, he had
not been troubled 10y the fact that the
interest was not always promptlv
pnId' neither dId hc want the Old folks
troubled, and it vcxcl him that Miranda
Ea' Glanced 10 find the papers But her
reasoning III regard To the houSc> ccninu
'rc'uci very pia Isablc. HIS mother WA,
past seventy, 1t was time she hli rest.
and She could have II rs we'll as not il
she would only consent to let Niiram,iy'
take charge al things for Il whl'r.
II wish you'd speak to hgr 'Dout it,"
SAID Miranda. 'SL''d br "A .,o,I dnu
more likely to 10 ii ii YOU pcrp,scd it
an if did"
Jason did not covct the task, hut he
knew the penalty Of rciuS,nE.
"ShcS IN the Kitchen" Mitania re-.
marked, with another nlbblc at the
rhubarD stalk.
"No hurry about il, grumb.ci Jason.
But presently, with an air of forced sur.
render, hC laid down his rake and went
INTO the mouse. He found his mothc,
making bread
"u see, mother, yoI'rc gcttin'
kinder along in years" he argued. ..an,
you'd ought to let somcbo " else do the
melt OF the work. Why don't Won LET
NIrandy, long as sncs here! She's p
hrs rate houSckccpcr, an she'd ruther
dO it ian not"
The little old i,iy nited her head
with troubled look. "Why. shouldn't
know what to do with myself, Jason, if !
ha"h something to keep me busy. I've
al aAS ben use to IT, you know Bat"
she added, draN wing in her lip, and
slowly DattiDu In. loaf sh,. was kn.al