The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-04-07

That night tho whole Sedgick fam
ily were aroused by light blaze in In
doOryard-the old fashioned we'll swee,
burning up. Grandsir, in his nanne
dressing gown and knottsd stick, hi,
leonine head well outlinsd in the scarlet
glow, looking more Druid like thar
ever.
"You done it o. purpose" said he.
feeb!y shaking the stick at the assembled
family, Who were trembling in tlY door,
way. "You know you did. First Dora,
aud then tho old well sweep. The only
things I keered for In this world-aud
now they're both gone, an may as
we'll lie down and diew
"t didn't mean any harmi" hystcri.
cally sobbed poor Ellen. 81 was light.
ing taper to seal letter Marian
Brownlee always uses tho w-fashioned
colored wax to seal her letters-and il
burned up too quick, aud I flung it o<lt
OF tho window. but I never drcamed Il
would fall among the dead leaves around
the old we'll curb aud set it ON firei /
| didn't mean any harm!'
''Don't fret, father" said he squire.
Gwen build it up ag'iu-:u, aud Mar
tin-just exactly like 1t was before.n -
The old man shook his head.
"lt won't be the same," moauet he
stit won't be the same! Nothin's the
same in this world!"
Aud he took to his bel from that
dav.
Poor Ellen hung down her heal like a
dropping lily. In neither case had she
intended any actual hahn, but in both
instances she felt acu:ely responsible.
Martin was making preparations to 20
out West. Grandsir seemed to have lost
oil interest in tie surrounding world.
Her mother went about with swollen
eyes and pale face, and Squire Sol.
gick sat by the hour on the front porc.,,
i"G One ie'' Stoiettseeated &c 6 Sc April .tre1sooa,
however, Martin came home from the
city, whittier he had been to purchase
some absolute necessity for his travels,
with fiat parcel under his arm.
"Look, motherw ~ he said. SITS some.
thing for grandsir. I don't know but
what I've been extravagant, but declare
to goodness couldn't help it. Tie
minute set eyes on it, thought Of the
dear old man lyin' up stairs in his bed.
It's picture" he adde1, as Ellen came
hurrying to his side Tan oil painting
with fine gilt frame. ES,ctly like our
old we'll sweep that was burns1 do wn,
with tho red barn in the distance, aud
the sun settin' behind the woods, just as
I've seen it go down times without end.
You don't know how queer felt when
saw it in the store window, and went
in aud paid twenty dollars for 1t. I'd
de.aitl.aut- -than- -eanlnin, hlAnketz- and
They hung it up on the wall opposite
the head of his bead, and when the old
man walked from nap, just as the sun
set beans shone over the mute canvas, he
looked at it with a smile.
"It's our old we'll, said he, not evinc-
ing the least surprise. ''Just like was
a.lookin' out of the window at 1t. I've
got the we'll sweep back agin now, and
p'raps DoraI come next. Who knowsF
And for the first time in week, he
cot up aud dressed himself, aud deigued
to give sort of conditions! approval &c
the repairs going on in the burned dis
trict.
sIt looks too new now," said he, ad-
justipg his away" spectacles. 'But
p'raps in year or two it'll be more
weather.beaten an nat'ral-like. eau
allays look at the picter, though, when
want to see the old we'll sweep"
Ellen pulled her brothers sleeve as he
stood intently regarding the bright little
oil painting on grandsirs wall.
"Martin," said she, "nobody ever
could have painted that picture by guess
1t is our old we'll sweep, and there's tht
very butternut tree and the broken
shingles or the barn roof. Aad dom
you remember, Martin, how fond she
used to he of painting7'
He turned suddenly around with an ir
radiated face.
"Why didn't think of 1t beforea" he
cried.
Mr. Solomon Feldmap, sitting behin'
his desk rail In the darkest corner OF tn
dark little art store, was startled from al
abstruse financial calculation by the que:
tioning CLEAN of pair Of dark eyes clos
beside him.
"Is it sold7" a soft voice timidly ask O.
-"my Odd Well Swept I see 1t
gone from the window. Oh, Is 1t posi-
BILE that can be so lucky as to have sol
that picturoT
Dora Sedgick was very plainly dressed
Her shoes and gloves were unmistab
shabby; there was a certain pallor in ht
skin and sharpness in her features whic
told of battle with the world, in whic
she had not as yet gained the advantage
But at that moment her face SCENE
transfigured with exultsnt Joy.
Mr. Feidman referred to his books.
"Twecty dollars" said ne, with lea
pencil between his teeth. "Not ba
price for beginner, and twenty-five pc
cent. commission. Price Of frame, ii,
dollars, and-and here is your ten do
lars. You might as we'll send somethir
else"
A shadow from without made the Ii
tie gas lighted cubby hole look degr
J dingier than before at this moment,