Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-09-15


Miss Nancy Hale eyed him severely
$50 they're going on to build an ad
dition to the barn." said she.
eyes, mom," responded the car
penter, returning her glance with tlC
respect due to a woman who was re
ported to have money Out,at inter
est.
That means more hay room anC
more COWS, don't it?"
"I expect likely, NOM"
"And more work for the women? p
eyes, MON, thar amt no doubt o
that"
"Do they hev to so fur for water fol
the stock?" incidentally questioned
Miss Nancy.
"No, mom," said the carpenter
"It's brung right into the yard IL
pipes from the spring on Adder Hill.
''Save lots O. trouble, said Nancy.
eyes, NON. And everything is car
ried off same way. The barns neat as
any parlor. Squire, he's figured
things down pretty nice.
"Humph I" snorted Miss Nancy.
She lifted up the lid of the kettle,
and the last Jonas Nailhead saw of her
face it was surrounded, aureole fash
ion, with cloud of fricassee-scented
vapOr.
"She's a smart 'un, saidJonas Nail
head to his two-foot rule.
Miss Nancy Hale had left her posi-
ton as forewoman in corset manu-
factory to stay at the farm a month
and help around, in order to give
Jenny Hale, her niece, chance to
"chirk up" For Jenny was not over
strong this summer.
81 think it's airs an graces, said
Mrs. Peter Pinkcrop. IAN nothin'
else"
"Jest what 1 say myself assented
her spouse.
"Cod liver oil, indeed said Mrs.
Pinkcrop, "and iron pills! When l
was gal, gentian tea and saxafrax
was good enough for anybody. 1
dunno what this worlds comm to"
"Ain't that jest what I'm ollays
sayin ?" retorted Peter, in aggrieved
accents.
Mr.. Hale was full of his new build
ing plans when he came in to dinner.
Nancy was brusque and curt as usual.
Jenny was quite silent, sitting there
like dropping flower
"You must hurry and brace up,
Jenny" said the farmer. 'There amt
no time to lose. I've engaged three
of Mr.. Mendex's Alderney COWS, and l
mean to put the hull north medder
into pasture this year. There'll be
lots to do. I expect I'll hev to keep
another hired man, what with the new
team of oxen and the tobacco fields.
Jenny looked up quickly.
"And amt you goin' to keep no help
for me, father"
"You! Mr.. Hale dropped his two
tined fork. "There never was a hired
gal help in this house, and there never
shall be -
"But you have three men, father.
'Wen, what O. that? This house
amt hundred-acre farm, is it?"
Father" spoke up Jenny, ''mother
died young. I've always fancied she
worked too hard. Aunt Nan says that
nv Grandmother Hale"
Mr.. Hale rose up from the table in
a passion.
81 WISH" he growled, "that your
Aunt Nan would mind her own bust
ness.
The maiden lady smiled grimly.
"We don't none Of us do that, FL
nathan. said she. "But you can set
your heart at rest. 1 shan't say moth
ing more"
It was late in the evening when Mr.
Hale was returning from the village
bv short cut across the churchyard.
The sky glowed soft opal tint; the
fire flies glistened here and there, and
the two stiff, white tombstones that
Elnathan so prided himself on erect
ing to the memory of his mother and
his wife shone spectrally in the uncer
tain light.
As he came to the little grass-grown
path which curved in that direction,
he paused. Jenny's words came back
to him
"Mother died young. And Grand
mother Hale"
Yes, it was quite true. His wife
had been scarcely more than girl
when they carried her across the farm
house threshold. And he could just
remember his pale, weary-looking
mother forever bending over the
washtub, straining great pans of milk.
and toiling everlsstingly in the
kitchen.
"But we all have to work in this
world" he thought, almost resent
fully.
At that moment ne heard the sound
of voice on the other side of the
high churchysrd wsll-Jenny's soft
voice, talking to some one else.
'cYes. said she, eve made up my