Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-17

ing wheattield or 'cleans up another meadow.
Rushing along, sometimes in the shadow Of the
great trees and often bordering a sunny road.
is the stream Linganore; and the prosperous
farmer who stands beside the bubblng waters
with the green pastures all about him smiles
complacently to think that he has got well out
of "the Darrens."
1t was years back that very quaiut-looking old
rockaway came creeping over the road laugh
ingly called" Hodson 'sTwist and a few miles fur
Their on took the pike in the direction Of the
village. The driver of this antiquated vehicle
was tall, spare woman Of about fifty years OF
age. The brown hair drawn tightly under her
bonnet was thickly sprinkcd with gray, but her
sharp eyes we're as bright as girls. Miss Je-
NINA Beckners entire attention directed
toward keeping her steed to the public road. for
he had a nervous way of starting and attempting
10 turn whenever he came face to face with one
of his kind and he had wistful way of hating
at numerous grassy fence corners. All this was
aggravating in the extreme, for Miss Jemima
was in hurry. She had left her bone in the
Barrens at the first streak Of dawn bound ON
very important GRAND.
The wonderful Importance of this errand was
manifest to each neighbor who spoke TO Miss
Beckner on her homeward journey. Tor the seat
beside her and the mali stool at her feet were
each occupied by boy.
"Eliiah's boys" explained Farmer Williams
to his man after directing him to give the lady
! plenty a-room to pass, and the ma0 turned in
his saddle and gaped curiously.'
Two fat, solemn little fellows were Elijahs
boys sitting one beside Miss Jemima and the
other On the stoo! at her feet. She had spoken
! for them as she heard that Eli. d was
dead. She had said in her :ear-sf.ined letter
that the old home was the right place TO shelter
the children, and she had been afraid while her
unskilled hand travelled slowly over the paper
that the mothers relatives would step in with
prior claim.
| But away off in the western dugout, that for
| awhile seemed to belong to one, Miss
| Jemima's letter had come Godsend to the
worrying neighbors, and the two little boys.
| whom nobody else wanted, We're packed off
right speedily to ''their fathers folks in the
east
John and little Lie Beckner brought new
| life to Miss Jemimu. who for more than twenty
| years had been occapied with the care of the
COWS. the horse and the chickens and those
| green graves on the hill top. She possessed a
rare faculty for caring for the members Of her
| family, living or dead The old home was the
| place to shelter the children. she had said in
her letter, but the cedars on the hill should be
waving over Elijah Beckner's grave II she
| could have taken these two little boys and set
to work sodding and planting Ehjah's grave
she would have been perfectly happy.
Miss Beckner took great pride in both of
Eiijah's boys. but little Lie wis decidedly her
! pet. She would stop Swimming the milk down
as he threw back his head and laughed. John
was good and docile and wise for his years. but
| little Lie something different from any
thing she had ever known. She was not dem
| onstraJive woman; she did not cuddle this tow
| headed pet of hers close to her bosom and sing
| him TO sleep in the shadowy evening as many
an aunt would have done. excusing herself by
| saying that even though he was getting to be II
sn,art-sized lad he didn't understand what it was
! to lose a mother. She jpst spread the jam
| little thicker on his bread than altogether
wholesome. and SIZE let him own the ducks. But
after she had handed the ducks over 10 littio
| Lie her conscience pricked her. and the next
| day she started John into business with half
| dozen hens
There some curious places in the Barrens.
! Newport, with its tipsv little shanties. goes
struggling over the hills. and one is apt to pass
| through Skinnersville and glance back to see it,
Mt. Olivet rises ':arkly against the sky. dimin-
u.ive weather beaten chapel black dyed with the
rain. but the college" with its single door and
| window to the public road causes that portion
OF the civilized world tina. may sometimes rum
bic past the gushing Linganore and over Hold
sons Twist to smile with open delight
1t was at the college that Elijah's boys "got
| their schoolin.'" As soon as they grew to be
any size. every morning at .'surup" during the
winter months Miss Jemimas horse carried the
| two boys and the precious dinner bucket
| through the thaw or freeze Of the Barrens safe
! to Mr.. Mowrys.
And it astonishing how rapidly they
| learned Mr.. Mowry declared himself proud
to be their teacher. The report spread about
the Barrens that .Elijah's boys wuz bright.
Miss Jemma watched them from the little
high porch OF her house they clat.ered
| through the gate ono eTening. She was in a
great state of trepidation. for she had news for
| them in the shape of q letter one of the neigh
bors had been kind enough to fetch from the
post Office. She stepped into the kitchen. how
ever, when she saw them advancing from the
| barn.
| John and 'Lijc were very much excited over
the letter even before thew opened it. Miss
Jemma stood looking at them as they read it
together. What might the letter mean to them
and her. She sat down by the kitchen stove
and taking out her knitting began deity turn
ing the heel Of boys sock. Then little Lie
| threw back his head She had never seen any,
thing as brigh, as little Lies eyes "Hurrah!
| I'm a-goin!' he cried.
| John put the letter on the table and proceeded
| to read it aloud:
| My Dear Nephews: Concluding that by this time
you an Offer ! nave piae;,;s in the store or t. o
I S2 pr Hn do to work ba at ,
want IN the VEST could Eo; lenty OF bnys here. hut
one snother, and give me preference YOU As:
sqring tha, VIII not be apt to set such good
JAMES HAYNES.
That's our mothers brother" said John,
| slowly.
| But Miss Beckner did not need any one to
| tell her the letter from the mother people
she knew it as soon she had puzzled out the
address, and she understood bsfore John
slowly pronounced the words that the mother s
people wanted the boys. She did not say a
word: she would not bid them go or stay. only
her lips frightened little rs she went on turn
ing the heel of the boys sock. They were
getting to be big, fine-iooking boys; she had
said yesterday they were too many for the
horse they'd ''breck the critters back"
To boys of thirteen ard fourteen James
Eavnes letter held out alluring prospects.
Little Lie leaned over Johns shoulder ut that
reading aloud to Miss Jemima, and his bright
eyes danced ard cleaned. No, they wouldn't
get such a good chance again i'll a hurry; he
was ready to quit the Barrens.
There WAS just suspicion of something like
tears in Johns eyes as he glanced across at mis-
aunt and then back at the letter from the
mothers people. 1--WE can't both leave" he
said. hesitatinglv.
Then little Lie cried again in his determined
voice, 81 N a-goin.
The two boys talked the matter over on their
way to and from school the following day, and
they talked about it in the evening as they led
the horse up from the watering trough. They
were aware that the momentous decision was
ii altogether in their own hands, and little Lie
thought they both ought to go.
Never had the homes in the Barrens appeared
I and mia ba N .lohn Ppctpar tba,