Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-06-17
AMARANTH'S INVESTMENT

Ola DTOOk0 11OmoSb5au hShtu ouClo
Peletiah StubblefeId.
why, the girls reg'lar silly. That
air land is all wore out. Won't grow
nothin' 'cept sassafras sprouts or wild
chamomile," remarked Aunt Rubina,
sententiously.
Says she loves the ole place and is
bound to keep It from going to strang
ers," observed Cousin Melissa Brooke.
The rural population of Pineyville
Township were mostly all either Stub
blefields or Brookes or connected with
them by marriage.
AN she's a-goin' to bring Reub's
widder an children from the city to
live with her"
Uncle Peletiah looked amused.
Fine livin' it'll be in that old ram
shackle of house" he chuckled.
"Amaranth allus was hard headed,
groaned Aunt Rubina, who was stout
woman with large, flabby face and
blue eyes with white eyelashes. But
I wash my hands of 'em. If she wants
to saddle herself with Reub's family
she needn't look to me for help"
Its my 'pinion Sylvester Smalley
will hev somethin' to say about it, ;"
smirked Cousin Melissa, with crafty
look.
And so the gossiping tongues wag-
Red on, and all because Amaranth
Brooke chose to invest the few hun
dred dollars bequeathed to her by q
distant relative in buying back the old
homestead, where she had frolicked
away her childhood days in care-free
happiness. But Amaranth gave little
heed to their meddlesome gossip. She
had fought her own battles since the
death of Grandfather Brooke left her
alone and unprotected with little or no
assistance from the relatives who were
now so free with their advice and un-
friendly criticisms, and she was deter
mined to manage her affairs in her own
way. But in regard to Sylvester Small
ley the case was different. He was her
betrothed lover, and would, of course,
expect to be consulted in her affairs.
And Sylvester did have something to
say, as Cousin Melissa had predicted.
Amaranth had been looking over her
prospective purchase, and was on her
way home when he overlook her and at
once broached the subject.
mo use to throw your money away
on that old, rubbishy place." he told
her. you can't raise q crop there, an
wouldn't take 1t as gift. An your
money, with what I've got, would build
us nice, snug house on that forty acres
father gave me an help to stock the
farm beside. Then we could be mar
ried and go right to housekeeping.
Will you, Amaranth?"
He looked at her tenderly, and for a
moment Amaranth felt almost tempted
to give up her plans and ambitions and
accept his offer. They were lettering
slowly homeward and had paused at
the old stile, where scarlet fowered
trumpet-vine showered its gorgeous
trophies at her feet.
Say yes, urged Sylvester.
Amarauth felt her determination
weakening.
"But-but there's Brother Reuben q
wife and the children T. she faltered.
They are quite destitute and have no
one to look to but me"
Sylvester frowned.
LET Reub's wife look out for her
self, he returned, gruffly. Il dare
say there's orphan 'sylums in the city
where the young uns would be took
care of.
Amaranth's eyes flashed scornfully
as she drew herself up with offended
dignity.
Brother Reuben's children shall
never go to the asylum while I live r.
she declared, Indignantly.
After few moro words their troth
was broken. Sylvester stalked moodily
on his way, while Amaranth with a
pang of sore disappointment at her
heart, turned towards the gray stone
farmhouse where she earned a small
stipend over her board by doing the
housework for family Of six. The
broken engagement offered fresh food
for gossip among tho Brooke and Stub
blefield kith and kin. but Amaranth
was not to be turned from her course
by their outspoken censures and ortiz
cisms. The old homestead was bought
and paid for. To be sure, the soil was
rocky and sterile and the dwelling in
need of repairs. The orchard trees
what was left of them-were gnarled
and bent and the fences and outbuild.
ings in sad state Of dilapidation. 1t
was really scarcely worth the small
sum asked fer 1t, but Amaranth had
determined to buy it, and buy it she
did. An ancient COW and a half.de
crepit pony were included in the sale.
And after the house had been treated
to few repairs and thorough clean.
ing Brother Reuben's family were re-.
leased from their uncongenial quarters
in the city and comfortably installed
therein.
Mrs. Reuben--a meek little woman,
with no moro idea of supporting her
self than canary bird might have-was
yet good housekeeper and willingly
undertook the management of domes.
tic affairs. while Amaranth gave her at
tention to the raising of poultry and
garden vegetables. And the children
grew as round as butterflies, rompine
under the gnarly old apple trees OF
playing hide.and-sesk among the tai
sunfowers and hollyhocks that nodded
in the dooryard.
Later on Amaranth earned few dol
lars each week by the sale of her pro
duce at the little village Of Pineyvillt
Centre, which was scarcely stones
throw from her back pasture bars. Bu
with all her industry and economy sh,
found it hard matter to provide fo
herself and the helpless ones depend