Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1893-02-11

tN0 " oo d +,
hencc Sarah Marpod was farmers wife !;
both hard working, unsophisticated
people, consclcntiously pursuing the
sefaisht path of life, while, on the other
hanu, little kccner insight into human
nature and its motives might have
shielded them from many a blow. and
materially aided their right economy.
In spite Of hard work they advanced
slowly IN the acquisition of home com
torts. Disappointments and misfortunes
accumulated with pitiful rapidity and
Iroze the fountains of domestic happi.
ness Before marriage the happiest of
couples, they looked with saneuinc hone
70 the future, not expecting great re-
wards, but trusting in Providence and
loving each other ferventiy.
They never had lovers quarrel and
the idea of post-nuptial disagree .ments
dawned not upon their Youthful imaoi-
nation. A comfortable home. content.
ment and love was all they barsa,ned
Tor; all they sought, and surely fate
might yied this to any one who means
well ani thinks honoraby.
Thus they thought, and thus they OK.
pected 1t would be, but the path of life
runs continually into the dark. Wba,
Jagged rocks may pierce the feet of the
traveller on this highway no one can fore.
tell. We can only Judge by the light OF
the past, and u people of limited cx-
perlence this light is a line 80 narrow as
not to reveal the rocks and thorns on
either side.
Luke Marpod was simple, honest arl
narrow minded. Mrs. Marpod was
was simple, honest and narrow minded
also, ani perhaps the trouble lay in this
very uniformity Of tastes and tempera-
ment.
Luxe little farm was mortgagcd a,
the outset, and the few hundred dollars
that Sarah received. from her father
disappeared in a tr rinklins and left no
trace or footprint. Their first season
was bad one, crops were general tail.
ure and weeds and creditors arose on
every side
The neighbors, who always liked
Luke's conscientious good nature. began
10 look askance at him, for they saw the
tables turned, and, paradoxcal as it may
appear, found it much more convenien.
70 bc Lukc's creditor than bis debtor.
As time passed without lettering their
and creditors became ;mpor-
'unate, Luke and Sarah took to broodinp
over their troubles and occasionally find
ng fault with the ways and means of the
other, which might never have led to
anything serious had the second years
crop proved a good one and helped to
make up for the deficiencies of the first.
This, however, was no, the case, for.
the year before the drought had
baked the soil and scorched the growing
blades OF wheat and rye, the second wear
i began to rain in April-a very good
prosrostication, everybody thought, of
bountiful harvest, but Pluvus, having
other aims IN view, refused to recognize
Amits and give the farmers time to plow
ana SOW. Through April, May aud June
he rain poured down incessantly, day
after day, until at last all hopes were
abandoned and the Marnods entered
>@&AA o11oud C1t "a luISICIV.
Luke, who began to think that the
cause of al his troubles lay in his na,-
mage, was rash enough one day TO min.
he same, and received rotor. from bis
pouse that reused his latent dignity of
marital ,ordship. Words were ex-
hanged, and the result of their frst pro-
aounced disageeenea, e1ded By Luke's
lanmlng the door behiad him, and go
ng hastily across the 10. after the cows.
That night be whipped the dog for le.-
ing the brlndie heifer escape through
The bars into the cornfeld. had trouble
with the same member Of the bov,ae
genius a, milking time, and rose wrath
uily to his feet after >extric1tsag the
cows hoof from the milk pail, to swear
Al uamls.akable oath for the frs. time
z his life. Then he bea, the animal aai
made such hubbub tia. Sarah came 81
40. haste 70 remons,r rate on his bru.alitv.
"shut up; mind your business, Will
youi" shouted Luke. as be hurled the