The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-13
THE "CUSHION STORY"
what Jcn Found In Her strange
Legacy


lrawl. had an accent now keener and
harper thaa Jcn was accustomed To-
She was pinning on her Int in front Of
he kitchen mirror. while Teddy. his
ong legs dangling down. sat on the
,dgc Of the table, regarding his step
cousin with an expression In which
surprise and annoyance were mingled
lens face reflected tho look. She had
otg been used TO regarding Teddy In
lie light Of an abject slave TO all her
,aprices, and this faint sign Of disap-
probation startled her.
well Teddy Barryi" Jen said. turn
ing full around
That's the name,r said the undis-
concerted Ted II was only wonder
ing, my child, why you wasted SO much
lime over that old French woman. You
broil yourself every day going down
there 10 make up her room. and wash
her. aud cook for her, and read to her.
Oil ! know. Jen. you're always back
when the milk comes in to doyour duty
here; hui what hurts me IS Tint you
seem to feel 1t equally your mission in
life 70 waste your sweet strength on
her,
Tcd's harangue was over lie
claspcd his strong bronzcd hands back
Of his head, and looked to Jen for an
She was slim siipof girl,
not quite eighteen. but there was n
look in her fearless gray eyes and some
thing III the curve Of her very sweet but
proud young lips which made one feel
instinctiycly that she not only had the
courage of her convictions, but she
had weighed those convictions before
accepting them. She was the niece OF
Teddy's step-uncle, old John Barry,
and since her aunt's death year ago
had kept house for him Ted, brought
up with her from childhood. had just
returned after two years absence
west, TO find i'll health, worry OF mind,
and advancing age had so enfeebled HIS
uncle that the old homestead was now
In the hands OF a man only waiting for
his date 10 forcclose.
Ted" said Jen, very gravcly, do
you think II you were poor lonely old
woman, you would like 10 he 6ntirely
deserted2 You know Nine Duprc
came here first trying to find some Of
her old friends. Her daughter WINS to
have been married during the war, and
the officer was shot down in battle the
day set for the wedding, She was
looking for his people. She couldn't
find them. She is SO sick and poorY'
Teddy's face was decidedly geDtlcr
In expression by this time. ''Jcn, he
said, smiling in his slow way. ''Yon'rc
all right. It's only that know how
hard yon work At home; and when
see You going down to spend yonr leis-
IRE over the French lady well, 1t goes
against me-
"I'll be back to tea for sure" said
Jen, because"
AS Jen hesitated. Teddy supplement.
ed with a wicked but triumphant
laugh: "Oh, Jenf Bcedusei Does the
old miser err give yon anything to eatT
A.sTeddyY' Jcn's eyes were grave viii
rcproach do you know she Inns Just
avery little money in I'M old silk glovei
j take few cents at time, and spend
It for her on the bnrest necessaries
There have been times my heart has
ached To think could not do more fol
her
BY this time the step-cousins we're in
the porch Of the old farmhouse. II
was at the back. facing the garden
which they both had known and Loved
from childhood Jen's bed Of valley
lilies, her swcet-pea vines, the lona
strip Of box border, belonging to hei
earliest recollection; and where the
bean poles stood near an old plum tree
was the place made years ago for !
special planting Of radishes, which
Jcn, a six-year-old girl, had declared
would thrive best thercl Teddy anc
she had been SO proud Of that specia'
garden given them long agol The rea
farm lands stretched below rich, fer
tile, beautiful to see, save for that ons
fact that they lay under the breadth
weight OF Dall's mortgage.
Poor old gardenl' sighed Jen
"Well. Teddy, we'll have to do the bes
we can, suppose, when we leave Il"
Ted watched the girls slim uprigh
young figure down The road few mo
ments in silence. His western ventur,
had proved unsuccessful, but through nj
fault Of his. At twenty he had, sorel.
against his will, given up his cbosei
career in life civil engineering TO set
tie matters on the old farm, after which
he went back to the west. resuminl
work under hampered conditions. AL
his savings had been sunk in trying Il
extricate his. uncle from his bondage
He had returned to find Hiram Dial
ready and anxious to foreclose at once
Meanwhile Jenny had reached thu
bridge which spanned small brooi
near old Nine. Dupre's lodgings
She felt as though step from child
hood to woman's kingdom had beef
taken since she had learned the actua
emergency which had confronted he
home life, and like many another CIR
similarly placed the question: "Wha
can do2" was uppcrmost in her mind
There were her nimble fingers read.
with the needle; there was her farming
life -dairywork was a specially witt
her. She was young, strong. unham
percd by nerves or foolish fancics
II ought to do something, Jen thought
almost audibly, and lifted her eyes
with deep, earnest look in them, =
suddenly meet the small sharp orbs q
Lawyer Dali He, too. was crossinI
the little bridge.
.Well, Jenny" be half snecrcl
.what do you want all the earth, an
the bridge, too? Now guess ] know
your errand; you're bound for mad
ame's."
Eyes, Mr. DALI Jen said; with al
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