The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-10-04
CHAPTER
A NEW HOME.

"I.ightning expresses. even il they
are on branch roads. don't stop Ion" at
small places. so you will have to
hurry up II little. my good woman.
Their now, step lively. my little man.
No one 10 meet you? Well. you will
have no trouble in finding your friends.
if yOii have any here, for yOu can peep
in every doorway in the village III half
ali hour. All aboard"
There though was no person in sight
to 90 aboard the call was made just the
same. from force of habit. Off the
TRAN moved. and in Il moment rounded
the carve and was out of sight.
Something had SO disturbed the lady
a. to cause her to weep. 1t may have
been the conductors reference to
friends that came not, or it may have
been the sudden realization of the fact
that she and her little boy were stran-
gers. The village WAS quiet and still.
rs if the houses were tcnantlcsS and
the former occupants had gone to
church or to 4 merrymaking in the
grove near by. The country store was
tightly by the hand. walked in. The
proprietor, finding that she did not
wish to purchase any goods. invited
her to a seat. She appeared be-
wildered. Respondent. and somewhat
dazed and was evidently wrapped up
in thoughts she could not drive from her
even had she so desired The bright
eyed, curl -haired. fair-cheekcd. little
fellow by her side sought to cheer and
comfort her by soothing words. ten
derby and swcetly spoken, and she
reused from her seeming lethargy.
and embracing her boy lovingly and
endcaringly, assured him that now and
at last She was weeping for joy. They
were tears of peace. cOntentment. and
.self-sat sfaction. The tears of sorrow
had given away to the tears of joy.
Flowing almost together and at the
,sclf-same moment from the sclf-same
fountain-yet between them was Il gulf
rs wide as that which separates time
from eternity.
The lady assured the storc-kcercr
that she was Il stranger in the village.
that. in fact. she was stranger in the
State. and had neither friend nor rela-
tive. as far as she knew, in all the
great. grand West. She and her boy
would like foreman few days. if they
cOuld find home with some of the
good people of the village. The man
called in his wife, and telling her what
the lady wished. the pleasant and
cheerful little woman soon arranged
that the new corners should occupy
tho spare room over the store and take
their meals ut the stOre-kecpcr' table.
Less than forty houses constituted
the little village, and yet had the lady
searched the great broad West through
she would not have found Il place bet
ter suited to her loneliness and friend.
lC.SneSs
She had Travelled more than a thOlls-
and miles. that she and her boy might
not be separated by the strong arm OF
the law. Her guiding star had directed
her to this valley. and for the first
time in weeks. She began to realize
that there was still much in life to live
tOr.
The following morning she looked
about the village and was charmed by
the beauty of the surrounding scenery.
She admired its lOycliness. and was de.
lighted with its pretty. little crooked
stream which ran along the valley. Us
il playing hide-and-scek with the adj
jacent grassy hlui's. then. losing itself
in the friendly groves. to rcappear on
the distant prairie. where. like Il sill
very serpent. it wriggled and twisted
itself along until lost in the PARKWAY
lake.
Every day the stranger and her boy
could be seen taking long walks in III,
country. With each passing hour she
seemed more anu more delighted with
all she saw. She would stop at tn,
farm houses to rest. ana she never left
without having made Il friend. Ali the
villagers came to know her. but none
of them knew her history. or cared t,
know it. They only knew that Il woman
of her Intelligence and refinement
brought up in an Eastern home. ami,
wealth and ut1uencc must have Il his
tory OF absorbing interest. or viii,
should she leave home and kindred I,
dwell among strangers?
But no one sought TO share will
her secret. There was no village COS
sip to shun. no mutual friend int,
whose ears she might tell her story. /
story she had to- tell. nor did she wan
such Il friend to listen and perhaps I,
bctray-hut all were friends now. al
were neighborS. and all delighted il
making her contented and happy
condition III life of which the kind
hearted and generous natured farl,
PEOPLE knew the value so we'll.
Mrs. Patterson might have told
sorry OF thrilling interest. and yet he
past life was like the placid watcrs G
wonder stream. while the life she ha
yet to experience was like the seeth
ing. boiling cau!dron i'll the turbuleI
RIVER when at flood height. and after
might of tempest.
But just now she is eXceedingl
h.ppy. Her mind was made up tina
hf.r home should be in this beau:ifl
valley. Here she would live and her
she would die. In her walks she ha
otter. stopped at Il farm house where
seemed difficult for the hard-workin
owners to make both ends NEE
at the end of the year. Fl
had quite large family to pro
vide for. but the number
mouths he had to feed could not hav
contributed to his unfortunate circun