The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-05-01
/ know that he paid half OF its

IS. and paid him for it, SO now it is all
mine"
Mary Ashby looked at Enness in
wonder. That there was o word OF
truth in his claim she did not for ono
moment believe.
"Mr. Euness," she said at las, sit
surprises me that you should claim
that which is notyours. never would
have believed that you would be so
especially the wife and daughter OF q
man who did so much for you as my
father did"
Miss Ashby,n Enness replied, with
cool effrontery, "the drill Is mine and
you cant have 1t, and that is all there
is to1it."
He turned on his heel and walked
away, and Mary, realizing her help
~lessness, returned homeward with a
heavy heart.
She understood Enness' purpose and
she knew that he had had more In
view than the simple possession of the
drill. His object was to thwart her
attempt at raising o crop, so that the
claim would come to him, and IL he
could deprive her of the use OF the
drill he argued that her efforts would
be baked. But he had a different
spirit to deal with than he had antici-
pated and ono that was capable OF sur
mounting the impediments he placed.
In her way.
She thought the matter over. Be-
fore she reached homo she had q plan
formulated. II was useless, she knew,
to fight with Enness for her rights
and it was equally as useless to seek
elsewhere for q drill. Yet she was de
termined to put the wheat out and she
adopted the only plan that was open to
her for the accomplishment OF that
purpose. She would SOW it broadcast
and harrow it in.
And she did, though it took days of
hard work. She ~persevered until the
last foot of land was planted and har,
rowed. Enness, who was watching
her movements and Who chuckled to
himself when she began, thinking she
would soon give up the undertaking,
| changed his tune and felt somewhat
crest-falfen when he saw the work
completed.
ct had no idea she was half so
gritty" he unused, land it begins to
look like I'll not have a very easy time
getting her off that claim, but then
the chances are that her wheat will
fail after ALL"
But Enness was doomed to O disap-
pOintment in his hopes Of a crop fail
ure, for her wheat grew and prospered,
and at last when it was ready to har-
vest it was the finest field Of grain in
that section.
Miss Ashby had q long spell of sick
ness immediately after getting her
crop out, but she was well and strong
again at harvest time, and though En-
ness did all he could against her by
hiring her harvest hands away from
her, she vas able to get her grain Sc
cured without loss.
When the wheat was all threshed
and marketed, Miss Ashby counted up
the proceeds. and found that she had
$500 clear of all expenses. She was
Justly proud of her achievement, and
it was with a feeling Of pleasure that
b looked back on those days of hard,
weary toll, when she broke the soil
and planted the seed that brought
such a rich harvest.
Enness learned full soon what Miss
Ashby had gained and the information
came to him as q d~eath-blow to his
hopes of securing the claim for moth
ing.
He decided that If he was to secure
the claim he would nave to buy it, and
he felt that the sooner he bought it the
better.
So enc morning he walked over TO
Mrs. Ashby's sod cabin, and after pass
ing u few commonplace remarks, said {:
Z. "Mrs. Ashby, I've concluded that 1
might afford to takc your claim off
your hands being as you're sc anxious
to sell. l don't really need it, but to
accommodate you I'll buy it,"
What will you give :" Miss Ashby
asked.
"Well it amt worth it," Enness re-
piled, "but III allow you what you
asked for it when you offered it to me
shortly after Ashby's death"
u told you then you could have it
for 5000, 1 believe ?" Mary remarked.
"Ycs. l think it was 5000, and
though that is too much, I'll give it
I said before"
MIR. Enness." Mary said, "if you
for 81, 600"
Enness started and stared in amaze
ment.
You surely don't noah that" he
gasped.
II do mean it. We won't take a
cent less"
But you offered it for 5000.
Yes, because we felt hat we were
compelled to sell it, but we don't feel
so now"
Iou Will 1901 30, EnnGSS saiu, as
he arose and left the roOm. :'You'll
iall on your crop next year and then
you'll be glad to get what L offer, but 1
won't promise to give it,"
He staiked back across the prairie,
angry and disappointed. He had never
dreamed that his offer would. be re-
fused, and no really wanted tho land.
He consoled himself, however, with
the thought that Miss Ashby would
yet come to his terms and be glad en-
Ough to accept his offer, and he deter
mined to patiently bide his time.
I'm very sorry to have to decline
your generous aid, Mr.. Enness," Miss
Ashby interrupted, with a queer smile,
but tho truth is we've contracted the
claim to the railroad company for q
town site for three times what you Of
fer"
Without a word Enness left the house
and walked back home. He was too
completely beaten to say a word, but
he thought u good deal. For the first
time in his life it appeared to him that
1T was very easy for greed to overstep
itself.
1t was manifest to him, too, that even
q woman could accomplish o great
deal when she resolved to try, even
though She labored under adverse cir
cumstanceS.
A few weeks later Mrs. Ashby stood
in the doorway of the little sod cabin
ana looked out across the Kansas
prairie for the last time. Her face
was no longer sad and wan, for she
was very happy. She was at last
going back to the old Eastern home |
for VyhInh'o ohio hnl on 1n,x o,.- -~u