Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-01-09

gal help in this house, and there neve
shall be! y
"But you have three men, father.
"Well, what O. that? This hous
amt hundred-acre farm, is it?'
Gather" spoke up Jenny, "mothe
died young. I've always fancied sh
worked too hard. Aunt Nan says ths
my Grandmother Hale"
Mr.. Hale rose up from the table i
o passion.
"I wish," he growled, "that you
Aunt Nan would mind her own busi
ness.
The maiden lady smiled grimly.
1--WE don't none of us do that, Ell
nathan" said she. "But you can set
your heart at rest. I shan't say moth
ing more"
It was late in the evening when Mr.
Hale was returning from the village
by q short cut across the churchyard
Tho sky glowed soft opal tint; the
fire flies glistened here and there, anG
the two stiff, white tombstones thai
Elnathan SO prided himself on erect
ing to the memory of his mother and
his wife shone spectrally in the uncer.
tain light.
As he came to the little grass-grow1
path which curved in that direction,
he paused Jenny's words came back
to him:
"Mother died young" And Grand
mother Hale"
Yes, it was quite true. His wife
had been scarcely more than girl
when they carried her across the farm
house threshold. And he could just
remember his pale, weary-lookins
mother forever bending over the
washtub, straining great pans of milk.
and toiling everlastinSly il the
Kitchen.
"But we all have to work in this
world" he thought, almost resent
fully.
At that moment he heard the sound
of voice on the other side of this
high churchyard wall-Jenny's soft
voice. talking to some one else.
eyes" said she. "I've made up my
mind to go to the city with Aunt Nan.
I'd rather great deal stay here, but
The work is too hard for me already,
and fathers going to make it harder.
still. Aunt Nan can find me some.
thing to do, and-I don't want to go ii:
all the women of the family have
lone"
And here a sob choked her words.
'1t's q shame!" said the cheerY
voice Of Alice Wickham. "But whq;
does Will Norris say to it?"
"He don't know" Jenny answered
''Do you think 1 would complain O
ny ow n father?"
'will would give You q home faal
81 wouldn't accept it of him if ]
were to go to him penniless an !
friendless. No, I'll work out my ow
destiny, Alice, as best as I can. Or
haven't decided on this in hurry
I've seen it coming this long time
like some terrible shadow, nearer an .
nearer all the while. love father!
do love him-but I can't endure tn:
life. No woman could!"
Silent and stoical, Elnathan Hal !
stood there as the voices died away
stood there with his hand resting o
the tombstone of Jennie's mother.
'.Be such tyrant as this?" h.
asked himself. ''Am I driving m,
own away from me? Have mad
such mistake of my life? Then II
do it no more!'
He stooped-this hard-hsnded, prac
tical sou of the soil-and pressed h
fps first to one cold stone moulding,
hen to the other.
'I'll do it no more!" he repeated.
He went home and called his sister.
'.Nan-Nancyl Where are you?
Iome here-1 want to speak to yon !"
Nancy came-tall, straight and un-
"5ee herel" said Elnathan, "If you
vas goin' to live here in this house all
our life, what would you do to fix it
lp-to make it real handy and con-
you know?"
"Whatl"
'Tm in real earnest, you know.
Tell me, Nancy!" pleaded Hale. ':And
want you to give up that business in
lew York, and come here and live
With us. Come to think of it, there
8 a good deal of work to be done in a
louse like this, and Jenny's a slim
'iece arter all. So if you've a mind
o speak to Juliana lodgings to come
lere by the year"
Nancy's hard visage softened.
'.Elnathan," said she, 81 do b'lieve
here's some common sense left in you,
.rter all. Yes, I'd ruther live here in
he old homestead than anywhere else,
md Juliana's a real good worker"
Jenny came in presently, and Nancy
oudly proclaimed the lew order OF
hings.
The girl gave startled look at her
ather, but Elnathan patted her head.
"T'e been sort O. thinkin' things
'ver, my DEAR" said he 'Jone Nail
read shall come here and do what
'ver you and Aunt Nancy choose, and
and you may not know it, Jenny,
,ut your old father thinks a good deal
If you'll"
He kissed her, and stalked awkwardly
)ut OF the room.
Jenny looked at Nancy with eyes
full Of tears.
'[I never thought father cared so
much for mel" said she.
The neighbors were much surprised
It the radical reforms which took place
n the Hale househould.
'tMiss Nancy settled down for good,"|
aid they, ''and hired girl, and new
'uttery shelves, and brass water faucets
n the kitchen and an iron sink, arl
Will Norris goin' there reg'lar ev'ry
night Is the millennium
'Jest what I've always been a-sayin' I"
'agely observed Peter Pinkcrof..
Squire Hale he sets lots of store by
hat slim gal O. his'n."
"Heu lose her pretty soon," said
I'D Aunt Sandifeld. "Will Norris il
lead in earnest"
"Ain't that what I've said all aloug?'