Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-25
Copy right, 1895. by Irving Bacheller.)
Continued from Tuesdays Starr
CHAPTER III.


Continued from Tuesdays Starr
CHAPTER III.
| later: the woods had glowed in their red
and yellow splendor all day long, the sun
had set in rivalry Of glory, and now it
was getting so cool that a few logs were
piled on the wide hearth and a fire kim
died. Ths pitch pine Sticks began to
crackIe. and to ooze at the ends. the blue
smoke whirled upward in the huge draught
of the chimney, and Nancy and Nellie, hav-
irg cleared away the supper things, were
seated in small and in a big chair, side
by side face to the blaze. Nellie's head
leared against Nancy's substantial knee;
her silky hair. which showed some of the
colors of the golden flame at which she was
gazing. or of the maple leaves which she
| had gathered a great bunch of that after
neon. shone in the fiickerlng light with
lovely radiance. Nancy sat back in her
chair with her stout arms folded across her
ample waist. Never was there an old maid
who looked the conventional type less than
she. She was rosy. dimpled plump and
CHEEKY: yet she was not only spinster Of
near fifty, but she had met with nothing but
n isfortune all her life. It is a marvel
what some folks can thrive on!
But Nancy had In her bosom the inno-
cent and kindly childs heart which was
| born with her; she was as much a child
as the little girl beside her. Troubles
could draw tears from her readily enough;
but nothing could make her bitter or sullen.
Her nature was of the summer quality,
sometimes reverting to April. but never
contracting into winter. Truly. she was
not armed to contend with the artful and
selfish world; yet the world could not hurt
| her. Her vital spots were beyond the
worlds reach.
Being Of such a make. she and Nellie
were full companions for each other They
were a pair of children. Things which to
others would have been foolish and trivial
interested them. and made the subject of
their confidential talks. Each loved the
sound of the others voice. and was secure
in the others sympathy. 1t is wonderful
what mutual comprehension love gives the
reason is perhaps because it so simplfies
and Eliminates the ordinary confusion and
otscurity of ideas. We are ourselves the
artifcerS OF most Of the riddles that per-
plex us.
Nellie, you wouldn't have cared for me
to marry that old Lawyer Corvin, would
you, lovey?"
UGH" said Nellie, prolonging a gutteral
of disgust. He's horrid! You don't have
to. do youg'
mo: but he asked me this afternoon"
she gave a chuckHng little laugh 81 de-
clareI wonder What allied the man. He used
to be spoonin' around bout twenty or thirty
years ago; but I was young and smart
then, and we was rich; and anyway. 1 was
fancyin' som'un ieise myself. So 1 said to
him today. I says. Whatever ails you, Mr..
Ccrvin? J. guess nlay be you used to want
me for the sake of my money says; but
rev. 1 says. you've got the money. and
what under the canopy would you be want
Ing Of me?" So laughed. But1 thought to
myself. thinks 1. Well, guess 1 wouldn't
marry man that was the cause of my
dear boy Tom settin' drowned not to speak
Of what folks said about my poor brother
Matt; not that b'lieve it was jest Mr.. Cor
wins fault, You, know: but one feels things
that way. | didn't ten him that; it's no use
What did he tssy?" Ia''t- '
We'll. he sort o. come out, then: he says,
That's jest it, he says: you amt got no
money, an I hate to have it that way, hut
lendin' you money these ten years back,
Nancy he says. on the Security of your
land an cattle an stuff he says: an now
you amt got nothin' more to pledge. an
I'll have to foreclose on that mortgage to-
| morrow he says. An what 1 thought
was. Nancy, If you'd have me, it would
make 1t all smooth and NICE he says, for
I was aPays fond O. you, you know; an
everythin's ready for you, eff you'll come
he says. An eff you don't. upon my word.
l don't see how you're a-goin' to get on
HE hasn't got this house. though, has
he?" asked the child.
NO lovey. he amt; an that's what
told MIN; an 1 said Id Starve in 1t SOonern
sell it. for it was Billops house ever sence
| twas built, an / don't consider I've any
| right to make way with 1t while l live. An
1 told him, may be the folks around would
| give me work to do; anyhow. marry I
| couldn't. By'n by he said. Well, I'm sorry
| to foreclose, he says; but can't help it
| l need some cash to put into a new invest
ment he says an then he went on to tell
| about man had come to town with a new
| invention-some way of making crops grow
with 'lectricity. but I didn't understand
how twas. Mr.. Corvin, he wanted to buy
| the stock of the invention. and had to have
cash. So he said eff wouldn't marry him.
| and didn't have the money for the mort
| gage tomorrow. why he'd be sorry. but hed
| jest be obliged to sell up the farm an
| fxin's. So I said, We'll, eff You have to do
| it, sell away. Mr. Corvin.' I says; an
| don't you bother bout Nellie an me-
| says: I guess the Lord'll look ont after US,
| some way an then 1 told him I'd have to
be gettin' the dinner ready. an asked him
| would he stay? But he said no. an so off
| he went"
DO you think the Lord will take us to
| heaven, now We have no money!" Nellie
| inquired.
"Oh, well, I guess we'll get on all right
down here for spell yet. lovey," Nancy
| replied, cheerfully. I'll trot over to the
| village tomorrow. and see eff may be I
| can't get somethn' to do-cookin' or SEWN,
or such like. There's good long bit be-