Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-09-26

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had his faults, but it was not his place
to criticise his employer.
"Poor fellow" said Cousin Louisa,
when he had gone out with Uncle Alb
ner to ride with the OK team into the
woods. ~ don't s'pose he gets S. a
week, to judge by his talk. I thought
props l might be induced to change
nv widowed condition, if he was a
likely fellow, with good income.
But l guess shan't waste none of my
attention on him ~
"He seems very vuiet and pleasant" !"
said Marah.
"And be- steps about awful spry for
sick man." remarked grandma, who
sat knitting in the chimney corner.
"Oh," said Mrs. Flint, she isn't real
sick. He's only a little down with
malaria and overwork. He'll be all
right by spring; you see if he won't.
At the end of the first week, when
he offered to pay his board, Mrs.
Flint gave it back to him.
"You needn't mention it to your
employer, Mr.. Johnson" she said,
John johnson was the name on the
boarder's valise.) "But we was think
| in me and Marah, that p'r'aps you
wasn't very we'll off, and SO we'd
make you present of the board"
"You are very kind" said the young
man, with a slightly flushed face,
"hut-"
"It's Marah's present, not mine,"
added Mrs. Flint, bluntly. "We told
her she should have the money for the
board but she thinks you need it
more'n she does"
II do not know how I shall
ever thank her." said the boarder,
feverently. But he did not argue the
point any further.
And Mrs. Flint con6dentially in
formed her niece that "she believed
the board money was quite an object
to Mr.. Johnson, poor fellow"
While Cousin Louisa elevated her
Roman nose and remarked that she
didn't take much stock in paupers.
If folks couldn't support themselves
decently," she thought they ought to
20 to the poor houses"
Marah, however, had all her sympa-
thies thoroughly enlisted in behalf of
the silentent young guest. She mend
ed his stockings ON the sly-she saw
that his linen was in good order-she
made little dainties to tempt his rather
feeble appetite from time to time.
"You are very good to me-" he said
one day, as he saw her swift needle
gliding in and out of pocket hand
kerchief of his, which had got torn
among the bushes from which he had
been gathering scarlet wild-berries.
She smiled.
"We are both solitary and alone in
the world" she said. "Only that you
are friendless, and have my good
uncle and aunt to rely on"
81 am not so friendless as l was a
few weeks ago." said he. "For 1 ven.
ture now to count you among the list
of nv friends. II have even dared
to hope"
"What?" she asked, without look
ing up, while the color deepened on
her cheek, and her eyes were intently
fixed on the cleaning process of her
needle.
"That if 1 can provide humble
home in New York on my return you
will not disdain to share it with me.
Tell me, Marah, do you think you
could care for me?"
The tears sparkled in Marah's eyes.
"Have I allowed you to discover
how dearly I love you?"
"And I loved you, Marah," he said,
gravely, "when first I looked upon
your face"
So Marah Flint promised to be the
wife of the young man from the store.
Mrs. Flint sighed and shook her
head, and said she didn't know how
ever she should manage without Marah.
Grandma expressed herself to the ef-
feet that Marah would make the best
little wife in the world. Uncle Abner
said "he s'posed gals would get mar
rled, and they couldn't expect to keep
her forever" Cousin Louisa said "she
thought the gal was crazy, to marry
poor clerking fellow like that ~
The young man smiled as he sat be-
side Marah, in the light of the evening
hearth.
"I don't call myself second Roths-
child" said he, "and I am certainly
conversant with all the duties pertain
ing to q clerks Office. But, after all,
perhaps I am not quite a candidate
for the almhouse. For have not
claimed all the names in this house to
which I am entitled. I am John
johnson, it is true, but I am also John
Johnson Marchland, the head of the
firm of Maj chland & Co. And l am
Marah's third cousin into the bar
gain"
"Je-rusalem ~ exclaimed honest
old Uncle Abner. "And what brought
you here ?''
"Well," said Mr.. Marchland, 81 had
heard Miss Nellis speak of my cousin
Marah, and l felt sort of curiosity to
see her inst as she was. I had been