The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-11-21

give IL upF Never! Oh, no, mol
They must stand by the farm. Than
ny must work-she must work.
She got up hastily. and peered out
across the fields in the eager hope of
seeing Thanny with old Bess plough
ing. Surely he would plough today;
yes, there he was, but walking idly,
moodilv, about, with stoopedover
shoulders, like an old man.
Poor Thanny! He hadn't wanted,
anyway, to be farmer, and after his
brave little beginning out in the
world-after father died-it had been
hard to come home and settle down
on the old turnout" farm among
the stumps and rocks and the mea-
gre timothy heads.
Poor Thanny! Militia watched him
with loving eyes. He looked SO dis
NAL in the dismal setting of stubbly
fields, backgrounded by the dull sky,
that she had no heart to upbraid
him. Poor Militia!
The little kitchen wore it's late
afternoon spick-and-span dress, and
Militia sat in it, humming little
brave tune over her mending- box,
when Nathan came hurrying, spring
ing in. There was rare buoyancy in
his -tep, and Militia waited, as
tonisht d.
why, Thanny!" she cried, as soon
as he got within hearing range.
Nathan TEACHERS tanned face ra-
dated excitement and triumph from
every feature. His eyes were shining.
Into Millias hands he thrust bit of
jagged rock.
"Look at that, Milly-gold!'
"My goodness me, Thannyw
"Gold, tell you-g-o-l-d! Milly
Thacher, there's gold on this farm
do you hear9 It's under your face
and eyes, in that rock. It's in allthe
rocks"
He laughed shrilly, executing shut
fling dance steps around her chair.
"Thanny Thacher. you amt in
your right mind! You scare me-"
"Milly Thatcher, it's the live truth!
Dan Merriweather thought SO as long
ago as he worked for father, but
father didn't believe it, nor l either.
l didn't think there could be any
such good luck. But there is-there
isP The boys face was radiant.
Dams an old Forty miner, and he
ought to know. Ididn't believe him,
though-not till this afternoon, when
/ found that rock. Seeing's believ-
ing, a1d can't you see? Can't you
see those little gold grains, Milly
Thacher, if you've got half an eyes
They'er there. All we've got to do is
to get 'em out. guess I know gold
when | see It'll"
Militia held the little rock in limp,
unbelieving fingers. She saw the
tiny sparkles in it; but-gold Wis
ions of wealth and luxury and rest
hurried through her brain, of Thanny
looking happy and satisfied again,
and of herself-plain, tired little
M,lly-wearing becoming clothes,
and letting her roughened fingers
grow smooth and white. Perhaps
she would wear soft kid gloves; peo-
pie did who had gold. Perhaps Than
ny's would too; Thanny's hands
were slender and shapely. Luxuries
read of and dreamed of appealed
suddenly to her dazzled vision as
possible, probable realities; people
with gold on their farms had such
things, of course.
Nathan broke in upon her dream
ing:
"They found gold ON a farm over
in Bentley. Over Easton way, too.
guess it's all over these parts. Any
how, it's on the Thacher farm" He.
laughed jubilantly. Then he pock-
eted the little sparkling pebble, and
said, briskly: Don't you wait supper
for me, Milly. I'm going down to the
Forks to see Amasa Flagg. He can
advise me some about working the
vein. Amasa knows everything"
Working the vein! How myster-
iously important it sounded to Militia
as she sat there, confused and awed
Could that be Thanny-Thanny!-
swinging along with great springy
strides, his shoulders unstooped, and
Importance and energy trailing in a
little wake behind him?
Would Amasa Flagg advise him to
dig a mine-Millia's thoughts were
couched in familiar words-and wear
a candle in his hat, and burrow round
in the earth in unsafe places? My
goodness me!-would there be real
1, -