River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-06-10
How the DanfOrthS Moved.
6Y GLEN HATHAWAY.

y
ord for a family of amy pretentions 10
respectability i'm the stand little town
And the Danfor;h naute had been one
of the most 5.ristocrat.c there for many
years
First we lived in our own dear old
home, where was born, Frances had
enumerated the evening before. sitting
on the porch in the soft April moon
light, with her lover on the steps just
below her. Then when Cousin Zebe-
dee and the mortgage took that. in
spite of ali our piuehing and planning
all the years Was growing up. we had
that nice house ou River street The
next year We had 60 give that up as too
extensive and move To this place. that
might saw something against, but
won't, becaisc-wCii. because 1 won't.
Dick she iucidly explained, with a
downward smile az the young man.
who knew very well that she fOrgave
the house its MANY faults tor the sake
81 having found her romance within its
walls. But there's nothing but the
lOwHess of the reat in faSoI Of the
house we're going to-" she ended. 1t
cramped AMI shabby and incOnyenient
in every way. When ! thiEk how far
below the OLD home we've got in onlt
three years. IL really fear we shall
find ourselves moving out TO the poor
farm one of these springs
She tried to laugh. hut she finished
with a sudden catch iu her bright voice
She was more than discouraged with
the family prospects, and tired out with
an the preparatory packing and tearing
up she had done that day- Oply strong
Diet armiuation kept her from tears
IL YOU would only move 10 my house
one Of these springs sooner. began
Dick SteImau. reaching up 10 take one
at his s1,eutheart's small brown hands.
that were pretty in spite of an the work
they had had 90 DO.
But Frances pulled It impatiently
away.
You couldn't afford TO marry my
whole family, Dick, even Il we'd let
you. and they can't possibly spare me
rs maid-Of-alI-Work and general man
ager as long as the money comes i'm SO
slowly and the children grow out Of
their clothes so fast. There, don't let
as waste any more time tonight talk
ing OF disagrecablcs or of what can't
be-"
IF your grand-aunt only hadn't
made such cruelty unjust WILL" Dick
began again; and again Miss Danforth
cut him short.
II wishes were horses, then beggars
would ride" She quoted, absurdly.
MY grand-uunt did make her own will
tosuit herself. as probably shall If ever
] am wealthy old spinsteT and able to
afford dislikes; and what is the use of
ifs2 once more I suggest that You
start some p.easlnter topic this last Of
our evenings ON this pleasant old
porch"
Apparently he obeycd; for their talk
grew lnw-toned. and her pretty dark
head and his coulely. fair one drew
quite unnecessarily close TO each ether
as il went ON When he left, " hich vas
early. in consideration Of her busy Inur-
row. there was the brightest of smiles
on Miss Danforth's face as she went in
10 the parlor.
but the smile faded as she looked
round the familiar room The trail Of
the mover was already upon it. The
tacks we're out of the carpet. and the
bookcase was empticd and its contents
piled IN a corner.
The handsome furniture much too
handsome aud aristocratic in its state
d oId-fashiOu for the cramped little
room with its cheap. glaring. gilt paper
and worn cdrpct-borc traces Of rough
Usuage. Frances stopped on her way
to bed IN pityingly study the scratches
and dents on a SECRETARY Of inlaid ma
ho~any.
Il wonder how many more marks the
POOR thing Will have tomorrow night. ("
she meditated. Dear me, what an alb
surd position IL Is that we're in, To
have furniture that antiquity hunters
would gladly give huuire.', Of dollars
for. and not 10 bc allowed "a sell n. 10
matter how hard up We are. while We
see Il being spoiled before our e. Is.
and can't even afford To hire good
enough truckmau To move IL properly.
Ny respected crcat-aunt certainly did
know how 20 wprry people even after
she left this world"
The furniture had hcen the sole leg
ucy left Mr. Danfcrth by the VIII at his
Aunt Deborah. an eccentric cid lady
" no had practically adopted him as
a boy. brought him up in idieness tn
expect her money. and turned him out
without penny when he declined 20
marry 70 please her and did marry 10
please himself
His wife was an orphan. with pleas
ant house of her own, which Frances
EtsH regretted. and he had gone to
work CALAMITY TO support himself and
his. and for time had prospered- But
having 40 profession and being without
much business faculty. Mr. Danfortn
had failed To attain more than a very
moderate salary in an office, while his
wife had early settled down rs a mild.
chronic invalid. whose constant worry
over the way her doctors bills and
other needs ate itto the family income
U,d not improve her chances of re
cuvcry.
When NJ length Miss Deborah died. II
was found that She had left an her valu-
able antique furniture 10 her nephew.
a. the last Of . Dauforths. coupled
with the provision thar he shouil for
felt 10 il he ever attempted to sell a
single piece. and had begueathed her
very considerable fortune To a distant
mud already vclI-to-do cousin, Zebedee
Smith by name
Mr.. Daufurth had philosophically &C
crpted the situation and the furniture.
selling of the commorer things he al.
ready ha tn settle some bills Of long.
standing with the proceeds. and crowd
ing his small rooms with the richest OF
carved oak and mahogany. most =.
which vas presently still further dee
grated by the jaekbniseS and bOothce's
81 his irrepressihle hoys.
Mr. Smith had likewise used hi,
legacy To the best advantage, and made
c0usidera bic merit 10 soon after accom-
IuodSting his DJnforth cousins with 4
loan ON their homestead.
The next day was one Of storm and
stress To Frances. ON whom the weigh,
Of the household burdens always fell
Mr. Dautorth. Of course, had 20 &c
the office. and Mrs. Danforth retired q
friends house with her usual head
uche. before the moving had fairly he
lun. Frances and her ever faithful.