The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-11-24

let me whisper to you, never, never, Never
with bic. big y, will marry until men
learn how to treat their wives with as
much consideration as they do their
horses.
Father, said Lefty after the letter
was written, will you 81 with mother
and let ne 90 with John TO the yillagef"
NO, lie Sol sher attg s to do. !"
"But, father, we must have some help
in the house Mother needs more care and
better care titan can give her now, with
SO much to do and four hungry men to
feed. =
"Now. don't go TO pretending that you
have hard time Don't / send the heft
of the washing away?"
"Patty merely washes the heavy cloth
ing, father, have to iron them all. And
when bake seven loaves of bread on Sat
urday, and Monday finds not even a crust
In my pantry, you must kIicw-
Il know nothing, nothing, only thes
going TO college has made you too fine for
farmers daughter" 49, ...
"No, father, never that, but too fine,
hope, To see my mother suffer. And while
we have her want to do all in my power
for her. -
"While we have her! Why, your mother
isn't very sick. It's only the newfangled
complaint, and folks never die of it."
Lefty choked back the tears.
Father, please let me go with John.
should not ask for help if l did not need
it, for her sake. y
"Shan't hear to it, shan't hear to It'll
Mother'll come out all right" said Mr..
Moore as he strobe away.
1t wanted but two days of the time
dino iy,p md
Lefty was seated in the kitchen with a
large turkey in her lap, from which she
was carefully picking the pinfeathers
1t was past midnight when she put
down the last bird and bathed her tired
fingers. Sam had crept off to bed long ago.
Elijah was snoring loudly above stairs,
and John alone was faithful and helpful
Mr.. Moore, who had been doing near the
fire, reused himself to say:
Pack the wings close, John, and, Lett,
be sure you make the bill out carefully and
put the weight of each bird down in my
book. l think I'll go to bed
Lefty recorded the number of pounds as
John weighed and then made out the bill
in due form 1t was pleasure, weary as
she was, to hold the pen. Suddenly an
odd fancy came to her.
"John," she said, II am going to put
something under the wing of this big fell
low just for sport"
''All right, Miss Lefty, if you can get
any fun out Of all your hard work, just
you do it,
Lefty pondered for moment and then
her pen flew rapidly over the paper
"Here is the nonsense, John:
Whoever finds, oh. may he read
Some other lesson here than greed
My maiden fingers long to trace
Some nobler work, in broader space:
But fate is harsh, and here stay,
Picking my fowls from day to day.
Eat this, o friend, and think Of me-
" ~ '' IL. E. MOORE.
"Brookdale. N. H."
"Why don't you put the name out in
full?" asked John.
GOA. :: does not matter! We shall new
er hear &; it, but it comforts me to find
that can even think of nonsense"
Thanksgiving came and went
Lefty spent most of the day in reading
to her mother after the dinner had been
cared for. The old minister came in and
brought her note from one of her college
friends. They did not forget her or neg
lect her.
In the evening Lefty played games with
Sam, for she wanted the boy to have pleas
ant memories of his home in the days to
come. ~
December came, and all the hills were
crowned with snowy white.
Lefty had moved her mother to her own
room away from the noise, and there she
looked from the windows upon the coun-
try beyond her home-the country which
she had never had time to enjoy
1t was bright, sparkling winter morn
ing when Mr.. Moore came in one day to
speak with Lefty. She was standing at
the table ironing a dainty little bedgown
of her mothers She was not girl given
to tears, and yet more than one had fallen
upon the garment
Her mother had always been a creature
of gentle mold She was one of an old
Massachusetts family, and no hardship
could ever make her coarse or unrefined.
1t was comfort to think that she had
been blessed with such mother, and the
girls heart ached when she thought of her
passing away so young.
Her father did not notice her fearful
eyes. He was too much interested in the
news he brought.
"Lett,'' he said hurriedly, there's a
handsome turnout coming over Long hill,
and it's city one, too, some one coming
to drive a trade Of some sort suppose.
and you'd better spruce up bit.
Eyes, father"
"Take off that check apron, girl, and
don't let 'em think that my daughter isn't
as good as the best of them"
Lefty threw the apron aside and looked
at her swollen right hand. 1t panied her,
but she had not thought of it before. AS
her father went out she recalled with
shame his misery habits, which prevented
them from keeping cheerful fire in the
sitting room or parlor.
She had not time to moralize much be-
fore the door opened and tall, handsome
man entered with her father.
"My daughter, Mr.. Langdon, Miss
Moore her father had said, and Lefty
raised her eyes to greet those of q man
whose every look bespoke refinement.
With a true housekeeper' s instinct Lefty
remembered after the first greetings were
over that her larder was in excellent con-
dition, and also that it would cheer her
dear invalid to see such q man in her
home
She made no apology for her work. 1t
was given her to do, and it was well done.
A good man would understand that.
Sam and the stranger were friends at
once. He had business interests near
Brookdale. He had driven up partly, he