Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-02-13
SAVED THE FARM.

John Smith had a hobby, an uncon-
querable aversion to old maids. And
yet, as in very mockery of his pet an
tipathy, his only child, Sarah, had de-
veloped into the hated object, right in
his own household.
Sarah was tall and angular, like her
father, but her face vas pleasing and
her disposition mild and amiable. She
had never reyolted against anything in
her life-not even against the injustice
Of spending her youth in making pre-
serves, apple butter or piecing quilts
while other girls were making merry.
One day Jackson Smith received a
hurt, and when DR.. Brown was called
in he told jackson his days were num-
bered. Then it was that his hatred for
old maids proved itself.
"I'll never leave this place to a woman
that can't get a husband" he said
fiercely.
"But, father, Sarah's never had no
chance; we've always kept her down."
demonstrated his weeping wife.
He waved his hand to silence her.
Woman, no old maid shall inherit my
place. I've sent by the doctor for Law
yer Clarke, and he'll come tomorrow.
There's money enough in bank for you,
but I'll fix it SO that at your death it
will go with the farm. Jackson Goggan,
my namesake, shall get it all"
Tearfully Mrs. Smith impaired the
facts to Sarah.
"Mother, would he turn you out Of
the old place just because he hates me?"
and Sarah locke: incredulous.
The elder woman nodded; then Sarah
kissed the round, sunburned face and
said: Mother, l never have revolted
against father, but I'm going to save
the place for you. I wouldn't mind so
much, but you shall never leave your
home. I'm going out now to think it
over" and putting OH her pink sunbon-
net she went out the back door. When
some distance from the house, she sat
down in the shade of a tree, and while
her heart beat loudly over her fathers
contemplated injustice she resolved to
outwit him.
"There's Josh Mullin, he might-but
l can't bear Josh; he chews tobacco, and
his mouth always looks dirty" She
cast her eyes over the landscape, and on
the next farm she saw the figure of a
man in the field. "Yes, there's John
Howard, but"-and her face grew
pink-"I hate somehow to ask it Of
him" Then the tear stained face of her
mother passed before her mental vision,
and, giving a jerk to her sunbonnet, she
started down the path across the mead.
ow.
John Howard was hoeing corn. When
he saw Sarah approaching, he stopped
and leaned on his hoe, a look of concern
on his face.
lis the old man worse, Sarah?'' he
asked.
"Yes. DR.. Brown says he can't live
more than two or three days, and-oh,
John, it's awful the way he isl"
Eyes, but you have been a good, sac
rifcing daughter, Sarah, and you can't
blame yourself for anything, you"-
"Oh, you don't understand, Johnl
He's going to leave everything toto
jackson Goggan, and mother'll have to
leave the place" she half sobbed.
"You can't mean it, SARAH Why
why, that would be outrageous. What
makes him talk Of such a thing?"
because - because II am an old
maid; he hates all old maids" and her
face grew pinker than the sunbonnet.
John Howard shifted the hoe to the
other arm and looked down.
John, I've come to ask you-oh,
John, don't think me brazen; it's for
mothers sake. l can't stand to see her
turned out. and for my fault, and If you
will only help me and-and-come up
to the house and pretend that we are to
be married-just until after the will is
made-it wouldn't be 80 very wrong,
John-not 70 bad as letting mother be
put out Of her home" She caught her
breath in short gasps, but when John
was silent her pink face suddenly paled.
II reckon it's asking a heap too much
Of you, John, but don't hold it against
me | couldn't see any other way. Good
by, John" She was turning away.