The Republican journal., 1902-03-06
can bear" And a look of pain over
spread his honest face.

The morning of the fifteenth dawned
| fair and bright, and never had the old
farm looked so beautiful in the eyes of
! the farmer and his wife as now when it
was about to pass from their keeping.
1t was endeared to them by thousand
happy and tender recollections. 1t was
here that Silas Dennison had been born.
| Here, eighteen years before, he had
brought his fair young wife; and here,
one year later, his only child had first
opened her bright eyes, and had lived
in the midst Of natures beauties her
seventeen years of happy innocent girl
hood. Nc wonder that their eyes grew
dim, as the grim thought forced itself
upon them that after today it would
be no longer their home, but pass into
the hands of strangers.
1t was silent group that gathered
about the breakfast table that morning,
with the exception of Frances who was
| in her merriest mood. After the meal
| was ended. she arose and went over to
her father who sat silent and moody,
and kissing hlm she placed folded
paper in his hand. To-day is your
birthday, papa, and this is my gift to
you, earned it all myself
Thank We. dear yer good girl ter
| remember Yer old father on his birth
| day. Jest hand me my specs an I'll
see What It's He unfoldtd the
paper carefully and read it through
| slowly, a look of bewilderment gradual
ly overspreadlng his face.
"Cynthy. what does this mean he
cried. Here's check for five hundred
| dollars an Frances says she earned it.
| Wife, If its true the old farms ours an
our daughter heZ saved it. God bless
her, and bursting into tears that did
not shame his manhood, he placed the
check i'll his Wife'S hand. She glanced
at it: then at her husband and daugh-
| ter
What does it mean: can't under
stand it, she said in helpless way, the
color coming and going tittully in her
face. How could Frances earn it,"
Il wrote a story for popular maya
zine, mother. and it was awarded the
| first prize of five hundred dollars, and |
! heard you and auntie talking about the
mortgage on the farm the day she
came so thought | would try and see
II couldn't help out d little. did not
expect to succeed, but | did, and. oh
motherd N so glad
| Her father arose and laid his toll,
hardened hand reverently on the fair
| head, crowned with its curling tresses
of light brown hair. God bless We,
dear little daughter" he said tremulous-
ly. This is the proudest an happiest
day O my life, an if | live hundred
| years II never see its like again. Now
let Squire Hardy come ez soon ez he's a
mind ter. We're ready for him.
| Why what's the matter, Cynthy?" for
his wife had covered her face with her
hands and was crying bitterly. ooh,
Ter think, Silas, that our little darter
should save ther farm, an me anaggin'
ct her fer Wastln her time writin. Il
Jest can't never forgive myself fer it.
No l can t, and her tears flowed
afresh.
In an instant Frances arms were
about her mothers neck 'Why.
mother dear, you never scolded me, and
even II you had you would not have
been one bit to blame, for | know |
neglect things shamefully when | am
IN writing mood. You are Just the
| best and dearest mother in the whole
| Nor d, SO dry your eyes and let us ali be
happy together
! Yes" chimed in Aunt Tilda. her
rosy face fairly beaming with 10y EFF
ennybuddy on the face o the airth hez
got reason ter be thankful an happy
ter day We hev.' Didn't | allus tell We
/ Cynthy ez how our Frances wasn't no
common sort Of girl. an how we'd
i've ter be proud o her some day?
The day, S come sooner'n expected.
/ Squire Hardy came in the afternoon
pompous and grim and was somewhat
taken aback when the farmer rendered
him five crisp one hundred dollar bills
! in payment.
There, Squire Hardy" said he as he
handed him the money! that settles the
blzness a'tween you AN me, an | don't
intend, God willin', ter ever Git inter
ennybuddy's clutches again.
Years have passed since then. and
both wealth and fame have come to
Frances DeDnison, and her name has
become a household word in many
lands. But she often says that the
proudest and happiest moment of her
life, was when she by her own unaided
efforts lifted the mortgage from her
G.lar old