The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-09-16
THE LOWER RANCH.
BY HATTIE HORNER LOUTHAN.

| other necessities. Still she was proud
of her husband as a land owner, and
kept saying that she would go with
him some day to see the Lower Ranch.
But il was ten miles distant. long
ride for her and baby in the heavy
wagon. and she was always so busy.
That season the crops were almost
failure through drought. and the
| hogs had to 90. market or no market.
| In the spring another baby added to
| Mary's cares and she made Ruben's
! infant clothes do for the tiny girl.
How could she ask for new things
when barns must be painted. hired
bands paid. and that scmi-annual pay
ment always staring them in the face
4 hired girl had been the dream of
her honeymoon days, and the necessity
for house help grew as the passing
years increased the work. and slipped
babe after babe into her reluctant
arms. But she was told. impatiently,
I fear. that she could see that three
hired men couldn't put in and cult
vate and gather all the crops of the
homestead and Lower Ranch and the
rented land: he must have more help.
When once the Lower Ranch was paid
for. she could have Il hired girl and
welcome.
1t was the fifth year when the mort
gage was due that diplomatic trip
had to be made to the county seat.
The last payment was overdue, with
only part of the interest paid. But
the agent was wise. He had learned
upon inquiry .hat Jason Grant was
honest. hard.w orkine and ambitious;
that hc alway paid. "a he demanded
10 he pald-to tAc last penny. So there
was no trouble about the extension of
the mortgage: ana the ranchman re-
turned home radiant. His wife was
not as sympathetic rs he had expected.
Every year of thr extension of that
mortgage meant another year without
help in the house.
The second five years proved harder
than the first five. Mary's superb
health yielded more and more to the
strain. The rosy face ana arms grew
brown and lcathcry from exposure at
the washtub. in the garden and in the
horr,.,rd Sho to,,, los nrila In her.
a,s s o,u,,o,, ,o,,. Won. Loco fro.
nro,tly ,o nh,rcb thorob tbe minister
I,,,, ,'.,a, LII, g. rrotost che
grew more and more silent. unfrlendly
and self-contained, as she 'trod her
eternal circle" of cooking, dish-wash-
,. .,,,,,. o,,a r,o,aino u.osbinc
,,,ii,.,, Cow, ord roc,,ip, hobies
n,,r,,,n +hoso voor. NJ montino nav.
-, sho s,i ,o,,, o~nro.sod a want
80, a,,aa, 90 snI,oo, hooks fo,
t,o o,u1ron hottlo of modic,ne or
.,, 1anatio.,s fo,. tho noreonoga-
h,,t sho r.os c,,fr,rtod Inv tho Lower
pa,,oi, ond e., ,,ov+ novman+
i,'.' a. ,o,..,, t,., -. 80 ,,.cs ,iftod
a., ,ost 7nrr,on. mot. hut tho sion of
,,a,iaf ,,.,, o,,onoho1 hy, tho
r,.'''',.,.l.,t -. 49, .s,o houso"
~, Iii. Co.. ,.o,,ir, MIR.
r,o .aiaatod pronch pooa
t',', ot 90 ao,,nt, soo+ wos
I'm ,o"m'' ,.r ,,o".,,I ,,oon, +bo Iowor
ndo' "'7 ,t' s,,,.,.o,.nh ro,to o,d
$50 ,,oi,os, ,,.o,.o ,ool,.
- ''i' W. .' ~ zoos iust nuro
,ns mp " ,-"s 49, 49,, ''t4,, tho nai,hhors
, ~. - o.. ,,.,,a. r,ioht Lonran
'.r e' .,o ,a,, ,s -, on1
,,a, c. ,,ro,oa
hii''i'.u' ',''u ''".u ',.', IT,, nd COO ~
n,' ha, ,,,.i,,, ,,ttlo
'-"i' -, ,,a
S'h'ie'' "'''. '" -, ,,,o,h. 90 pu.
,oo u, su' Wv - Sba Ill,
pen' n"i' "'u .i pona,
he'ef H," oo" nv. NJ W ,-,'.a - son,,a,
io"I a. II go a,.s. ,rto
e"an W ''''e ~ 80,
mum q ei..' ''i -. .,,io %
n'e H'''e
her iiuSo"hi' ,, .,u
Inc years 'h't ioiIoMeu "e.' M
oi Prosperity io' '"'o' ","ns.
'o"Sn' hioi' N'ii, " i"lse ~ ,o,1
10 ieeu iiiore nosS -nls .te, '''' go
ii'S poS'o,''o"'
puiis' ''DcH' '"'' ,D' ~, hau
"iieu 7i ioi III"
one uhs apoul hele' ou' ,oun'y ne,p
vas "l,'
anu nag W. Pu''T o'u ..,a -" A.,
'ahe reSpons'oiIi''e' ~ 'iiio n"'! wv
not reSpoHu, o"e was s'o"'"e ~ 'e
Utmost as Siie'' as nv
MORE years nior1 p,oSpeti'y' MI
improvements On an ,se r"itn,' anu
now OF 'he state Vi unuirs ut 'ne o'u
FANch mousse just sinhpse.
l'ahchmah Grant si's ilsiue 'ne ~
screen or the west Rltcheh uoor' Mrs'