The Elbert County tribune., 1903-10-08

vowed that she never would. But they
were not ready yet. and he bowed his
head ON his hands and allowed his
mind 10 wander over the almost twenty
years of their married life
No one would ever accuse Jason
Grant of sentimentality: yet in this
retrospection his thoughts dwelt with
singular persistence upon a certain
morning in having season long ago.
when pretty Mary Moore had come to
help his mother cook for the hay hands.
He recalled the jealous pang with
which he saw the young minister drive
Mary TO the door-fur Jason Grant,
hard-working. elose-handed. grasping.
was never given 10 sentiment But
twenty years made difference: and
he had been at that time what most
Of the other farmer boys were-cven
though every one thought him wrapped
up in land-getting and money making.
How well he remembered that day
He had made numerous trips ncces-
sary and unnecessary. from hay field
TO house. just for n word with Mary
Moore. or for a glimpse Gf her plump
form and blooming face. The picture
that rose oftenest before him was that
Of Mary. framed by the doorway. smil-
ing upon him as he turned away with
the hammer for which he had made
one of those unnecessary trips. That
smile had made his heart beat like n
hammer of another sort-foolish fell
lowi
All. mel lie could see II all in detail
the yellow farmhouse with green shut
tiers. the ''leanto' for tools, the bench.
the grindstone, the scythe. the garden
rake. the wood pile with the axe In the
old stump. the well-sweep. beyond the
stretch of orchard fence. the barn.
swallow-circled. and the fast-multiply.
ing stacks of emerald hay.
Jason. the only son, had Inherited
the Grant homestead; and Mary Moore
had been wise. from the worldly point
of view. in accepting bis hand, grasp
ing though 1t was, rather than that of
the young minister. which had been
offered her on that very morning s
drive.
1t was more the spirit OF innate CO.
quetry that prompted her to inform the
reticent young farmer of the honor
proffered her by the minister: though
Jason Grant, during the sober second
thought following the arduous insist
ence of his own proposal. came TO the
conclusion that the information had
been vouched him in order to bring
him to the point.
His father had for some time had
his business eye upon rich bottom
m rpt mo
dred and forty goodly acres, wooded,
watered and gently sloping. and lying
in the inevitable path of the much
talked-of branch road from seat to seat
of the adjoining counties. When old
Ranchman Grant came to his last ILL
ness. shortly before his sons wedding.
he confided to the prospective bride
groom that the coveted ranch could
be had upon small payment, and by
assuming the heavy. though longtime
mortgage held by eastern parties: and
that the requirement OF it was worth
even the postponement OF the we'd
ding.
But love is love; his laundering pro-
posal was made. and the marriage
celebrated shortly after the old father
had been laid TO rest. 1t was not I'M
til the wedding day that the young
ranchman told his bride of tile pro-
posed purchase of the Lower Ranch.
that it would require all his ready
money for the first payment, and that
they would have to defer their intend
ed wedding tour to the State capital.
Instead. she might accompany him to
the county-seat. where he must go to
fix up the transfer OF the mortgage.
So Mrs. Jason Grant-how proud
she was. of the new name-informed
her friends and the ministcr-who lad
the grace to hide his disappointment
and ofiiciatc Mt the wedding-tbat for
the present my husband and me"
would journey to the county seat and
stop at the best hotel TIL ''my hus-
bands business was settled. that of
buying six hundred and forty acres OF
the richest bottom-land in the country;
that later they would build fine
house ON their new ranch. and move
there; and that they would 90 on their
wedding trip in the fall.
Needless 10 say. that wedding tour
was never taken. So this was the first
of a long series Of credits to Mary
Grant in her account with tbe Lower
Ranch. That fall her health was not
the best; by spring. baby Ruben came.
and the multiplication of household
cares tied her TO the home ranch. But
Mary was young and strong. and like
any other loving woman. centred her
heart In her husband. home and baby.
sang about her work. and laughed
down any mention of n wedding tour.
There We're so many other things she
wanted more; n baby Carriage. some
new clothes. and an ingram carpet
for the best room. But her nother-in-
law said she had raised one son and
six dnIInhfets Axifhnut Il hnhr cnt.rin .,...