St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-01-09
a Mothers
Story
By ITrA ELLEN rr,,,,,
1TTA : ELLEN FE11NER

rin aI1ernoon sun sinking to rest
IN the west cast for a moment it.
brilliant and departing RAYS mon q
solitary farmhouse in the Rerkshir.,
Mills. then the bright glows fadad
away; the sun disappeared behind the
mountain, and it was soft. beautiful
twilight.
Two women come ont of the farm
house and cit down upon the nerch in
the twllight-mcther and 1angb+or
The mother has an earnest. thouyhtful
look in her face, which ia fair still, .I
though ner lair is snowy white. The
girl - beautiful truly, and her mother
Is very fond and proud Of her. The
mother sits in large armchair and
her daughter on the steps at her feet.
AS the mother tenderly strokes the
abundant tresses upon her fair vounp
daughters head she questions her vorv
earnestly.
so my little lassie has had an offer
OF marriage, and cannot decide what her
answer shall be? All! Do not blush.
my dear, forsI have known all along
how John loved you.A though I have
been worried for fear you did not an:
preciate his good heart and honest ma
ture. was afraid you would hesitate,
dear. before you gave him your answer,
because he is only farmer lad; but
John would be loyal and true to his
wife; besides. he is q thrifty. indus
trious young man.
i Will admit Johns not stylish. or
u what some would call refined. but It is
character, dear. one must look at, and
all the neighborhood knows Johns good
principles. We know all about that
young man from the city, and am not
denying but what he has been kind and
polite to you; but John loves you, and
true, honestsheart has John.
You don't like the idea of farming?
Why. your fathers a farmer, child!
Was 1t not only this morning that you
were telling me how dearly you loved
your father. and what good man he
was? You think that fathers occupa-
ton is different from ! husbands? NV
dear little girl, one must be wise in
making choice for life. Fine feath-
ers do not make line birds, and though
John is rather plain in his looks, he
would always be proud of his wife. You
say you are not sure that you love him,
and that you may love that city young
man?
We'll. dear, win have to tell you the
story OF my own love affair, a story you
have never known. should not tell 1t
to you now, but it may help you to de-
eide about jain.
AS you know, was born down in
the village, and was considered the vii
lage belle. My father was graduate
from Williams college, although he was
poor and farmer, SO had better ad-
vantages in way Of education than
most country girls. and was deemed
quite accomplished. When 1 was about
your age, 1, too, had a lover-he was
somethinglike your John. He was rough
in his ways. d farmer, and often his
hands were soiled with honest work
which did not please my girlish fancy
then; but lived to learn that it was
better to have soiled hands than soiled
soul.
But at IS X felt Is you do now, and
knew thatgmy lover was rather plai1
ard old-fashi0ned In his ways. One
winter, just before we were to have
been married. some city young men Wis.
tied our village and gave concerts an6
shows tn the schoolhouse. Much to ou1
astonishment, they remained in tn.
village all winter, and one Of then
boarded at our house. My mother was
dead then and father and l lived to-
eether. The city young man seemed
to admire me very much, and soon
was listening to his fiattering speeches
and forgetting my betrothed lover. M.
! new admirer was making love to me
and yowing that he adored me h
asked me to be his wife. He told m,
- was too beautiful to pass my day
in ! dreary farmhouse, and that thu
man that / had promised to marry wa
only an ignorant country farmer-ant
foolish girl that was, listened to hin
and believed him.
81 began to be ashamed of my love
apd Of my engagement and to look will
graat pride and admiration upon m,
now lovers soft, white hands and hi
stylish and expensive clothes. He wa
very handsome and apparently refined
and believing him wise and good,
loved him and, promised to be his wife
He paid me marked attention befor
everyone. When my old lover heard o
II he came at once to my fathers house
Taking me by the hand, he said: N:
girl. they Ore saying in the village tha
you have grown tired OF me, ana ina
q man has come between us. l nav
come to give you your freedom. an
glad you have chance to marry mn
gentleman, forsI was fool to think
was worthy of you. ! hope you Will o
happy. but l shall not forget you' las
sic: and wherever you may go to i've