Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-10-20
A Foreordained
Partnership
By Currsn Richard Greenley
Copyright, 1904, by Il. c. Mcclure

1t was all over. ana General Marvin
lay under the live oaks, while Miss
Rebecca sat alone in the darkcncd par.
lor Now the burden lay with her
alone, and she followed YEARLY the
trail of the years that had brought
only trouble and loss
JesSica stood still in the doorway at
sight of the bowed head. She could
find no words to say, but she drew
Miss Rcbccca's head down and held
her close to her strong, young arms
Miss Rebecca lifted a hopeless face
Child, do not mourn for him. 1t is
for you. Jessica, this old house and a
pltiful ten acres is all that is left, and
even that cannot be sold during my
lifetime There is nothing. nothing,
Don't talk to me now. l cannot bear
it. l must try to think" And Miss
Rebecca crept away to her room.
Left to herself, the girl stood looking
out toward the clump Of live oaks that
lowered above the generals grave. She
remembered that there had always
been little economics practiced by Miss
Rebecca, and the days when the gen
eral would shut himself in with n
mass of papers always after the visits
Of those men from town. Now the end
had come But the old home was still
theirs, even though shorn of its broad
acres, and an idea came to her. That
night she wrote the letter that went
in the northern mail, signed with the
boyish scrawl of -. l.. Marvin"
Business was unusually dull in the
office of Repplier Bros, florists, and
the morning mail received instant at
tention. James Repplicr tossed letter
across to his brother John. Read
that, John"
Repplier Bros.
Gentlemen-Is there any market for cut
flowers direct from the south-cape jas
mine, English violets. roses and all va
rieties of the lily? Can make arrange
ments for packing and shipping to arrive
In good condition. / should be glad TO re-
ceive orders. Respectfully,
J. l.. MARVIN.
Aldana. Miss
John Repplier laid the letter down
and looked up inquiringly. Might be
a good idea. What do you think?"
"Well. We will be pretty apt to need
large supply in the next forty eight
hours, as that CARING funeral will call
for more than we can furnish from our
own plant
Ten minutes later the message went
off that electrified the household at
Bois dare:
Send all available blooms. Letter to
follow. Terms guaranteed
REPPLIER BROS
Miss Rebecca was bewidered ut the
very idea of money to be gained from
the profusion that riotcd in hedge and
arbor and over the waste of unkempt
gardens, but JeSsica rallied the idle ne
groes and worked all night until the
dawn, when Uncle Reuhcn drove down
to Aldana with wagon load Of bas-
kets filled to the brim with fragrant
merchandise.
Evening brought the letter that made
possibility certainty, and busy days
followed for Jcssica. More land was
leased and little office constructed
in the old weighing room of the gin
that now served as u packing room.
Miss Rebccca willingly let 20 the rcins
of Bois dare into JcsSicaS hands.
Once more Aunt Aisa rcjoiccd in a
well filled pantry. and bit by bit the
old border was restored, excepting al
ways the tail. soldierly figure that had
moved out from among them forever
November had come, and a soft haze
lay over the sunny fields, and a tang of
frost lurked in the breeze. JeSSica lay
in the hammock under the pines, her
loosened hair blown back in a ruddy
halo and the bars of sunlight fccking
the smooth olive of her rounded cheek
with golden light as She swayed back /
and forth, a picture that held the in /
trudcr silent until the crunching of the /.