The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-01-20

laughter. Besides, no woman OF spirit
would marry man who can't stand
up for his own rights. I am very sure
I shouldn't"
With that biting declaration Neva
tipped the whip over the pony's ears
and drove away with head held high.
She had never actually encouraged
his suit, but neither had she ever
openly scorned him before. Now he
knew that she despised him for weak
ling because of MS lenience toward his
fathers second wife and her vain Off
spring. To Jim it seemed cruelty u1-
just. Yet he reasoned hat she was
probably right. Perhaps outsiders
viewed his many concessions just as
she did and despised him also. She had
advised him to revolt! to sell the house
that held the tenderest associations
of his joyous, care-free youth, when he
had been the closest companion of his
parents. The rose hedge, now grown
to gnarled, 'blossomed wall, had been
set out by his mothers loving hands
with Jim helping her with childish
ardor. He distinctly remembered the
erection Of the vine-covered summer
house, where the happy little family
spent their leisure moments summer
after summer until his mother died
Several years after his mothers
death his father had married an at
tractive widow with three pert, half
grown children who had made the en-
suing year sadly unpleasant for the
quiet, peace-loving oil man. But re-
lease came to him after short illness,
and he died leaving his property
equally divided between the widow and
Jim. Mrs. Prescott Immediately sold
her share and invested the proceeds,
while she continued to live in the home
place which was left Internationally
to Jim.. She monopolized the farm in
come TO defray all the expenses Of her
self and her two airy daughters; be-
sides an incidental outlay in behalf of
her son, who made life as unpleasant
for Jim as AN arrogant, conceited and
lazy young idler is capable of doing
After a year or so of heroic tolerance
Jim had let his stepmother know that
he had thought of marrying.
"You surely don't want this whole
big house to YOURSELF" she exclaimed
in grieved surprise.
Jim told her that he thought it I'M
wise for two families to live together.
But we shan't be two families, Jim
dear. Your wife will be one of us!"
she declared with warmth. ANY nice,
pleasant-tempered girl would be only
too glad to have such lovely company
as the girls. Anyway, we simply
couldn't bear the thoughts of leaving
the house where we have been so
happy. l will never go away unless
you put me out, and 1 am perfectly
SIRE that you will never be guilty OF
such cruelty. The very thought of
such a thing would have broken your
poor, dear fathers heart"
That ended the matter for some
time. Jim's courtship did not progress
very rapidly, owing chiefly to his very
low estimate of his own chances
against two apparently more favored
suitors.
II might have known it from the
start" said Jim, rousing at last, when
the rim of the young moon pierced the
velvet-black shadows that enveloped
the world like dusky mantle. I'm
only Il poor dull stick beside Will Ell
version. He's the sort that girls like
Neva marry. Well, don't care much
what comes or goes after this, so they
can keep the house and run things to
suit themselves. I'm going off where
there won't be any reminders Of what
might have been."
After that Jim worked harder than
ever to get together enough money for
a humble start in the west, where he
decided to go in order to get away from
associations that had grown inexpress
IDLY dreary to him since he lost hope
about Neva. His stepmother continued
to entertain lavishly in behalf Of
her daughters. whose matrimonial
prospects depended largely upon Jin1's
bounty, and as he was too weary of 1t
all to make any objections, no one
consulted him. He stayed in his
cramped, bare quarters in the repair
shop without a murmur, really glad
to be away from the unwelcome mer-
riment that filled the house at all
hours. One afternoon, however, he
was called from his work in the field
to find Neya awaiting him on the We
randa in company with young Elyer-
son who looked gayer and more bouy-
antly handsome than ever Jim brave
ly stifled the pang of jealousy that
seemed for one cruel instant to crush
out his very life, and put out one
brown. toll worn hand into which Neva
laid hers with charming smile.
II have come to look at the house"
she informed him cheerfully. eve
that is I am thinking of buying the
| place."
Buying the place." Mrs. Trescott re-
peated incredulously. forgetting her
listening guests. "You have made a
big mistake if you imagine it is for
sale"
1T is you who are mistaken if you
think it isn't" Neva answered ur-