The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-06-11

deserves a rich a term as our language
viii afford, there lived a respectable
farmer and his family, consisting OF a
wife and one son. a young man about
tWenty-One years of age. There was
daughter at one time in the family, out
she had married and left it few years
before. Mr. Morgan had given heT-oT,
rather, her husband-efghty acres of
land at her marriage, the young man 5
father built them q house. and both to
gether gave them stock and implements
enough 10 start housekeeping ana
farming with
The young woman was married at
nineteen, but in that simple society
enough worldly experience to enable one
10 be the head Of a family was acquired
early in life. The young wife needed to
know how to cook. sew. make soap, and
such things; the husband to pillow, use
an axe. and make hay. These things
We're learned early, because children be-
gan work early. Little girls made bread
al twelve and thirteen. boys were
hands in the harvest field at fourteen
and fifteen.
Although George Morgan was two
years younger than his sister, he be-
came possessed with the desire to
marry soon after she left the home
Her happiness in a cheap little house,
and everything her own. so affected
him that he wanted to try it himself
But this was not the only thing that
produced his desire; there was a slender
girl, with a pale face living about two
miles away, that helped Jenny was
just the girl to fill a simple heart and
call out the sympathy that is the fOun-
dalton of love. She was tall, with
dark brown tired eyes that told Of the
hard life she had led and Of sorrows she
had had Her father was a lazy good
for-nOthing and a drunkard. Her eldest
Fr-f1f Hrar- L
died OF consumption when she was
fifteen.
Although George wanted to marry the
girl So much. he felt that his father
would not let him. Mr.. Morgan had no
use for an imprOvident man. especially
a man that would drink liquor. and
besides, he bad had some personal
trouble with Virgins. George knew
this. and he also knew that his father
was most unforgiving. Consequently
for several years he was tossed back
ward and forward between his desire
TO marry and the fear of not getting
his fathers consent. He was contin-
ually waiting for a more propitious
time.
One winter the young girl caught A
deep cold that lasted until spring 4
bright red spot appeared in each of her
pale cheeks and her eyes looked deeper
and SaddeT than ever. Strange to say
or perhaps il is not-C5eorge wanted
TO marry then more than ever. but this
sickness he knew would only add more
force to his fathers opposition But
spring came. and with il the return Of
the girls health. and in the middle Of
the summer, when she was apparently
well, George determined that Il was the
time 10 have the matter out with his
father one way or the other. He told
Jenny one Sunday afternoon that he
IN to d f-F
sent. but she begged him not to. She
knew everything was against their
marriage. and she feared the test But
George was determined. and with sad
ness she saw him depart for home.
George turned in at the gate in front
Of his fathers well-built barn He lOOS-
ened his horses rein. patting her neck.
Jenny my beauty" he said, now
you can let her down"
At the house he found his father
sitting in the shade of a tree. his coat
OF. and his clean white shirt showing
creases from the ironing The old
gentleman was not troubled with 4 col
lar: he seldom wore so useless an arti-
Gle of clothing. and certainly not on
warm summer afternoon We'll. which
one have you been 10 see today.
GeOrge?' he asked goOd-humOredly.
My best one George answered
evasively.
I guess you found her other fellow
there
NO there wasn't any one else there.
George found his mother in the
kitchen setting their cold Sunday SUD
per He knew that getting his mothers
consent would be the smallest Of his
difficulties but he wanted her advice
He also knew that the prospect Of a
quarrel between him and his fatra-
would worry her. and he dreaded 10
tell her.
Mother" he said at last. I've got
something I. want 10 talk TO YOU about.
I don't expect YOU viii like IL very
much, but its important TO me" He
paused, hardly knowing what to say.
and then stumbled on It's about-do
YOU think father will give me a start
like Anna2 I'm getting along uOw-I
want to settle down."
You are young vet, George She
thought he meant only TO work for him
self You are well enough at home,
aren't you"'
I know. but would like to have
piece Of land of my own and be working
for myself"
But your pa. needs you, and I need
loU- George Your pas getting along
in years, and who'll do things for me
if YOU leave Who'll bring in the stove
wood for me- If had another boy or
giTI-but You are all 7 have got"
George traced the figures on the red
tableCloth with a fork. He saw she did
not guess what he wanted to say. and
he shrank from telling her Ma. I can't
stay here always. DON'T yOu-don't YOU
think III ever want to- get married.
Yes. you viii want To be getting
married some time. but you don't want
70 be thinking about that vet. I don't
believe in children getting married too
young Anna married too young Your
pa and I were not married unit! he was
twenty-five and was twenty-five.
That's young enough 7 have known
people and she rambled of. getting
furthe and further away from Georges
case. until he became desperate
Why" she said. finishing they had
no more business getting married than
you would. and you oughtu't to be
thinking about anything like that for
years yet
This was poor enCOura cement. but he
felt that he must have the truth out
before things got worse. That's lust
what I wanted To talk about" he said
with a gulp, II DO want TO get mar
ried" de did not dare look at his
mother, but continued tracing the
figures.
Her voice almost failed her. George.
you don't" But she saw by his actions
that he was I'm earnest. You are too
young. George You Oughtn't to be
thinking about II yet
NO. I am not. mother. I've got a
team of horses of my own. and if father
VIII give me a piece of land I could get
along"
The mother looked at him and shook
her head sadly.