Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-03-10
A MODERN
JACOB
By A. RoBT. GRoH

| Anthony Johnson had worked two
years as hired man for Laban Walker.
/ Anthony is good worker and has
money in tie bank. Why does he not
buy farm of his own?" people asked.
Anthony knew why. So, also, did
pretty Rachel Walker. 1t was for her
smiles and presence that Anthony con-
tinued to toll for Laban Walker.
Rachel knew that Anthony was in
love with her month after he came
to work for her father. In her heart
she rejoiced in his alteration. But,
like many good women, she was some
thing of croluette, and so when, as
they were driving home from church
one day, Anthony asked her to marry
him, she smiled rogNishly and said:
Father wants me to marry La
| fayette Fraser"
| Anthony bit his lip and struck the
horse such a cut with the whip that
the animal jumped forward with a
suddenness that threatened to upset
the buggy.
Fraser was widower, but he
owned more land than any one else
in the county. Rachel had smiled on
him when he called, especially when
Anthony could see her. Eraser had
tried in vain to find out whether Walk
er's farm was mortgaged, and had de-
cided in the end that Rachel was a
good bargain" even without money.
| Anthony drove along in silence after
Rachel had given him her answer.
Finally, when he could trust his voice,
he said:
do you think you love him
Rachel?"
well, why shouldn't II" she asked.
tossing herspretty head.
Anthony was not skilled in the ma
neuvers of such situations, and as he
was not woman he did not get by
intuition the gift of acting well under
such circumstances So he said no
more. His heart was too full for ut
terance.
| They soon reached home, and he
helped her out of the buggy. Then
without word he drove to the barn
and put away the horse. He changed
his clothes mechanically and did the
chores, barely knowing what he was
doing.
That evening, after Rachel had re-
tired and when her father was doing
over the Farm Journal, Anthony ap-
preached him.
MY years up next week, and then
must leave,' he said.
"What-what's that" exclaimed
Walker. Didn't We tell me just last
week that We would stay another
Iyear?"
"Yes," admitted Anthony, "but cir
cumstances have changed since then"
Nothing Walker could say would
change his purpose, and he went off
to bed, where he passed sleepless
| night. What mattered now the money
he had saved during the years of toll?
She, for whom he had worked and
saved and planned great things for
the future was going to be another's.
He ought never to have hoped for her,
he told himself. He might have
known he was a fool to aspire to the
hand of such a girl.
Rachel had been little worried
during the night about her treatment
of Anthony. "He took me SO awfully
seriously" she reflected. And then
she took little tintype out of box
and looked at it before she went down
stairs to get breakfast.
Her father was there, and he told
her of Anthony's determination. She
was frightened. She hurried back to
her room, SO her father would not see
the tears that welled up in her eyes.
She had never dreamed that this
could come from her bit of couuet.
tishness.
That evening when Anthony came
in from doing the chores he heard his
name called in low voice. 1t was
Rachel.
"You-you didn't think / meant
what 1 said about Lafayette Fraser,
did You, Anthony" she said, her voice
trembling.
Anthonys heart gave a great leap
of JOY.
ooh, Rachel, do you-can you mean
you care for me?"
| Her eyes were cast down and she
was picking to pieces flower. She
looked up timidly at him, and in the
half darkness he saw her slender
form sway. The next moment he held
her tight in his arms and her smiling
eyes were upturned happily to his.
Society of Breakers.
i