The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1914-09-04
CHAPTER VII.
Old Letters and New.

Blossy left the room without a
word and went stealing up the stairs
to the little cupboard whore she now
slept. and whore was hung on the
wall, in frame Of yellow hollyhocks.
painted by her own hand. Il photo.
graph of Capt, Samuel Darby, the man
who had remained obstinatcly devoted
to her since her days Of pinaforcs.
The picture betrayed that Captain
Darby wore a Wig designed for q
larger man, and that the yisaRe be.
meath was gnarlcd and weather beaten,
marked with the signs OF stubborn
and unreasonable will
Even now the aged belle could hear
him saying Here be. come Ground
Ter pop ag'in. Ready ter hitch?"
Samuel's inclegant English had al
ways been u source OF distress TO
Blossy; yet still she stared long at
the picture.
Six months had passed since his last
visit. tomorrow would be the date OF
his winter advent.
Should she give the old unvaryine
answer to his tireless formula?
She glanced around the tiny room
Ashamed though she was to admit it
even to herself. she missed that ample
and coy chamber which she had SO
freely surrendered to Abraham and
his wife. She missed It, as she felt
they must crave their very own fire
side; and the thought that they missed
the old homestead made her yearn Tor
the homo that she might have had
the home that she still might have.
Again she brought her eyes back to
the portrait; and now she saw, not the
characteristics which had always made
it seem impossible for her and Samuel
to jog together down life's road, but
the great truth that the face was hon
est and wholesome while tho eyes
looked back into hers with the prom
ise OF an answering care and affec
ton.
The next morning found Blossy
kneelng before a plump little leather
bound, time-worn trunk which she KEEP
Der The trunk was packed hard witt
bundles OF old letters. Some hcI
younger fingers had tied with viola
ribbon some they had bound will
pink; others she had fastened togeth
er with white silk cord and there wer,
more and more bundles. both slim AM
stout, which Blossy had distinguished
by some special hue OF ribbon in thu
long ago, each tint marking n differen
suitor's missives.
To her still sentimental eye the col
ors remained unfaded, and each woul'
bring to her mind instantly the pic
ture OF the writer as he had been II
the golden days. But save to Blossy'
eye alone there were no longer an,
rainbow tints in the little old trunk
for every ribbon and every cord ha'
faded into that musty, yellow brow
which Is dyed by the passing of man,
years.
Abraham discovered her there, to-
cngrossed In the perusal Of one Of tn
old letters to have needed his creah
ing steps upon the stairs.
Didn't see yer, till most stumble
on yer" he began alphabetically. e
come fer the applepicker. Thar's
handful of russets in the orchard vi
that's calc'latin' ter spend Christina
up close ter heaven; but Say
Blossy." he added more loudly, sine
she did not raise her head, "yew see
anythin' O. that air picker?"
Blossy glanced up from her ragged
edged, crackly billet.doux with star
and dropped the envelope to the foo
For the moment, so deep in remini'
cence was she, she thought Capital