The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-04-11
A HEART HISTORY.
9 9 8 9 g @ @ o O @ 8 @ 9 . @ 9 9
By Lou Bell

have you flown to? On, here she
comes. Well, Margaret, we've got
him at last. This is your Cousin Reu-
ben. Give her kisS-that's right"
Margaret turned pale when she first
cast her eyes upon her cousin who,
with red head and a somewhat limp
ing gait, advanced to salute her. Then
a rosy blush and an arch smile stole
over her pretty face. But she biuShed
still deeper and drew back timidly
from the tender embrace her young
relative would fain have given her.
''My own dear Margaret, was
whispered in her ear.
$50 your mother would not venture
with you?" said the farmer |'I'n1 sor-
ry, it is many a year since we met. |
trust she is we'll"
'Not very, she is greatly troubled
by rheumatism"
"That's too bad" said Mr.. Willis,
"and what has become Of Deacon
Gracie?"
'The deacon has gone to Califor-
MA"
"What! The deacon gone to Cali
fornia? Well, that beats ALL I'll war
rant old Mr.. Stubs is living"
Dead, a year ago."
Dead, is he? What killed him, I
should like to know, for / thought
him good for a hundred years.
Well, Reuben, how do you like your
Cousin Margaret? l think she is some
like your mother"
81 think Margaret is deided dar-
ling" replied Cousin Reuben, with a
cunning glance at the fair object in
question.
"But you look like the Willises, all
but your hair; none of our family
ever had red hair" continued the far
mer, "and excuse me, but l never
could abide it. What makes you limp
so, nephew? Nothing serious, l
hope
ooh, no! Nothing but rheumatism,
Uncle Andrew"
"Good gracious, rheumatism again
Now make yourself at home, will YOU,
for l must feed the oxen. Margaret,
take good care of your cousin
"Don't hurry, uncle, l am quite at
home" and as Mr. Willis closed the
door, Cousin Reuben sprang to the
side of Margaret and, stealing his arm
around her waist, imprinted kiss
upon her burning cheek.
81 say, nephew, we must battle
your rheumatism in beef brine" said
Mr.. Willis, reopening the door. Then
hastily closing it, he snapped his fin
gers and said: "Ah, it will do. He is
a fine young fellow, l see, only that
confounded red hair. He got that
from the Richards"
More than week passed by. Mar
garet and her cousin agreed wonder
fully well, and her father was in &C.
stacy at the recovered bloom and
spirit Of his daughter.
"Ah, Margaret" he said one day,
slying pinching her cheek, what do
you think of Cousin Reuben now?
Isn't he worth dozen of your COL
lege fellowE?" and Margaret protest
ed that she liked Cousin Reuben just
as we'll.
Cousin Reuben, who was now fully
domesticated, made himself not only
very agreeable, but very useful as
well, and the farmer regretted more
and more every day that he had not
known him sooner. Reuben was a
geologist, and he explained to Mr..
Willis how some portions of his farm
might The made to make far better
crops; ne was an architect, and he
drew the plan Of the new house Mr..
Willis expected to build in the spring.
He was botanist, geometrician.
why, how in the world did you
pick up so much learning out West?
I should think you had been to col
Iege, by the way you talk said Mr..
, Willis.
eyes, uncle, and I have just taken
my degree" replied Reuben, looking
at Margaret.
''You? The deuce you have, why,
where did your mother raise the mon
ey to send you to coilege?"
"My education was provided for by
my grandfather's will"
ct was, eh? l an sure I'd never
dreamed that you mad been to college,
though I thought from the first YOU
knew considerable for your years.