Year: 1865

|
drew long breath and sat down bewil
dered


d" | can hardly believe it yet, father, ht
said feebly.


"But it is true nevertheless, my boy
and lest you should be tempted to despise
your parents--never mind depreciations-
I'll tell you all about it, Sit still, mother you
need not be ashamed to hear your youth
full exploits spoken of "


"Oh, Mr. Thorn we never told any Of
our children. Do you think it best to tel
Robert ?"


This was the most violent expostulation
that good, gentle Mrs Thorn ever uttered
and after that, if Mr.. Thorn signifed that
he did ''think it BEST" she acquiesced pla.
cidly, perfectly satisfied that he must be
right


" How cruel you are, mother, to try to
frighten father and prevent my hearing
the story I would not have thought it of
you'll


This was an ancient household Jest, to
pretend to fancy the wild little woman
frightening somebody and putting the fam
lily in mortal terror for daring to dispute
her will Itput them all in good humor
with themselves and each other


"Now, Bob, the old gentleman com
menced " ! take it for granted that, not
withstanding your objection to runaway
matches, you are inclined to think we'll of
your parents.


You've no idea that in his youth your
father was a ravenous wretch, going about
the world seeking whom he may devour, in
the shape of richy-endowed damsels with
more money than brains Nor do you think
your mother, who can testify, was really
a passable looking girl when i'll her teens,
ever firted and read novels after the fash
ion of those silly Miss Sedleys down at the
mill village. Nor were we, either of us
persons of that class. | was the son of a
poor widow, who worked and strove to keep
and educate me while was a child, and
worked and strove to lift this and all other
burdens from her shoulders as soon as | was
old enough. | really had no time to ro am
about in search of even such delicious food
And Patty there, though her father was a
wealthy farmer, she had to spin and bake,
and brew and remember the summer
she was sixteen she was engaged in weav-
ing web of linen to be made into table
cloths for her own outfit. She had spun
and prepared the yarn, and after she had
woven it twas it the lemon-peeI or birds
eye, Patty p she bleached it, cut it into
lengths, and sewed it with her own hands
That is the way girls did in those days, and
! they had not much time for novels or firta-
ton either.


~ was a great awkward lad of twenty :;
that summer. For two winters had taught
school in the little log school-house on the
hill, and all the summers | worked for one
or other of the rich farmers in the neigh
borhood. This year had hired out to
Squire Evans for ten dollars month
guess you don't remember your grand
sire Evans do you Robert? He must have
died before you were old enough to notice
Well he was Patty's father and counted
hard stern man, with gusty passions and
given to harsh words if people or things
displeased him. But Patty had been my
scholar the two winters had been teach
ing and | made up my mind that | could
get along with her father for the sake of
being where | could see her every day. SO
closed with his offer and went there to
live, though Deacon Thompson had offered
me dollar more month.


| should have been angry if any one
held me servant. | did not feel like one,
nor was treated as one. sat at the same
table and partook of the same food as my
employers, and | was lodged as we'll as
they. retained my self respect and was
respected by them. But still there was an
intangible line of separation. In one sense
was acknowledged equal-labor did not
degrade me but poverty placed me lower
in the social scale than the rich farmer and
his family.


Pretty Patty did not feel this. You
were pretty Patty then, you know mother
| think that in fact she really looked up to
me. She had learned the trick Of obedi-
ence as my pupil and she was as gentle
and yielding then as have always found
her. 1t was not long before found cour-
age to tell my love and had the delight of
listening to her confession that it was rec-
procated felt sort of indefinite fear of
opposition but did not imagine it would
amount to more than a mandate Of delay.
That l thought myself prepared for. l
must prepare home and command the
means of supporting wife before l took
one. We were both very young, and quite
willing to wait till we could marry with
comfortable prospects for the future


al, of course had no thought of doing
anything mean or secret. | went to the
Squire the very next morning after the de-
licious summer evening that had witnessed
the plighting VOWS, and, as the phrase went
in those days asked his consent | re-
member this scene so we'll that it seems to
appear tangibly before me as | speak-the
great barn, with the fragrant hay piled
high in the mows each side, and the Squire
looking at this odorous wealth with a sort
of grim exultation. Grain harvest was to
commence next day, and fancy he was
wondering where to bestow the golden
sheaves which, before the weeks end would
be brought there In truth, his barns were
overfowing already.


81 disliked the task | had to perform now
that the time of it had come but it must
be done. And, after all, | reasoned, there
could not be a more propititous time for the
Squire is in the best of humors But there
was the point of my mistake The cause
which put my employer in such pleasant
mood was the very one to prove most I'M
favorable to my suit. II had more word
ly wise should never have chosen that
moment to propose my poor self as a SON
in-law. of that rich man, exulting in his
wealth. But was young, and had never
been taught i'll the hard school which de-
grades the honest man because of his pov
|