Year: 1863




exquisite. But it was not her maiden
beauty and modesty and innocence not
the loveliness and sweetness of her tenn
per; not the charm of her vivacity and
sprightly humor, which attracted Jona-
than Lance. He was looking for a pro
ftable wife. l wonder if these people
who talk SO much about profit and things
profitable ever read that text commen-
cling: what shall it profit a man..
Jonathan Lance never had, or if he had
be did not apprehend it. Hiscreed was ::
Broad is the road and wide is the gate
that leadeth into life, and everybody
shall go in thereat. And TO become rich
in lands and cattle, in gold and silver, was
the great aim of his existence. His fa-
ther had been, in the phrase of the times,
"a man of property, man who under
stood law:" he could write deeds and
wills and the like legal documents he
could survey lands and settle disputes
always looking out for self.proft mean
time.


Jonathan's mother was feeble and sick.
ly. She could not properly perform, for
large family, the work of the manutac-
turer, the tailor, the dressmaker, the laun.
dress, the dairymaid, the chambermaid,
the cook, the housekeeper, nurse and mo-
ther; bat the duties of all these were ex-
pected of her, and it was also expected
that they would be performed with the
utmost exactness; neglect in any point
brought upon her the reproaches and
even the imprecations of her husband
why is not your floor swept, Madam ?
he said to her at one time; and with
dreadful oaths he called on the prince of
The power of the air to sweep the floor
with whirlwind. Not many days after,
his request was answered. The house
was carried away by a strong and terri
BILE gale; and it was a thing remarked
and greatly talked of at the time, that the
floors remained attached to the ground
timbers, swept OF all rubbish and dust
perfectly clean.


But the wife received in the hurricane
some injury which resulted in her death.
Nothing prospered in the hands of Mr.
Lance after this. He lost nearly all be
possessed Of that which men call proper
ty, and going up into the state Of New
Hampshire, he bought portion of un-
reclaimed land, and on the side of bill,
like some wild creature of the woods,
dug himself dwelling. Outside this
cave or cellar grew presently room en-
closed by logs, and there he lived until
his death.


The other children were scattered, but
Jonathan remained with his father and
after his death lived on alone in the bur
row. as the neighbors said. Owning
land which was very desirable for build
ing and tillage, in process of time ham
let sprang up around him called Lance
boro. And Jonathan now was rich. He
was educated too, in a way. He could
survey land and write legal papers like
his father; he was famous in the 'boro
as a mathematician he planted, sowed
and gathered in barns he was wealthy
in horses, sheep and cattle. To be sure
he lived in the old 'burrow' still, but he
was soon to build substantial house.
BY this time he was thirty years old, and
this takes me back to the commencement
of my story, in the year 1898.


You are a woman of capacity and ex-
cellent judgment, Mrs. Love- said be,
and l wish to have your advice on an
important matter. / am about to choose
myself wife. have selected two girls
but cannot decide between them these
are Nancy Flannigsn and Beulah How
ard


Il compliment your taste, Mr.. Lance
they are two very handsome girls replied
she.


They are both handsome girls said
Jonathan they are called beauties, but
beauty is not enough for me. We all
know what Nancy's family is. 1 would
take good care no harm should come from
that. She would no longer associate with
her family If she became my wife. No
thing can be said against the Howards,
though Dolly did marry Jesse Dale
But, Mrs. Love, which will make the
more profitable wife 1t is that / wish
10 know


Mrs. Love hesitated. They both are
capable girls she said. perhaps Nancy
would be the best suited to you


But Jonathan Lance did not so decide. |