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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 9, 1874)
- 9 MES, Jl.j. bf.MffAT. Mltor aa ProprleUj, '.1 Ori'ICKCor. Front nm I Ntnrk; Streeli. A Journal tor tne People. 1 wlH " IlebTSrio'tlie Interests of Humanity; 'inSeemient In rdlltlcsWd'RellsIon. .;Allv5 to all live Is3Ues, iand .Thoroughly Radlcal.ln Oprnsandlitrw'lnfjjiia'ronij TKIUIB, IK ADVAXCK: of thp lies s. , One year- Hlx month . ...... I TO I 00 J urftu month.. Fkee Kprr.ru, Fkf.f. Vrtxi, Fkfk Pkopsr, Correipni. '-uts writing overasjamed signa tures must uike known their names to the AT)VEUTI8E3inXT.SlHertelon Reasonable Terms. vot.xrjvrE nr. T'oxtTivivr) r okegon, fkiday, jVjVtj-ajrat o, lsr-i. Edltor.or n attention will be gtvcnlo their SsTTSXUEIt 11. commnnleai.onj. tud ) THERE'S Dl.MiKr. IX THE TOWS. There! John, hHeh IMiMn to the post; come near me ami sit dawn; ' Your mother wnnU to talk to you before you drive to town. My hairs are sray; I soon ahnll be at rait within the crave; Not tows will mother pilot yon o'er lire's tern r pestuotu wave. I've watebed o'er ymi from infancy'tlll now yoaareaman. And I have altrayit lored you aa a mother only ean; At morning and at evening I have prayed tbe (M4 or love To blew and snide my dariln; boy to the bright home above. A mother" eye I searching, John; olil n;e eati dim 1U sight. When WBtetotng o'er an only elilW to see If be doea rlaitl; And very lately I have tern what hat aroused And made my pillow haid at ulght.aud tnoUt eed It wMi tears. I've heen a light within your ejw, Hjxjn your eheek agtew, That teM me yon wereHi the road that lead? U ciuune and woe; Oh! John, dont turn your liead away, and on myeoHneel frown; Stay more hjxhi the dear old funn; tlierofc dan ger in the town. ' Ksmember what the jioet snys long years havo proved it true- That "Satan JU wine infeelilef Mill for Idle hands la du." If yon live on in idleness with those who love the bowl, lou'll aiz yourself a drunkard1 jrave and wreck your deathhWA soul. "i our father, John, H Mwine old ; his days are nearly through; Oh! he ha labored very hard to save the farm lor you; But it will po to ruin anon and poverty will frown, If you keep hllebint; Dobbin up to drive Into the town. iw preapeetos for the future are very bright, my son Kotmany have their start In life when they are twenty-one; Your star that shines so trrrcblly nowtn dark ness will decline , If you forget your mother's words, and tarry at the wine. Tarn baet, ray boy, now In ytwr youth; stay by the dear old farm; The temperance eaute will savw you, and make ' strong your good rtsht arm; Not hwifT will mother pilot you o'er life's tem pestuous wave Then light her jtathway with your love down to the silent grave. JUDITH MILES; What Shnll be Done Willi Her? by una. r. p. VICTOR. Entered, accord In t the Aet of Congress, In the yaar 1673. by Mrs. F. F. Victor, In the Office of the IJWswtan of OHfreu,al Welling ton OKI. , CHAITKR VI. JCMTH RBCIEVFiS VISITS. Judith watched her father ride away Into the hazy distance of the spring twi light, and having coaxed Katie to go to sleep on "Pap's bed," sat down to her books. She read by the light of tallow dip tlie poems Mr. Slniltz had asked her to criticize, wondering if her judgment about them could possibly be worth any thing, and reading, soon became con scious of a very distinct impression con cerning them. So absorbed were her thoughts in the subject that the clatter ing of a horse's feet suddenly checked close at hand gave her a violent heart beat, and caused her to look at the guns hi their hanging racks, speculating whether she really should use them if a danger threatened. Directly there came a rat-tat-tat upon the outside of the house, and a voice which Judith could not mistake was calling out, "Oh, Miles!" with that peculiar inflection which makes the exclamation, "oh," before a name, thcdislinctivehail of the Southern people; used more or less throughout the West, where, on account of its resonant qualities, it is found suited to long distances. Judith quickly opened the door to that call, with a feeling of relief and joy proportionate to her usual alarm, and there, in the moonlight, was Mr. Shultz, who, expecting to see her father instead, had not dismounted. "Good-ovcning, Miss Judith," ho called out, cheerily. "Your father is he in ?" "Pap has gone to the meeting at the school-house," answored Judith from the ddor-stcp. "So! I came quite on purpose to ask him to go, and I intended to go myself; but now I have not much motive. wonder," thought the agent to himself, "what made Miles go?" Then aloud to Judith "Do you know If there wero others went with him ?" "Half-a-dozen of the neighbors were to be there, I believe." "The cattle-raisers ? Ah, yes, they have gone to see what the grain-farmers mean to do," thought the agent again. "Well," he said aloud, throwing him self from his horse" which he held by the raitct, "they do not need mc quite yet, and I bhali make myself happy in a little talk with Miss Judith, if I may. vCDld you find the pencils?" heasked, ad vancing to the door-step. "Yes," said Judith, "and I thank you. You are very kind;" but she did not invite him into the house. Appar ently he did not observe tho caution. "It is a lovely night," he said; "Ictus sit down here in tho moonlight while you tell me what you have done. What have you read? Have you used the pen cils?" And without further ccromony Mr. Shultz seated himself on the floor of the porch with his baak to thcwall where he could keep tho r"a in hand, and, at the same time, look at Judith, who remained standing upon the door step. "I have not read much," she said, with unconscious sadness in her voice, "and I havo tried drawing a very little. I have many interruptions," she added, by way of apology. "Yes, that I know. Tho pine tree grows in the cleft of a rock, and moun tain flowers defy the fiercest drought. They are marvels which we do admire for their hardy strength. It Is not given to all life to be at once so tenacious of it self without loss of its perfection. What can I say, Miss Judith, to persuade you to bring a chair and tell me what you think of the new poet? If I had not .my horse I should bring the chair my self." "Xo need of that," replied Judith, yielding, against her first intention, to thecharm of such society, and scaling herself upon tho step. "This is where Boouc and I often sit to talk. I wonder hwherc he Is to-night," she said, reflect ively, forgetting about the poet. "In camp, down towards San Bernar dino, rolled in his blanket with his face turned up to the heavens. I have lived that life, too. Ithassomecharms, but not enough to keep mo long. Tho new poet talks very much of such things." "Yes, but ho talks of things ho does not kuow," commented Judith, begin ning to criticize without thinking of it L"I have seen many of the things he de scribes, which he fails to describe truth fully because he has uot. 1 do not know about his Northern forests, for I have not been acquainted with them; but the Southern plains, and the customs of the Southern people, I do know. Why, no body who has ever been among tho Southern Califomians or Mexicans. would rbytno Spanish words as he does." "What word, for instance?" asked Mr. Shultz, amused at Judith's warmth. "6'c-rah-pc," returned Judith, giving the Spanish sound. "He makes it rhyme as if it were pronounced se ra pe." "He has much imagination do you not think so ?" "Yes, I think he has; but he has no soul, no heart, no honor. He betrays all his loves whom he seems to have loved because he could betray in the most selfish and unfeeling manner. If he had ever lived among tho Southern peoplo he never would have escaped alive after such adventures; or, If he had any Southern blood he never would hove made himself infamous by record ing them," declared Judith, with all the fervid indignation of her sixteen years, forgetting In the new privilege of ex pression the shyness and reticence usual with her. The proud poise of her head, and the brilliant flash of her full, dark eyes were worthy the study of an artist, as her companion was mentally remarking. "So that is your judgment. You arc severe on a rising genius." "Aud do you think differently?" asked Judith, with sudden animation. "Phave a right to know," she added, with a pretty consciousness, "because you first wished to compare opinions.' "I have to admityourcriticism, in the sense in which you make it. Your dis Unction between imagination and soul is a true one; and a poet cannot be truly great, or earn a lasting fame, without both. Your other remarks were true, also, and your judgment of the writer almost taintless, null, mere is a cer tain physical charm, if I might call it that, about his descriptions; aud his women arc attractive, materially. Do you not admit that?" "His women!" repealed Judith. "He has never written of a true woman- only of some well-formed slave," aud again the dark eyes emitted a proud light, and tbe figure so stately for six teen drew itself up loftily. Mr. Shultz laughed pleasantly. This exhibition of ctpit du corps In a fine woman, hardly yet more than a child, gratified his asthetic tastes. Perhaps ho was thinking also: "That Is all very well now; but If I had her, I should tame her." Whatever his thoughts were, Judith was not good at guessing them, had she wished to do so. Perhaps, too, If she had confessed it to herself, which she had not, Judith did wish to lenow Mr. Shutlz's thoughts, for that last remark of his in somo way suggestedihe gossip she had heard that afternoon concerning theSciiorita Inez, and a sudden silenco fell between them. In this silence Judith fell to pondering whether Mr. Shultz, possessing, as it seemed to her, limitless sources of enjoy mcnt, and having a cultivated and re fined taste, could be interested in merely attractive materiality. If he could, she did not understand It, and it would bo too humiliating to 'esteem so highly such a man to make a hero of him as she had. At that she sighed, her lumin ous eyes fixed on tho moon. "Well, I must go to that meeting, I suppose," said the agent, at length, startling bis dreaming companion by the energetic announcement. "Much would I prefer remaining here in this so pleasant company; but you Amcrlcaus have a motto, 'Business first and pleas tire afterward,' aud in atteuding to the business we have, to take our chance of the pleasure. For once, chance fa- Ivored the this night.1. I know not If 1 shall be so lucky another time. How Is tho little. Katie Well? That is good. You do not sigh too much for your brother ?" "I try to be patient, as I promised Boone I would; but It Is dull being with out hlrj Do you think he will be safe in Arizona?" she asked, with much earnest ne!, as If expecting him to know. "I hope so, indeed. We have heard nothing of tho Indians lately, and your! brother has experience of travel In that country. I wish hlmsafehomeforyourj sake. I did so enjoy your visit to me, ' which you will not repeat until your brother comes." Judith did not expect tills reference to the occasion of iter hollday-rlde, and it pleaded her because It seemed to remove the susplclou that anything of a disa greeahle nature had happened in conse quence of it. A less delicate mind might have sought to prove- or disprove the rumor on the spot; but to Judith such an attempt was impossible. Se cretly rejoiced as she was, she took care to correct Mr. Shultz's speech, by say ing with a mirthful air of denial: "I did not 'visit' you at least not in tentionally. ThatI remained along time on your hands was not my fault, but Boone's and yours." "I understand I understand," he hastened to explain; "but I shall be very glad to have you ou my bauds very often if It could be. And now I mutt go; the meeting will be all over before I get tftere. Good-night." "Good-ulght." Judith watched him, as she had watched her father, plunging further and farther Into the uncertain, waver ing distance, and only when his shape had entirely vanished, returned into the house and closed tho door. Physically weary, and with brain too exefted tore turn to books, she aroused the slumber ing Katie and assisted her staggering ascent to their little bedroom in the loft, where, seeing the child once more asleep, she extinguished tho light and sat down by tho low, square opening which served for a window, aud gazing out upon the moonlit plain, waited for her father. As tho night advanced, the mists of early evening cleared away, and the at mosphere became so cloudless that every ray of light fell unobstructed upon the earth, which had it been in Its autumn soreness would have reflected it almost undimmed, but which now in its spring greenness absorbed so much of the yel low rays as to leave the landscape look ing dim and shadowy in tho fullest light, making it Impossible to distin guish objects at even mid-distances. Peering into this half-obscurity with thoughts wandering from the scene be fore her, Judith saw come riding out of the shimmering distance a figure at first formless, but which on nearer approach might have been mistaken for some de generate follower of the god Pan. The horse it bestrode was one of the native breed small, sleek and nimble. Tho lower limbs of iU rider wero enveloped In a hairy suit of calf-skin, a hairy j vest extending over the shoulders and chest. Great Mexican spurs jingled at his heels, and a hcad-pcicc so out of shape that it required hut little imagin ation to furnish it out with horns and pointed ears, added to the grolcsqucness of the creature's appearance faun, centaur or satyr whatever it might be. Judith's educated eye soon detected the nature of the apparition, which she knew to be oue of the native Califor- uian vacqueros, probably belonging to the Speddon estate. But as theirdispo sitions wero often as diabolical as their road whether It suits us or not, Mr. Miles. If It comes through your land it ruins it for stock-raising, and If it comes through ours weshall probably let Itout to wheat-growcra In large tracts nearest the road. In cither case It cramps you uncomfortably, as yon are perfectly woll aware." "Them fellers says as how yew hev let cout some ov yer land to wheat-growers a-ready." "Well, so have we." "Wharmoutltbe?" "All that tract lyintr to the east of your corner, and bordering on tho river up above th6 Yankee farms, is sown to wheat." "To cut nic ofTfrom the river when the branch gits low. Is that yer game?" "Mostlikelv the wheat will be cut be fore the drougfib conies on; but the land Is ours, Mr.' Mile, to use as we think best; and this Is oy the beginning of what Is sure to follow more and more every year, for the settlers arc coming in upon us wanting land. The cattle-rais ers will have to get It where they can; but the grain-growers can make money on rented laud while we have always some that might be rented with profit. You will think better of my proposition before the dry season. Good-night," with which cheerful assurance the man of culture rode away, leaving the man of preju dices to the bitterness of baffled expee tions. In the interest with which Judith list ened to litis dialogue she had not forgot ten to keep watch upon the movements of the mysterious vacquero, who, when Mr. Shultz started oft in a hand-gallop, emerged from his hiding and hastened after the agent at an equally rapid pace, reminding Judith at once of Tim Parker's half - drunken statement. Alarmed, and feeling (lint fchould any thing happen to Mr. Shultz she could uot be held accountable if she kept si lence, she at once hastened down to communicate her suspicions to her father, though with little enough hope of his sympathy. "Like as not," he returned, when Judith explained her fears and the oc casion of them; "but 'taint none o' my biznoss. I'm willitt' to beshet o' him, cf them Mexicans is willitt' to do tho job." It must not be supposed that Judith was as much shocked by this reply as ono unaccustomed to the manners of a rude and lawless class would have been. It startled her, nevertheless, to discover how deep-seated her father's animosity was. Besides, the danger, If danger there should be, was most imminent, re quiring Immediate action. "O, Pap," she begged, "please do ride a pleco nfter them, aud sec if it is all right." "An' git shot myself for a-follerin' 'em?. Not cf I know myself, Jude. Yew jest go to bed an' let Mr. Shultz paddle his own canoe. He Is able for it." Thero was consolation in this remark of her father's, unintentionally as it was imparted. Yes, Mr. Shultz teas as able to tako care of himself as most men, aud, although assassination could uot always be guarded against successfully, ho. was quite likely to be on guard, aud might oscapc. Nothing at all events could be done about it now, since her father refused his intervention, aud thero was nothing lelt for her butobedi ence. So she crept reluctantly back to her chamber and to bed, her Imagina tion full of horrors that haunted even her sleeping visions. Judith would have given much next morning to have known whether or not appearance, and as this one seemed to be plr. Shultz arrived safely home. If there rcconnoltcring the premises, in which had been the barest pretcuce of an ex 11 ' a.. . ll 1. he could have no lawful interest, Judith began to tremble for her lonely and un-1 protected situation, though the self-dependent training of her whole life had made her anything but a coward. As she recognized in the stealthy move ments of the vacquero some secret and undoubtedly evil purpose, she regretted not accepting the guard her father had proposed; yet as his object for that time seemed more a rcconnolsancc than a positive act of criminality sho resolved to keep watch upon him willi a view to finding out his motive, rather than to prepare for present peril. As the vacquero approached closely to the house he slackened the gait of his horse to a slow walk, evidently that his foot-falls might not be heard. Passing to somo distance, he returned, passing the house again In the same silent manner, looking aud listening, but evi dently unsatisfied with the result of his observations. For more than an hour this, scrutiny lusted, tho spy passing at Intervals of debt or ten minutes. At disc sho would have asked her father to go to the store. But as Boone had laid in the necessary supplies of groceries only so short a time previous, no excuse offered itself, aud she was left to the dis quieting influences of her own Imagin ings, until Tim Parker's wife, having heard tho news Judith so anxiously de sired to be iuformed about, and not be ing able to bear the exciting intelligence alone, made this tho occasion of a visit to Judith. It was rarely that Judith was favored by the company of her own sex. "That gal o' Mileses' was kinder queer," ac cording to the judgment of the wives and daughters of her father's associated She exhibited very little sympathy with their bodily ailments, never having kuowu what it jvas to bo ill; she ex pressed no interest lu stock, always having left such matters entirely to her father and brother; aud the babies and the "fellers" of the country round were equally Indifferent to her. As these wero the principal topics discussed length the approach of horsemen riding whenever she had made or received rapidly and conversing In loud tones caused the mysterious watcher to with draw to a distance from tho road, evi dently to allow them to pass undiscov ered, and Judith heard with joy the voices of her father aud Mr. Shultz dis cussing, as usual, the land values, aud all the old questions productive of noth ing but controversy. "It is the very best thing you cau do," she heard the agent say; "you aud all the other cattle-raisers, Is just to sell out and go farther back in the foot hills." " Whar the grizzlies an' painters ken llvo oir our btock. No, thank'ee." "You see they are gblhg"to build the visits, Judith preferred that society of which they knew nothing the com pany of books, and the inhabitants of her imaginary world. Gradually her style of speaking as well as of thinking was formed upon u different model from theirs, so that her peculiarities had become the subject of remark aud criticism. Added to the offense of be ing "queer," was the one of being hand some, with a beauty which they could neither deny nor appreciate a beauty of 'the grand Juno-like type, that in a "gal" of her age looked like "puttin' on airs." "Of 'all this Judith was Igno rant, and to all of It, had she known It, gbowohidbava been Indifferent. It never occurred to her to discourago an inti macy with these people the only soci ety which she knew nor that it was a tax upon her time and strength to en tertain them whenever they chose to come, since all the women ever she had known were content to serve and wait always provided that they did it not for hire, like the "niggers." Mrs. Parker, more commonly known as Deb Parker, or Tim Parker's wife, was a trim, rather sharp-featured little person, with hazel eyes and auburn hair, a sun-burnt complexion that might once have been fair and soft, and red, knotty hands that revealed the cause of the slight stoop iu the thin shoulders. Mrs. Parker was only about thirty years of age, but passed among her class as an old woman, so quickly does the beauty of womanhood depart when exposed to the hardships of frontier life. When Tim had come home the day before, drtinkcnly boasting having been waited on by that "purty gal over to Mileses'," poor, jaded Deborah, who had once passed for a pretty girl herself, could not resist a half-jealous tlesiro to sec the young beauty of whom others besides Tim had testified. The thought kept preseutiug itself to her mind, until having, a9 before mentioned, become possessed of some news too good to keep, she.deterruiucd to make that as sort of hospitality-earning gift, after the fash ion of various people, both barbarous and enlightened. Judith received her visitor, and the two tow-headed little girls who camo to sec Katie, with a quiet friendliness, re proaching her, as etiquette demanded, for a long absence. "Waal, it is so. I don't go uowliars senco we ca'iie ter live in Californy. When wo lived in Mizzouri the nabors they was considerable plenty an' I 'lowed in them days to go somcwhars onct a week, ginerally. An' I didn't hev so many young-tins then, nuthcr. But 'pears like sence Jell" was born thar hain't ben no time for metogonowhar. I hain't never ben so well, utithcr, senco we camo ter Californy. Crossing, the plains with a lot o' young-uus, trav'lln' most all day on foothelpin' tcrdrive the stock, an' cookin' fur the men comes right hard on a womau. An' Beaure gard, he was born afore wegotourhouse battened, an I tuk cold an' was sick a long time with a swellln' ou my lej an the baby an' I.ee has hed the measles hev yew heerd the news?" This question being appended in the place of a climax in the list of Debo rah's complaints, took Judith, whosent tentlon was beginning to wander, at a disadvantage, causing a visible start of surprise and a sudden accession of inter est, of all of which she felt uncomfbrt ably conscious. " do not hear much news now Boouc Is away," she answered eva sively. "Pap never talks much except about the business of tile ranch, aud not often about that, to mc." I thought yer Pap was dredful set agi'n the railroad," said Deborah. "He is a good deal set against it, I believe; but if it comes I suppose he will have to learn to like it. I should be glad to see some improvements in the country." "That's what I sav ter Tim. But he says It will be a bad thing fur the cattle raisers; an' 'pears like when men-folks git their heads set agi'n a thing they ain't airoin' ter hev It, noways. Do yew know Mr. Shultz?" "I have seen Mr. Shultz a number of times when ho has been to see Pap,' Judith replied with increasing warmth iuher face, which annoyed her the more that sho saw Deborah was watching her. "I've hecrn tell thct Shultz was mighty nice young feller, otry lie's reckoned powerful close in a trade. But I reckon he hain't uothin' ter do but to ilo'is he's ben told. Hev yew ben over ter tho store 'long hack?" Judith felt that sho was being "cor- raled." aud though burning with indig nation, replied as indiflerently as she could, that she "had been there once during the last year." "Folks say," pursued Deborah, "that Mr. Shultz is mighty perhte ter the gals that goes thar to trade; but I liain' hecrn tell uv but one as heguvadinner- party to." To this, being an assertion, merely Judith did not feel called upon to reply but gave hcrattention, with much show of its being needed, to the allairs of tli children in the kitchen. When alio re turned Deborah continued: "An' folks say as haow that thar do vou know that Spanish gal, Euez?; Exasperating as this inquisitorial pro cess was, the subject was too deeply lu tcreatiug to Judith for her to brook longer delay of the "news" which she felt sure was to come as the finale after thwe successive steps in its announce ment, and subduing her pride she answered with what composure she could: "I have seen her once, and heard about hera little Do you know auy thing about her?" "Waal, I hecrn this moruiti' thet she dressed up lu vacaro's clo's aud shot Mr, Shultz, last night, wlten he wasa-ndtu' home from the meelln'." "Shot Mr. Shultz! Do you mean Mr. Shultz is dead?" asked Judith, turning suddenly around upon her tormentor with a face so white that even Deb Parker was ashamed and partially hu manized by it. "Laws, honey," she answered in a softer ton?, "yew needn't look so skeert. Tiiat Knez is a jealous thing them Spanish women allersis,I'velieern tell. Mr. Shultz had a-betf hyar, hadn't ho?" she asked, her curiosity getting the bet ter of her compassion. "Did you say he was dead?" de manded Judith without answering, and gazing at her with frightened eyes. "Tho bullet broke his arm, Tim sez. J reckon he Isn't very badly hurt," was the consoling reply of Mrs. Parker. A groatsob wasswelling up in Judith's bosom, partly of relief, aud greatly also the expression of other feelings less understood. She would not betray her emotion to' the Impertinent gossip hose errand she knew was to pry into her&entiments concerning Mr. Shultz, and taking advantage of a momentary version caused by the youngest of the 'arker brood who had fallen into grief through handling the kitchen fire tongs, darted up to her attic to struggle there for the mastery of her new aud inexpli cable feelings. When she reappeared she held in her hands some of Katie's discarded toys which she pretended to nave been seeking, rortne amusement or the unfortunate Parker. "Yew must come over an' see me, right soon," said Mrs. Parker when she as takinglcavcthataftcrnoon. "We've got a new hand tew our house a right smart feller as ever I seen, an' a heap suilabler to a gal like yew than that stuck-up Dutchman," witli which part- ng jibe she gathered her brood and 'struck out" for the home ranch vigor- usly. "Oil, Boone!" cried' Judith, rushing uto the little sitting-room with both hands over her overflowing eyes; "if ou kucw how tired and miserable your sister is, you would fly to me iu spite of everything. I wish I knew where you arc f would follow you anywhere!" Then she cried passionately, as it was her halilt to do when her trouble seemed greater than sho could bear; and the shower cleared somewhat her mental atmosphere, as it is the mission of such summer showers to do. To be continued. How Sally Built Her Home. "f exnect vou on Saturday, John,' wrote Sallv Plummer. "Mrs. Iimen says you can stay here Just as well as not, as tliere are two ,spare rooms. Please do not disappoint me, as i nave a plan in my head which I want to con lido in you, etc., eic.,-eic." John riummer looKeii very grave over this letter. He never liked to go to Old town, cspec'illy to spend the Sabbath. It was such .i dull place, lie said to him self, and even ou Sunday the city was all alive. He shook his head over the let ter, but supiored he nvustgo. Sally did not ask him ofteu, and Sally was such a good girl. She had not required much of him, certainly.slnceiier mother had died, and that was live years beiore. Tiiougu out a child, then, but little over fourteen, she had beiran bravely to hew out her own path, and succeeded. What the plau J was sne spoKe oi, lie couiu nob even euess she was so generally very reti cent over her own affaire. Sally met him at the depot on Satur-' day night, according to appointment, and very proud-was she of her tall, styl- Ish-iooKlng uromer jonn. ahu jouii, fresli from the city though he was, had no reason to be ashamed of hi3 sister, for Sally was a pretty girl, healthly nreltv. with bright dark eyes and roses on either cheek. "I tell you what, Pally, you ougnt to Co to uoston," ne saiti atimimigiy. "You'd find lots of nice beaux:" and Sally laughingly replied that,slie could have beaux enough, but she didn't want then which was the truth. "Well, now, what is that famous plan ?" he asked, as the two sat at the pretty bay window, that evening, look ing over the moonlighted meadows and the hills beyond them. "John, 1 have one nuiuircu anu iiuy dollars," said Salhy. Whewi" winstieit jonn, "now inu you manage it .' Why, l uon't save a cent out of my salary." I haven't spent tnucn lor cigars," said Sally, gravely. - 'N no, l rather suppose not," was John's reply. i never unni. "Of course." "Or treat." "Girls don't treat," said John. "Why shouldn't they ?" "Well whv of course you don't expect such things of them; they're a a different sort of creatures from boys; haven't, any of those artihcial appetites." "Or any of the foolish prldo by which they are cultivated," replied Sally; "but. anv wav.'.we won't talk of that just now. The question is, what shall I no wtin my money . i want to uuiiu a house." John st -Htl un with his thumbs in his vest pockets, and looked at her. Want to bulla a house on a nunureu and fifty dollars! Don't you want to build a stair-case to the moon ? One Is as possible, almost, as the other." "Denoon Abel savs ho will sell mc a pretty little lot off tho Wallace Held, for liftv dollars cash. Then I cau get the deacon, who is a carpenter, you know, to put me up a house anu" "Anil what ?" "And I will pay him so much a year, until it is mine." "Sally, what a ridiculous girl you are! Better Invest your money in a good piano or ouo of thoso what you call them or gaus but will that's the most ridicu lous Idea I ever heard of. How in the world came you to think of it." "I want to bo independent. I have always wanted to be, and I don't want my money to lie idle. I am going to do several hundred dollars' worth of conv ing this year, for Lawyer Brown; and I think, calculating carefully and paying week, then you see you would have an Interest iu it yourself." He laughed. "I don't know how I could possibly squeeze out that much," he said, "unless I went without something." ,s: "Say cigars," responded Sally. . "Couldn't give them up; they're a ne cessity," he replied. "But I've1 been pondering over an occasional indulgence in wine which perhaps is not exactly beneficial." "O John!" exclaimed his sister in real distress, tho tears coming into her eves; "what would mother say ?" . ."Never mind that now," said John, hastily. "The fact Is, I am going u give It up, tills practice of drinking, ami I'll promise you two dollars a week till well, till I'm married," he 'added, laughing." "Are yen really going to be married, John?" asked Sally. "Not justyet,-" was the reply: "but I mi to be promoted next month, aud ns my salary will be much larger than it U now, and I have decided tocive up some of my luxuries, I think I may safely promise you that small sum." "O Jolml" cried bnliv and her tears wore now joyful onen "I didn't dreani of hearing all this good news. How happy mother must be if she knows it." John went back to the city on Mon day morning, and Sally went into her scliool-.ootn with a face so bright that the children felt it shine and insen sibly became happy themselves. As for sally, sue worked with a will: it was so pleasant to have an aim in life, some thing to hope for and to iook lorwani to. The little spot of land, fair to look upon was bought, stone hauled, timber located. Sally was busy with plans. With her own hands she set out little fruittreesaudbushes,and iongbeforo the house took shape, the garden was a beau tiful sight to see. A carpenter In town confessed to owing a debt to her father, of which Sally had not known, and of fered to work itout, to which the dea con did not object, ami that was so much gain. The house was slowly erected, but at the cud of eighteen months a beautiful little liome awaited the patient and in dustrious girl. Just as the house was finished, John was married, and Sally went to the wed ding. Everybody admired the pretty country girl, but John could no6 keep her. On the week after the ceremony, Sally's white muslins were all packet! and she stood at the door taking fare-v it r 1 1 . e V wen oi me sweet youug wiie. "iJy the way, how does the house look?" asked John as he held her hand. "It's as pretty as prcttv can be!" said Sally, with a laugh. I expect to derive some benefit from Uiat little business transaction," said John. "I hope you will; come at any rate and spend your vacation with me," said Sally, "and give your wife a breath of country air." t "What a dear little creature she ls'.'N. had gone; "so self-poised, so independ ent. Every one of Sally's pupils had taken a lively interest in the progress of th& house, and she was surprised, on its completion, at the arrival of a load of furniture, enough to furnish two room handsomely, and for which her schol ars had been saving and soliciting for more titan a year. Well, cally was very happy iu her new hotiie. The little garden was a source oi delight and profit, and when the sad ne.vscame to her, oneyear later, that her 1' -other John had met with an accident 'tat would cripple him for mouths, si.-.e went to his sorrowful home and took them all three to her sunny littit cottage, for which be had helped to ly. Ail three, I said, for a sweet little . epliew claimed her sympa thy and care now. There, in the sweet, fresh air, the invalid gathered new strength, a.id being free from anxiety, his recovery was hastened. "I little thought? when you talked about building a house, Sally," he saitl one day, "that I should ever need its shelter. What should I have done all these weary months of inactivity, if " "If I had bought a piano, or what you call them, organs ?" laughed bally cov ering his emotion. "You were wiser than I, little girl," John answered, a moment after; "and now that our furniture is all here, and we are fixed so comfortably, I feel as if even when I go Into business again, I should like to stay right along." "You shall on one condition, John," said Sally. "What is that?" "That you build a house on tho next lot. I will make you a present of the lot." "You," exclaimed John. "Yes; I bought it six months ago; nnd it is no more than right you should have it for the help hou have generously given me." "You had better cast your fortune in with her," said his wife,"forshe.is bound to be rich." "I'll tell you what," said John, as he was showing his friend, threo years later, over his neat little house; "I have great respect for a woman's judgment." Youth's Companion. houso at the eud of a small and pretty 1 tile third year. -If 'you invest even so little, say the small-sum of a dollar a Ono of the counties of the Stale of Cotinecticutboastsa judge, who, though poorly informed with those little refine ments usually met witli in polished soci ety, is an energetic, shrewd man, and a promising lawyer. A neighbor of his, recently, was about to give-away his daughter In marriage,and liavingadeep rooted dislike to the clerical profession, and being determined, as lie said, "to nave no internal parson in ms house," he sent for his friend the judge to per form the ceremony. The iudcre came. and the candidates for tho connubial yoke taking their places before him ha tuus addressed the bride: "iou swear you will marrv' this man ?" "Yes sir," was the reply. "And you" Uo the brldetrroomV "swear you will marry this woman ?" "Weir, 1 do," said the groom. "Then," says the iudcre. "I 'swear you're married!" A'nicJtcr6oc7;on Little Jennie T is five years old. Her uncle gave her a doll. Jenny cher ished the doll with" all a mother's' care. Tbe other day she was nursing it on-her knees; sho started suddenly, the doll fell and the head was broken off. Jenny was overcome with crief at this mlsfor- foritasl cet the work doue. I shall ovn tune, and looked ashast at the poor it . i ii.. t ' , ., , rt, . . i . ii... i..n,.'.., ,iu. M.oii raisin? herSeyes, sahlwl little angel in heaven." . .