The Abandoned Farmer

the time that she visited us at Waydean we had met only casually, yet at the end of that short visit we parted the warmest

and never failed to attribute to me more than my proper share of credit for the same. It was impossible for me to advance an opinion on any subject without her enthusiastic approval, but whether she approved of the ideas because they were mine, or liked me because of them, I could not determine. Another thing that made her visit enjoyable was Marion's flattering desire to show me up in the best possible light. I was surprised to find that I could work through my repertory of entertaining stories, and yet have my wife join in Aunt Sophy'

de to me for being instrumental in helping her to make up her mind. No one, she said repeatedly, had made her see her duty as clearly as I, and no one else could have said the same things (at this point she always paused to take off her glasses

ar that I, too, might be forgotten—a maddening conclusion, but logically unassailable. At such times I would hesitatingly ask Marion if she were sure Uncle Philip was forgotten, but she would only reply, "Tut!" or "Stop that!" in a vicious suppressed whisper. This was unsatisfying, but of course Marion did not understand my need of sympathy, and her mind was not in a fav

e feeling of sympathy that I had cherished for her deceased husband, and the half-reproachful tolerance of her projected second marriage, suddenly left me, and I not only transferred my sympathy to Mr. Fairman, but I began to hate the memory of Uncle Philip. I might not have gone as far as that if he had not persisted in haunting me after it had become impossible to harbor him without b

r you until after I'm gone, when you mightn't need it so much. You don't need it now? Of course not. Well then, you, Henry, if you can't think of anything else, might spend yours at the races; Marion can give a real nice ball with hers, if she wants to. Remember, I'd like each of you to spend your money without consulting the

ith forced gayety, "I've intended f

g

h of the climax I recovered my presence of mind and drowned her announcement with a loud laugh. "Awfully good joke!" I exclai

; evidently she wasn't. My laugh stopped short as I

ried Marion

ell you how it happened. Perhaps you remember my saying last

hat he had uncle's smi

d I remembered that Philip, when he raised fancy fowls, used to bring[Pg 175] me chickens every time he came from the farm, and I nev

l—your appetite if you k

. There isn't one man in a thousand who could choose as many tender chickens without being taken in. I never would have guessed they were bought ones if you hadn't come home one day with a pair of legs

feel my nose beginning to twitch like a rabbit's. Marion and Aunt Sophy also looked hysterically inclined to fall into each other's arms in an ecstacy of forgiveness, so I hastily retreated to my study. There was a stovepipe hole in the partition between the two rooms through which detached and semi-detached words were wafted to my

, Auntie......couldn't be

your......Un

to." (No; I'd rather blow him fr

g

nce stepped......to

tful......do anything

uch sense......Philip different....

evoted......be happ

....think I'm.

d I quietly retreated without hearing anything furt

ed such a capital plan that I decided to carry it out. Few men, I meditated, would have thought of such a graceful acknowledgment of Aunt Sophy's kindness, and I felt that Marion would be doubly pleased that I should think of adding to the joy of the eventful day. I could not help wondering what my wife intended doing with her money, but she didn't say anything to enlighten me, and I took good care not to allude to it, for fear she should question me in return. She made frequent trips to the city, carrying her little bank-book with an air of importance, but I could

rs. They usually know the value of a farm as well as we do, but we know how to get them down to the bottom figure. We don't run after the owner and let him think we're anxious to buy; we approach him in the most incidental manner, dangling the bait, so to spe

s high[Pg 180] as four thousand dollars, I went home, calculating on the way

ppears willing to sell—quite genial and all that, but when it comes to figures he fights shy; says he wants more time to think. To hurry him up I made a straight offer of four

vens, no!

thought perhaps you might have inside information. The idea came into my

—party?"

spected the other of being on a private speculation, but after considerable sounding I found that he had been com

anything else in that line," I said decidedly. "I wa

e've both had similar instructions. It looks as if the old man were holding off to see who would make the hig

hought of Marion's dismay if our home should be sold over our heads filled me with the determination t

e you give that, for the land isn't worth the money,—that is, for farming," he added, wit