Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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lewis m. grist, proprietor.! litbepeitbeitf-Ifatailjr ftefospaper: Jfor f[je |)romotion of % political, Social, ^gricatotral anb Commercial Interests of tjre jSontjj. jterms?$3.00 a tear, in advance. VOL. 18. YOBKYILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, JTJNLI SO, 1873. lETO. 35. JU Original f tm Jtotg. * Written for the Yorkville Enquirer. AN HEIRES8INHER0WN RIGHT. 68 BY EMILY J. ROMEO. It ^ CHAPTER X. th W HOME DUTIE8 AND EFFORTS. DEPENDENCE W( r AND INDEPENDENCE IN LITTLE HOUSEHOLD ey IPTiTPQ Ragged strength and radiant beauty? These were one in nature's plan; P1 Humble toil and heavenward duty? These will form the perfect man. Mrs. Hale. w< Tbo' losses and crosses ilj Be lessons right severe, There's wit there, ye'll get there, Ye'll find nae other where. Burns. ad Mr. Wright spent some days in mending ac broken furniture and helping put things in at order around the place. He was an excellent husband in always having thiugs convenient for his wife. Some articles were too much injured to be repaired, and others were not broken so badly as at first supposed ; but va r there was enough destroyed to take years to w' replace. After he had made the family com- us fortable, bunted up some of his hogs in the swamp to get a little meat, bought a few chick- fr ens and pot the domestic machinery in pretty 1 good working order, he went to work to fix up ^ his blacksmith shop and mend or make W( ploughs and other farming utensils. Now, more than ever before, he saw the wisdom of U8< his father having taught him to cultivate his . mechanical genius, that he might turn his hand sir to anything. It proved almost a fortune to him. The rush to the cities?which followed so close on the heels of the war?was not dreamed of then; and farmers had to use their own efforts to supply implements to begin wa their farm work with. It was welj in March ^ before Mr. Wright began his ploughing, but February had been so rainy and the spring continued so wet, that late crops turned out unusually well. A few of the negroes, with families, never left; and some who followed the army came back; so he was better off for field hands than an he expected, though still a little short. One young fellow brought back a valuable mule loaded with sundry useful articles, which he took pride in showing and telling the Yan- 8 ' keee gave him; but it was more than suspected that, like the army, he had helped himself without asking leave. 0D< He and the mule did good work all the c*e year, and no owner coming to claim 'Beck,' Zip retained full possession, and, the second year of freedom, set up farming on his own account; and is one of the few negroes who, ' by steady work and good behavior, has made a thrifty, reliable man, and is possessed of ?? a comfortable home. Mr. Wright bought sugar-cane for seed, ?u and went on in his accustomed way as well as u possible under the circumstances. One day, after Mr. Elliott had rode over his farm and expressed surprise at how well he was doing, 801 Mr. Elliott could not forbear saying, "Why eD( do you plant so much corn, cane and potatoes, and not put all your force on cotton, when w your land suits it so well ?" Mi "Because I have learned when I raise my j"" j own provisions, I am independent. When I have to J>uy corn, I am harrassed to death, running over the country hunting it up, and an then hauling it home. I shall have it to do do this summer, and it worries me to think about tio it. I always have raised my own provisions iD since I learned what good farming was, and th< there is more need of it now than ever before." "You don't view things in the same way ag most of the planters in this section of the State do. Its all cotton, cotton from this lat point, one way; and rice, rice, the other." 1 "But my way has stood me pretty well th< heretofore," replied Mr. Wright smiling, "and inj I'll give it some more trials before I change aa it." iro Affairs did not go on so thrivingly at Mr. les Elliott's. The garden was not touched, and '0 little chance it would be. It took old Dick sm all the time he was able to creep about, to get thi wood and take care of the horses; and when ed his rheumatism laid him up, as it did two- om thirds of the time, it was a poor chance. ' Maum Hess had her hands full with the he] cooking and tending her "old man." Lance su< had more than she could do in learning the un new things which fell upon her shoulders? fin washing and ironing, besides the thousand and wo one duties in the house; but when daddy Dick br( was down she had to leave them and hunt the wood. Not one in the family knew they could yel dress without a fire in the bedroom; then the an sitting-room and dining-rooms must have fires shi all day and till late at night, so it took a great El deal of wood?when they could get it! If As for Mr. Elliott and Stuart, the idea that an they could haul a load of wood, or cut a stick su< after it was brought, never entered their heads. ' Don't judge them too hardly, kind reader; but wb look back and see how many things you did ne not do, you might have done; and how hard "I it was to learn to perform what seemed so sira- I ^ pie and easy?till you tried it. vis The horses missed their regular currying bis and rubbing, though Mr. Elliott and Stuart mc did manage to feed them and give them a lit- ms tie attention. The cows wandered about? rarely fed and half milked. If maum Hess El got enough milk for the coffee, she was satis- m< fied; and it did no good to tell her to try and milk thoroughly. She could have replied, scl "I ain't de milker. I neber tech a cow 'fore an in my life. I jes' learns now, 'case I sorry for fal Miss Georgia." ily The chickens, released from the care of the bu "poultry minder," stole their nests ; and the thi turkeys grew wild and wandered off to the co woods to lay and set. The yards were full of do leaves, and every thing seemed to have a for- lei lorn and neglected look. Never having been without a house full of th servants, it was plain the family did not know El how to begin to wait on themselves and each other. What they were willing to do came an hard, because they were so unused to it; and rie fnoUo r? ha + onrl /11OQ- r lit jiiauj uvuocuuiu Laoao oxg uiwovuiw muu v??uw ?n greeable at their best. cr w The daily drives were given up, partly because there was so little time for them; but more because there was no one to harness the ha horses, get out the carriage, and then put it th up. Stuart could drive the ponies after they ar were in the carriage ; but neither he nor his bi father understood the mysteries of "buckle i sk and strap," though they were good enough j fir judges when the horses were harnessed, to see if it looked all right. Mr. Elliott was learn-1 or ing how helpless a man of his importance can I ar be; but he was much longer in learning how helpful he might be, than any one else in the ar mily. In fact, he never has really under- r Dod it d There were long and frequent consultations i j stween Mrs. Elliott and her daughters, and ! k ,ch tried to lighten the others' burdens. . j o "Mother," said Grace, "I think every day I something Mr. Henry said when he was here, j I seems to me he anticipated something like ; e is, and tried to prepare us for it; but our ears v ire so dull that we could not hear, and our j t es were closed that we could not see ; and i "fo'n nonoooihr Jo trtrinor fn IIS fiOITl- 1 fl ehend." 11 "Yes. I have thought of it, too; but hope j f i may not see so mauy hardships as his fam- j s r did. It is bad enough now." , I< "His wife and daughters had to cook, wash ' y id do everything, you know, at one time; j id had wounded soldiers to take care of j n the same time, and all their bloody, fil-! 1 y clothes to wash, too. We don't have any- j t ing so disagreeable as that." s "And I pray you never may, my child." "It is for you and father, I miss our ser- a .nts more than myself; I shouldn't mind a lat I have to do, if I knew how. When I ed to give out the meals and direct what was t< be done, I thought I was a good house-keep* c and knew a great deal; but now when I find si 30 difficult to do what was so easy to tell, I tl i I need instruction and practice to get along h ill in the simplest every day duties. I am si ucating myself in house-work, a branch so j eful to our comfort, but so trying to a tyro." d Yet, for all that, Grace went round the house cl iging and keeping her mother's spirits up c< her constant cheerfulness. k An unusually long time between visits had w 3urred, when Mrs. Wright took a couple of ildren and walked over to see if any one g s sick, and learned what a "bleak" in the ti ablishraent was caused by old Dick's "spell S rheumatiz." ir "She heard with sympathy, some of the c< use-bold trials, and, with inward contempt, li r. Elliott's inefficiency in what she consider- o: it so easy for a man to know all about, le ie ladies were trying to do all they could, ci d he was neglecting every thing. w After listening awhile, she gave an account k some of her domestic affairs. pi "We have to make every edge cut," said p< i. "There are so few of our best negroes t, Mr. Wright has to have all at work in U, i crop who can use a plough or hoe. Only w b is left to cook, wash, and help about the z< aning. The milking isn't much ; so few of h i cows are left out of all our large, fine stock, bi len makes beds, sweeps the whole house and a: ;n sews, except on ironing days, when a ire of that work falls to her. Julia sets the ir >les, washes dishes, takes charge of the tl ultry and helps me about mixing biscuit, jad, or anything like that. We have all r dough made up by white hands. Susan nts eggs and is handy about little things, ti hny brings wood and water. Albert and ;nry work with their father, and I do all ts of things. It looks as if there were jugh of us to have plenty of leisure; but we } busy all the time, for the garden takes us ien every thing else is done." "We all keep busy as we can, too," said rs. Elliott, "and never get through." There in old saying? 0' "A man may work from sun to sun, A, But woman's work is never done," d it is very true. No sooner is one thing te ne than a dozen are ready to claim atten- ft n ; and there are a thousand nameless things hi housekeeping which are never counted, p Dugh they take time and strength." ]e "That's what makes it such trying, discour- w '?< Afro WfidrVlf " ooid drjlpp ir Illg TfUlftj A'XiO. ?? n^uwj ^?mvvi n, "But what part do you think is the most c< joriouB?" ni "If I had it all to do myself, I should say tl ; washing; but Ellen declares there's noth- 0] r more hard and trying than the ironing, ai d that she shall never again think a badly n ned shirt-bosom is a sign of culpable caresness and laziness. She says, every week, E dreaded shirts, are you never going to be tl ooth and glossy! Must ray fingers go ai ough fiery ordeals before they become skill- ki in such a little thing as ironing a shirt-bos- si n 1 I. 18 "O," said Grace, "I can sympathize with se r; for I could not bear to see Lance make to ;h horrid work with father's shirts, and I T dertook them. You should have seen the tl it ones I tried?they were eights. The iron E uld stick to them and then cover them with tl )wn scales of something I'm sure were not fii ire when I begun ; and then I'd burn a great! E low spot on some; and at last I sat down fo d took a hearty cry. I think, though, I fe ill keep trying till I succeed, if, like Miss c( len, I do have to go through fiery ordeals, se the head is willing the hand ought to be," ct d sheheld up the little white one which was )h a help in the house. 0 "You'll never find ironing easy work, even fr ien you can do it to suit you ; but you'll tl ver regret knowing how," said Mrs. Wright, pi used to do nearly all my own work when ! ai vas first married, and had time to read and bi lit, too. I sometimes think I've been to w ime in not making Ellen and Julia do se >re. It comes harder to them now than if di ide to do it from childhood." p] "I thought," remaked Conway, "that Miss bi len was perfectly au Jait in every depart- bi jnt of housekeeping." fc "She ought to have been; but she was at jool all the time till we came here to live, ai d then she continued her studies with her k ;her. She has done the sewing for the fam- tl ' and helped make bread, pies and cakes ; tc t not much other work, for Mr. Wright tl ought, after using the sewing-machine so nstantly, she ought to be a great deal out of j h ors, and riding and gardening filled all her j al sure hours." : tl "Is her garden as beautiful as last year at I fa is time ? I almost envied it then," said Mrs. i b lliott. | cl "O, no! The rains have been too heavy, j h d she has given more time to her strawber- si ss than flowers. She says we shall have so li tie to eat, she is going to make the berry a op do us good service." h "She puts us to shame," sighed Grace. E Ve have not touched our garden. We have ,d little heart to do any thing; and once we a ought we were passionately fond of flowers t< id tending them. She apostrophises her w irnt fingers and declares they shall become p illed, while I sit down and weep over my t< st effort. Its disheartening." "Don't be discouraged because you failed t< ice ; it is quite an art to iron a shirt nicely, b id there's plenty of time for a garden now." ci "O, mamma, just look! See what Susan v id Johny have found ; and I know where the i! tests are and I'm going to look in them every lay, and you can have a fresh egg now when rou want it!" And all breathless and rosy, Uice showed her apron-full of eggs to every >ue in the room. "Susan and Johny say we must feed the tens better, and then they will lay ever so many ggs and hatch little chickens. And, 0, oamma, I want to do it, like aunt Hager used o let me last year." "Yes, Alice, you may feed them regularly nd find all the eggs you can. Go and put he eggs away now. I am glad the children ound them. The flight of our servants is howing us how dependent we were. I don't :now whether to thiuk it is a good or an evil et. though we miss them greatly." "I know, Mrs. Elliott, it was not good for ay children to have many about the house, ^nd if ours over come back, I'll have fewer han formerly. We are already getting along o well, I scarcely regret their absence." . "I wish we could say the same," and Grace nd Conway both echoed their mother's sigh nd words. There was more and more effort every week o systemize the work, and they began to acomplish more at less sacrifice of time and trength ; but it was some time before any of hem conld give the nice touch and finished >ok to a shirt-bosom and collar, which seems 3 easy to an experienced laundress. Conway made beds, swept the house and usted. Grace set the tables, arranged the hina closet, cleaned the lamps, made the afTee, tea and light-bread. Both joined in eeping the silver well polished, and learned Hat a task it was. Alice took charge of the chickens with eaerness till she had blistered her hands a few raes shelling corn ; but Mrs. Elliott had tuart help her with the cornsheller, and her iterest revived when the old hens began to 5rae from unexpected places with broods of ttle downy chickens. To feed and take care f them was a delight; and after a little, to tarn where a nest was by hearing the hens ickle, was a new source of pleasure. Then, hen Mrs. Elliott joined in huntiug the tureys and found a whole flock of young "peeees," she never wearied of her task of being oultry-minder. Conway seemed to do housework under prosi She felt it a duty, but could not like it; bile Grace soon entered into it with a hearty ist which set aside the fear that thii would arden or that would stain her delicate fingers; utit was many a long day before she became i proficient and handy as she wished. When they found time for a little gardenig they took it as a great relief, and felt as if ley had accomplished a great deal. CHAPTER XI. . HE END OF THE STRUGGLE WITH GUN AND CANNON?THE BEGINNING OF THE STRUGGLE WITH THE PLOUGH-SHARE. Furl that Banner, softly, slowly; Treat it gently?it is holy, For it droops above the dead. Father Ryan. Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, Which we ascribe to Heaven. sliakspeare. The war of carnage and bloodshed was yer. The boys no longer marched with yiug banners to the roll of drums and the irill sound of fifes; but were going in scathing squads from the scenes of war to peacell but impoverished homes. Many, who ad sent sons and husbands with hopes and rayere, lifted thankful hearts that one, at iast, had been spared; and sighed for those, ho, sleeping far away, had shed their blood i vain. The Conquered Banner has been jlebrated in song and story, and words canot enhance the bravery and intrepidity of lose who followed it. It is furled; but some P the brave hearts who followed it in battle, re now marching as willingly under the less snowned one of hard work and home duties. Mr. Ellison had gone as chaplain to Claude illiott's regiment, and was still in it when le war closed; though by Claude's death lother colonel was in command. He always ept near Jack Singleton, and the two, dismilar as they were in many respects, cher-; hed a warm and strong attachment. Rus11 and Arthur had joined the two preparairy to starting home; and coming across om "Wright, Mr. Ellison asked him to join le party. Tom had gone as a private in Uiott's regiment; but by his bravery and ie death of officers, had risen to the rank of rst-lieutenant. Knowing his family, Mr. llison had taken an interest in Tom, and und him one of the finest young men who II under his notice. Jack and Tom had msiderable acquaintance in camp; but RusII and Arthur having staff appointments, ired nothing for the common sort of officers, ran if they were from home neighborhoods, n the way home, they all became familiarly iendly with Tom, and none regretted having le good-hearted fellow with them. While issing down the track left by Sherman's my, Tom's social, winning'ways could often ring a plate of hot biscuit from families who ould deny having "a dust of flour" to Rush's authoritative, and Arthur's bullying smands. Mr. Ellison could not ask of peole who seemed so destitute, and Jack could ick Tom's requests, or plead for their horses, Btter than he could go ahead and ask food >r himself and comrades. The tiresome journey was at last ended, ud they were all welcomed with tears and isses. Little did the ladies at Mr. Elliott's link what an increase of care and work was > follow the arrival of the four who made leir home with them. Russell, the son and brother, was a hero to is sisters, and all united in petting and Imost idolizing him. Jack had been one of le family from a little child, and was the ivorite of every one, except Mr. Elliott, who estowed great affection on Arthur, the only tiild of his sister that lived to manhood. He ad been Arthur's guardian, and when his ster died, had taken hira and treated him L a rmo n-F liio nwn anna lVf r TCllisnn Wurnp. member of the family before the death of is wife, and he, Uke the others, regarded Mr. Illiott's house as home. It was the middle of the week when they rrived ; and the first thing to be done, was ) go through repeated bathings till they ere like new creatures. It was an exquisite leasure to be thoroughly clean, with a chance > remain so. It was surprising how many clothes it took > keep them clean at home, when they had een so used to being careless and dirty in amp. Shirts, vests, socks and handkerchiefs, rere thrown aside daily for clean ones, till ; was fouqd the working force in the estab lishraent could not keep the supply equal to the demand. Only those who have been accustomed to the ways of a heedless set of 1 men who do not know how to wait on them; selves nor lighten the labors of others, can i realize how much trouble they are?how j many things they can put out of place, how i much trash and litter they can scatter on all ' sides?and how frequent are their calls for 1 j what they could get for themselves. Four ; hungry men to feed, four extra beds to make, I rooms to clean and arrange, was something ; but very little compared to the unnecessary I work they made. Their waiting-men, who had gone through the war with many chances | to desert or run away, and had not used ' ! them, now found their attachment too weak i ! for every-day tasks, and little companionship ; beyond the "low down" negroes who still clung to the fortunes of the family. In less i than a week they had departed without saying, Hby your leave." i Lance was willing to work, but she could not do all; and many unusual and disagree- i able duties fell on Conway, Grace and even ] Alice. All joined in keeping their mother i from anything irksome. Their tenderness ] towards her was ?a beautiful trait in their j dispositions. No matter what Lance was < doing, or how important the work, there was i some one to call her off. It was? "Lance, bring another fresh pitcher of water to my room." "Lance, run up stairs i and bring my cigar-case." "Lance, where's i that pair of boots I pulled off this morning, ntUan T nmnt Viimfinrr?" "T.?n#?P whv is there f A ? 6 ? --j never any water in the piazza ?" "Where's i the book I left on the sofa jast now?" "Lance, 1 what's become of my other hat?" "Put that j coat away, Lance." "Look for my gloves, < Lance; I left them on the table, or somewhere." "Lance, come and clean up where ? I was washing my gun." "Lance, who has 1 taken my powder-flask off the rack ??find it < for me at once." These, and a hundred other j calls, took her from her regular duties, till it t was no wonder she accomplished so little. ( Mr. Elliott was as bad as the boys about calling on Lance; but Mr. Ellison, more thoughtful and observing, soon saw how mat- 1 ters stood, and giving Jack a few hints, they ? two were careful to wait on themselves, and < often saved the girl many weary steps. The f others were not so much under Mr. Ellison's i supervision as Jack?were not so used to his 1 kind counsel?and cared less for it when given. i Mr. Ellison settled down at once into as i many of his old habits as practicable. He i spent a certain number of hours in studying ; 1 visited some family, either far or near, every < day, and sought to do them either spiritual or temporal good, as they most .needed; and, ' after a little time, heard a part of Stuart's t and Alice's lessons. ( Russell and Arthur spent hours in the t house teasing the girls, smoking, sleeping and ? lounging about A ride in the morning, or a t bird hunt of an hour or two, sufficed them for t the day. It is astonishing how days, weeks, 1 and even years, can be frittered away in almost perfect idleness, by people unaccustomed \ to steady employment, and how exceedingly 1 hard it is for them to break off from lazy, ^ ' ' 1 ? 11 il ! L! A indolent n a oils, ana ao anymmg wmuxi uuu < be called regular work. 1 Jack, partly because his uncle Ellison had f drilled him in regular duties in his youth? 1 partly because he was more mercurial than s the others, and for reasons to be mentioned a hereafter?soon tired of the house, and was a up to all sorts of pranks and doings. If he found Conway or Grace in their garden, he e would help them for awhile with the most a commendable steadiness, doing more work in 1 an hour than the old gardener would have \ done in six. All at once he would drop what I he had begun, transplant a large rose-bush to v the centre of a walk, set out one of the most e thrifty weeds in the finest flower-beds, or upset a wheelbarrow load of trash at the garden-gate and leave the girls to open it ' and get out the best way they could.' Jack I was in all sorts of places, and tinkering at all I sorts of things. Full of life, which bubbled, t sparkled and overflowed, half his friends did t not know there was any depth beneath the 8 laughing, singing, whistling, surface. Rus- g sell had the credit of greater and more h solid attainments, and Mr. Ellison's remark, t that "There is more in Jack than Russell and t Arthur together?he always accomplishes o what he undertakes, but laughs over it till no t one thinks he has done anything," was set down to his partiality for the child of his a early love. As days wore on, it was discovered Jack's vagaries were as trifles compared to the real 1 work he had done; and late as it was in the season, flowers not only bloomed to reward ^ him, but long rows of corn, numerous hills of cucumbers and melons, and nicely-trained 1 tomato vines began to show themselves in the c vegetable garden, where daddy Dick's few f efforts had hardly given promise of anything a but a fine crop of weeds. s "I wouldn't stoop to negro's work," said Arthur, one day, when he found Jack with a coat off, setting out potato plants. a "What I do is not negro's work," was Jack's i reply, and his merry whistling was continued r without regard to the curt?"Well, I'm above such things, if you are not." r Perhaps a word of encouragement from I Mr. Ellison, and of pleased approval from his t aunt Georgia, as Mrs. Elliott was called, t helped him to persevere in spite of blistered f hands and more than one sneer from Russell and Arthur. c "He always did what others wouldn't, and i seemed to enjoy being laughed at," said Russell. b The family found Jack's vegetables the c greatest help late in the summer, and those 1: ! who had laughed the loudest, did not fail to a eat as much as the others. j Not a week after Tom Wright reached s home, he was following the plow a great part of the day, and helping his father in a dozen 1 ways. I "I'm glad brother Tom isn't spoiled by I camp life," said Ellen, and her father and t mother gladly echoed her words. t Tom was not as deep a thinker and good b a reasoner as his father; but he worked fully r as well, and had a good sensible shrewdness b ! which answered admirably in the routine of t every-day life. His morals were excellent, t and his habits such as he had been trained 1 into by a judicious mother from childhood, t | He was an affectionate and dutiful son?a s good example to the younger children. It is r pleasant to speak of one who remained so a unharmed by camp vices, and came home s wiser and better than he left it. I Mr. Ellison held service in the parlor for j two or three Sundays after his return, because j he could get no one to clean the chapel at i first; but when he succeeded, and asked Mrs. Elliott if she could have his surplice washed and made ready, it was discovered that it took the last spoonful of starch. Here was a ^ dilemma. It had taken all of Conway's and Grace's strength and patience to iron shirtp . and vests enough to keep the house-full of men j presentable. Linen coats were now added to ^ tool? on/1 tliprft was no more starch. Some supplies had given out, others were nearly gone, and there had been some anxiety as to how they were to get what was needed. The question was not where, and with what should they purchase, but how they should . get the supplies from town, with the railroad j torn up, and no negro they could trust to { send with the wagon. It was hard to be without coffee and to see ^ the sugar barrel empty, and still harder to have no flour; but with meat, meal, rice and ^ 3ome poultry and eggs, they could satisfy ] hunger, and not lose health or strength. They ^ could bring philosophy to their aid when the ^ pleasures of the table were denied, and say ^ jokingly, "What we eat now from necessity j will only give us strength to enjoy the good j things to come." j The want of starch was a different thing. What was there to sustain them under the ( affliction of limp collars and starchless bo- j soms ? Mrs. Elliott remembered she had never seen Mr. Wright or Tom without smooth bo- j 10ms and stiff collars; and knowing Mrs. ^ Wright would willingly do any favor in her power, she had the horses harnessed and rode >ver. c Mrs. Wright listened, and in spite of her sympathy, could not help smiling. "I haven't cought any starch in three years. When ivery thing began to grow scarce and hard to ^ ret. I used flour for awhile, and then made t itarch from potatoes; but since they were lestroyed, I have to use meal." "How do you make starch from potatoes ?" Mrs. Wright described the simple process; Dut it brought a sigh from Mrs. Elliott, for he hadn't enough potatoes left to make a tea;up full, and the new crop was just planted. 3he was obliged to content herself with leaning to make starch of meal, and to confess ;hat a poor substitute was better than none. Grace took her lesson from Ellen ; laughugly told how she had been half a day ironng Mr. Ellison's surplice; but if it had to be vashed again, she should send it to her, whose lands had learned their task, and were beaming very skillful. No one yet realized the terrible weight of 'hard times" which was to fall on the coun;ry; but the shadows of "coming events" jhilled some of the more thoughtful, and hey turned anxious eyes towards the future. Some deprivations were anticipated, but not hat poverty which is "like an armed man," ind whose clutches are so hard to bear or to oosen. Rumors, and news of events taking place, vere not so infrequent as might be supposed. There was considerable traveling on the road vhich passed Mr. Wright's, and every one vho stopped to water a horse or seek a night's odging had something to tell, which, to peo)le cut off from all mail facilities, was eagerly leard and as eagerly discussed. Then the oldiers at Potter's Bridge sometimes came iround, and were willing to talk freely with j, iny one who would converse with them. Mr. Elliott went to town on horseback and nrrarroA onnnli? hilt, thfl htMO in OP.t them Was ? ?rr , 9 . > open question till Mr. Wright offered to I et Tom go, if he could have a part of the 1 ragon for some things they were needing. a dr. Elliott was delighted. The Gordian knot Jj pas cut by the offer, and one source of anxity was relieved. r On hearing it, Jack resolved to go also. ^ 'Why hadn't his own good sense, or some one h pho had a little, told him to go long before ? tl Je was tired of lying around like a house-dog. 0 lis aunt Georgia had been pining for weeks * or a cup of coffee, and if his uncle had not ^ >rought half a pound of tea in his pocket, a he'd have died of headache. Had he prized \ ;ood segars like Russell and Arthur, he'd v lave walked to town before smoking the vile h obacco they had used for a month." And hus he went on, blaming himself for his want ? f thought, and laughing at the others for >eing as heedless as himself. Ci "I can't think of your going with the wagon ,nd camping out," said Mr. Elliott. a "Why not?" asked Jack. a "It's something you are not used to. I don't ^ ike you to do anything degrading." ' , "You seemed glad enough when Tom n IVright offered to go." t "Well, yes. We are needing things so bady, I was really glad when his father said he nuld go. But then he is of a different family rom ours. They are accustomed to these ? ort of things, and don't view them in the j, ame light." ~\ "I am as much accustomed to camping out a is Tom. We were in the same regiment; d md as for any thing degrading, he would no J oore think of it than we should. He is a jj eal gentleman." v "I don't see where you and Ellison get your f lotions. To be sure the Wrights are fine d >eople?a good deal above the average of hose in their station?but you must see b here's a difference between them and our old amines. If Mr. Elliott thought they lost by the .omparison, Jack foundthey did not in the ntercourse which he bad with them. The trip to town was made, and he came tack with new ideas, as well as flour, sugar, offee, starch and sundry other articles. It fj lad been thought best to send both wagons, y md they came back loaded. Jack was more n ileased with Tom Wright than ever, and was si incere in his praises of his good qualities. "I should think you had trained Tom, *j Jncle Ellison, if I hadn't known differently. ?( He's just like you about doing anything? 8J ie never leaves it half done. You ought 0 o have seen the horses he took charge of; a hey were fed, curried and rubbed as they a ladn't been before in months. He fairly ? nade me ashamed of my pair. Then the care ^ ie took of the wagons and every thing in hem was surprising. He didn't neglect a j( hing. In the city, too, he was so business- n ike and thorough. I spent a hundred dollars h he first day for little nothings and unneces- a ary things, while Tom sold his cotton for a " ound sum in gold, and bought more useful jjj ,rticles for his father and mother than I p hould have thought of in a year. And then p ie laid out quite a sum in books and maga- tl sines for himself and sister. He knows how <Sj to read, too. I lay awake till midnight, both ^ nights coming home, listening to him while he ? 'Lent the music of his voice To the beauty of the rhyme,' ib one of the poems he read expressed it" | ^ Jack had the idea, if he did misquote the | of words. Ji "You go into ecstacies over Tom Wright 10 iust as Grace does over Ellen. She thinks ^ her a paragon," said Conway. "They, were fortunate in living near a village where there ^ * * i -J a; i _ J a. , were gooa social ana eaucauunat auvauut^es q< which they improved; but many others have d< ione the same, and not been such great won- li' iers after all." "Honor to whom honor, is due, Conway. n< You don't find any one else like them around ]a here, no matter what chances they have had," jaid Jack, warmly. re "The Wrights," spoke Mr. Ellison, "are te wonders in many respects, and would be more di w, if they had always lived here and received VJ iheir ideas amid the disadvantages of this ^ neighborhood. They have a hearty respect p, For real worth, and are quick to discern it ec mder broadcloth or homespun. They neither ct awn on the rich, nor scorn the poor. They ni ire blessed with what that beautiful writer, at De Quincy, calls the 'most favored station in ife, where their manners are those of the high- ?p| ;r ranks, their virtues those of the middling ar jlass.' I hope Grace and Jack may long re lave friends so truly worthy." de "Conway is like me," said Mr. Elliott; she >refers the good in her own station to the ^ >e8t iu a lower one; though the Wrights may ^ >e exceptions with us all." be The ladies had too many cares and new th luties to permit them to visit much; but it hi iame to be a weekly occurrence for Mr. Ellion to call at Mr. Wright's. Sometimes he ?A xi_. iL? u AMOA nliAVA mi on I pent tne time iu hjc uuuoc, nuut uu?u vould sit at her work as demure as if she ^ vere always still and quiet, and her mother 0f vould have the conversation to sustain. But )ftener he staid an hour in the shop, where th ilr. Wright mended or made what was need- "1 id for farm-work. ? Mr. Ellison soon learned when a visit would ^ lot interfere with passing duties; and many a(j i book was discussed, new theory canvassed, ind tough argument held, while Mr. Wright vi nended harness, or did little jobs, or rested n the heat of the day. Tom and Jack were tometimes present, and Mr. Ellison took pains jj? o bring out their views and help them look ou it things by the light of reason, and not Jej hrough the mists of prejudice. sa Occasionally, discussions were held on the cu nerits of their different churches, each ending is he began, convinced of the superiority of lis own; though Mr. Wright, who, with his wj amily, attended chapel regularly, could not >ut acknowledge that the solemn confession, wl nspiring chants, impressive prayers, glorious er Ve Deum, and the liturgy, which comprised ty o much in so little, won on his heart every ^ Sunday; and he was glad enough services ^ vere held in the chapel, now there was no qU ninister of his own denomination in the neigh- pr >orhood. The ladies enjoyed their visits when they pu nade them, all the more for having some hin- aD Irances. The hard things the times pressed aP ipon them were not very freely discussed.; re lut Mrs. Wright was observing, and many 0D imely remarks on domestic concerns were ba ften helps in showing easier ways for unac- an * fl 1 rlo iustomed work, iiere is a specimen or ner lints, given as though she had no idea they fje ould be taken or used: . "Yea, there is a great difference in children aised together, ana with the same chances. ? Tow, Ellen has a natural turn for taking hings by the 'smooth handle/ and getting , great deal done in a short time; but Julia's ^ ingers are all thumbs/ and she works hard o accomplish a little. If Ellen is going to lake biscuit or bread, she has every thing ^ eady in the right proportions before she ? egins mixing the dough; but Julia puts her . ands in, ana then calls some one to bring , be soda or the salt. She has too little flour . r too much milk, or something is not right, ^ nd it is almost as much trouble to wait on er as to do the work. If she wants a knife, , irk and spoon, she never thinks of taking all ^ t once, but goes for each one separately. Vlien a piece of work is done, she sits down dthout putting half the things away after er. Should sne, by chance, put the bread- ^ ray and milk out of the way of the flies, the . . olling-pin is left, the table not brushed, the j , nife and spoons lie in different places, and a . eneral sprinkling of flour proclaims her ^ arelessness." f "I never saw anything careless and untidy bout Julia," said Mrs. Elliott; "she is not aQ bout her clothes and what she's been used to oing all her life, because I would not allow . and habit has become second nature; but ci all the new work she undertakes, she tries ly patience sorely. I make her keep trying, .. hough, for practice makes perfect." Grace, who had listened quietly, took the . esson home to herself. "Yes," thought she, "it's the getting things gg eady before hand, and putting them away fterwards?that's half the battle. I see why t is so little is accomplished at our house. Ve don't know how to carry a knife, fork ,nd spoon, without going three times. I unlerstand, better and better every day, Mr. rei lenry's repeated eulogy on his wife, 'an 10 leiress in her own right, because she knew an. iow to be rich in poverty, to live amid depri- j"? ations, and to make a little go a long way.' *b< t is a hard lesson to learn. Would these ark days were over!" Well for thee, sweet Grace, that this could del ? said of thee: c" "Happy in this, she is not yet so old ?* But she 7nay learn: and happier than this, ert She is not bred so dull but she can learn ; ^ Happiest of all is, that her gentle spirit , Humbles itself enough to be directed." [to be continued next week.] 1' [Copies of the Enquirer containing the previous chapters of gai >U Story can be furnished to new subscribers.] ?ad Direct Your Letters Carefully.? wit 'he Postal Record says that during the past an; ear there were sent to the Dead Letter Office be early three million letters. Sixty-eight thoumd of these letters could not be forwarded gr< wing to the carelessness of the writers omit- rel ing to give the county or State; four hundred am aousand failed to be sent because the writers jrgot to put on stamps, and over three thou- spc and letters were put in the post-office with- the ut any address whatever. In the letters ted bove named was found over $92,000 in cash, Go nd drafts, checks, etc. to the value of $3,000,- urn 00. There were over thirty-nine thousand, mo hotographs contained in the above letters, sur >f course nearly all the money and valuables or rere returned to the owners, but much need- ] iss delay, many charges of dishonesty, etc., me light have been saved if the writers of the to i itters could have been a little more careful, an< nd taken the precaution to see that their ] itters were in mailable condition before de- the ositing them in the post-office. It is more pre lan probable that nine-tenths of all the com- ant laints, losses and delays which are laid to the h&i 'ost-Office Department, are in reality due to An le carelessness of their writers. we ftfaaVtowmt fading. THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM. The Republican party of the United States isembled in National Convention in the city 'Philadelphia, on the 5th and 6th days of jne, 1872, again declares its faith, appeals its history, and announces its position upon ie questions before the country. 1. During eleven years of supremacy it has jcepted with grand courage the solemn du? of the time. It suppressed a gigantic reillion, emancipated four millions of slaves, screed the equal citizenship of all, and estabihed universal suffrage. Exhibiting unparleled magnanimity, it criminally punished ) man for political offenses, and warmly wel>med all who proved loyalty by obeying the ws and dealing justly with their neighbors. ; has steadily decreased with a firm hand the eultant disorders of a great war, and initiad a wise and hnmane policy toward the loans. The Pacific Railroad, and similar ist enterprises, have been generally aided id successfully conducted; the public lands eely given to actual settlers; immigration rotected and encouraged, and a full acknowlIgraent of the naturalized citizens' rights seired from European powers. A uniform itional currency has been provided, repudiion frowned down, the national credit susined under most extraordinary burdens, id new bonds negotiated at lower rates, be revenues have been carefully collected id honestly applied; despite annual large ductions of the rates of taxatioh, the public ibt has been reduced during Gen. Grant's residency at the rate of a hundred millions year; great financial crises have been avoidI, and peace and plenty prevail throughout e land. Menacing foreign difficulties have en peaceably and honorably composed, and e honor and power of the nation kept in gh respect throughout the world. This glorious record of the past is the par's best pledge for the future. We believe e people will not entrust the Government to \y party or combination of men composed nefly of those who have resisted every step ' if 1 id is Denenciai progress. 2. Complete liberty and exaet equality in e enjoyment of all civil, political apd.public jhts should be established and effectually aintained throughout the Union .by efficient id appropriate State and Federal legislation, either the law nor its administration should Imit of any discrimination in respect of cit5D8, by reason of race, creed, color, or preous condition of servitude. 3. The recent amendments to the National institution should be cordially sustained, cause they are right; not merely tolerated, cause they are law, and should be carried it^iccording to their spirit by appropriate jislation, the enforcement of which can fely be entrusted only to the party that sored those amendments. ^ 4. The National Government should seek to aintain honorable peace with all nations, pro3t its citizens everywhere, and sympathise th all people who strive for greater liberty. 6. Any system of the civil service under rich the subordinate positions of the Govnment are considered rewards for mere parzeal is fatally demoralizing; and we there- " re favor a reform of the system by laws which all abolish the evils of patronage, and make uesty, efficiency, and fidelity the essential alifications for public positions, without actically creating a life-tenure of office. 6. We are opposed to further grants of iblic lands to corporations and monopolies, d demand that the national domain be set iart for free homes for the people. 7. The annual revenue, after paying curat expenditures, pensions, and the interest the public debt, should furnish a moderate lance for the reduction of the principal, ^ fV?o rotranno ?r/*ont. an mits>h na mnv hfl rived from a tax upon tobacco and iiquors, raised by duties upon importations, the ties of which should oe so adjusted as to aid securing remunerative wages for labor, and omote the industries, prosperity, growth, d progress of the whole county. 8. We hold in undying honor the soldiers d sailors whose valor saved the Union, leir pensions are a sacred debt of the nan; and the widows and orphans of those 10 died for their country are entitled to the re of a generous and grateful people. We ror such additional legislation as will exid the bounty of the Government to all our diers and sailors who were honorably disarged, and when in the line of duty became tabled, without regard to the length of ser?e or the cause of such discharge. 9 The doctrine of Great Britain and other iropean powers concerning allegiance? ?nce a subject, always a subject"?having last, through the efforts of the Republican rty, been abandoned, and the American idea the individual's rights to transfer allegiance ving been accepted by European nations, it the duty of our Government to guard with ,lous care the rights of adopted citizens ainst the assumption of unauthprized claim their formerGovernments; and we urge conual careful protection and encouragement d protection of voluntary immigraton. 10. The franking privilege ought to be olished and the way prepared for a speedy luction of the rates of postage. 11. Among the questions which press for motion is that which concerns the relations capital and labor, and the Republican parrecognize the duty of so shaping legislation to secure full protection and the amplest Id for capital; and for labor, the creator of pital, the largest opportunities and a just ire of mutual profits of these two great ser nts 01 civilization. 12. We hold that Congress and the Presint have only fulfilled an imperative duty their measures for the suppression of violent d treasonable organizations in certain lately )ellious regions, and for the protection of i ballot-box, and therefore they are entitled the thanks of the nation. 13. We denounce repudiation of the public bt in any form or disguise, as a national me. We witness with pride the reduction the principal of the debt and the rates of inat upon the balance; and confidently expect it our national currency will be perfected a speedy resumption of specie payment. i. The Republican party is mindful of its oblitions to the loyal women of America for their ble devotion to the cauBe of freedom. Their mission to wider fields of usefulness is viewed th satisfaction, and the honest demands of y class of citizens for additional rights should treated with respectful consideration. 15. We heartily dpprove the action of Conas in extending amnesty to those lately in lellion, and rejoice in the growth of peace d fraternal feeling throughout the land. 16. The Republican party propose to reset the rights reserved by the people to jmselves as carefully as the powers oelegai 1dv them to the State and to the Federal Tj J? /* .1 vernment. it disapproves 01 tne resort to constitutional laws for the purpose of reving evils, by interference with rights not rendered by the people to either the State National Government. 17. It is the duty of the Federal Governnt to adopt such measures as may best tend encourage and restore American commerce 1 shipbuilding. 18. We believe that the modest patriotism, i earnest purpose, the sound judgment, the ictical wisdom, the incorruptible integrity, 1 the illustrious services of Ulysses S. Grant re commended him to the heart of the aerican people; and with him at our head start to day upon a new march of victory,