Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-05-15

WIG "oouo, Ine "oHuer vi tne village, healthier
more wilful, and BONNER than any girl in the
district
The blacksmith who had succeeded Kester
Pateman at the village forge was a young man
OF herculean strength, and wild character
lie was more than suspected of a tenderness
for the Squires pheasants, but the gamekeep-
er had not yet been found bold enough to give
him night encounter in the woods :; his name
was Rob Mclean he had been a soldier, and
was discharged with good conduct, after ten
| years service and two wounds He was Ka-
| ties first sweetheart. She was very proud to
be seen walking with him in the green lane on
Sunday nights but it was more child's pride
than anything else, for, when he began to talk
about marrying, she laughed ard said no, she
was not for him. he was too old.
Jasper Linfoot, the miller's eldest son. next
cast his eye upon her, and followed her like
her shadow for month but no-Katie did
not fancy him, he was too ugly he squinted,
| he had red hair, and his legs were not both of
! the same length Then there was Peter AS
kew, the Squire's huntsman, but he was wild
over; and Phil Cressy, the gardener, but he
was goose and Tom Carter-but Katie
could not abide tailor.
| While Katie, very hard to please, was CO.
quoting with her would-be lovers, perfectly
safe and perfectly heart-free, Kester Pateman
had settled all the time who she should marry
johnny Martin and nobody else johnny
was the only son Of Martin, the squire'S coach
man, who had saved money. He was a sim
pie young man, with lank hair, meek express
ion of cOuntenance, and some gift for eXponnd-
ing, which he practised to small select congre-
cations in Pateman's barn every Sunday
evening. When kester announced his intention
to his daughter, Katie pouted her red lips and
tossed her head, saying, with an accent of su-
perlatve contempt, That Johnny |" But
she answered neither yea nor nay to her faith
erss word and the next Sunday "that John
ny" came courtng with a little basket of
cabbages on his arm as an Offering to his
belle
Katie looked as if it would have done her
heart good to fling them, one after the other
in his fat foolish face, but she restrained the
impulse, and only said
'I'll plant 'em out tomorrow. Johnny"
Plant them out Katie Why they're to
eat"
Pigs ?" asked Katie, in innocent bewilder-
ment. 1--WE don't keep any"
No, they're for you, Katie they're the
finest white-hearts"
Hearts Oh, johnny, take 'em away di-
rectIy hearts Il never saw heart before"
and she peeped into the basket with face of
Mortified curiosity
Now Johnny had proclaimed that his affec-
tiOns had fallen on Katie because she was such
clever girl, and could do everything but
this exhibition of her talents by no means
equalled her former impressions He tried her
again
Cant you cook, Katie? Did you new
er stuff and roast heart for your fathers din
Der ?"
Oh, Johnny, and you putting up for the
schoolmaster's place what wicked nonsense
you are talking Surely you've called at the
Blue Cow by the wayr p
Johnny at this monstrous insinuation broke
out into cold perSpiration he was the most
abstenious Of young men, and had a name in
the village for every variety Of excellence
an1 Katie was quite capable of telling her
suspicious everywhere. He endeavored to
! take her hand and to put his arm around her
waist ; but atie brought her palm against
his cheek with such hearty goodwill that he
was fain to SubSide upon his chair in meek dis
may
If you do that again, Johnny Martin, I'll
tell my father" she cried and with an afi'ec-
tation of great anger, she bowled his cabbage
out into the garden, and ordered him to march
after them in double quick time. He took up
his hat and obeyed her, casting on her, as he
went, the most pitiful aud expostulatory CLAN
ceS.
Don't stop at the Blue Cow, Johnny go
straight home" she cried as he went out at the
gate, and the defeated swain crept away quite
detected.
Katie returned into the house, and began to
sleek her hair before the little glass by the
kitchen fire, humming a tune all the time and
thinking how we'll she was rid of Johnny, when
that wOrthy's voice sounded through the open
window
Il didn't stop at the Blue Cow, Katie"-
She turned shortly around with such shrewish
face that Johnny added, in haste to deprecate
her wrath, II left my basket, Katie let me
get tits in the corner"
AT your peril set foot over the doorstone,
Johnny ~ Johnny's plump countenance instant
} ly disappeared. She snatched up the basket,
threw it after him, and then took q hearty fit
/ of laughter to herself.
III.
1t was the beginning of harvest and, on
the evening of the day after Johnny Martins
! inauspcious courting visit, Kester Pateman
and Katie were sitting on the wooden bench
before the door, she knitting, and he bemoan-
ing, when a party of Irish reapers, with their
sickles in their hands came up the lane They
stopped at the gate, and one of the men asked
if Kester wanted hands for his corn
"No, see nae the use O hands, replied the
old man "it'll all be Spoilt"
1t had been splendid season, and Kesters
little fields showed as rich and ripe crop as
any in the country it was quite ready for cut
ting and the weather was settled and favora-
bic.
But, father, you must have hands," said