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

have had tidy fortune but for me. Go into
the barn, lads, you'll get your supper 'enow. y
The old man was very respondent for he had
just lost fine calf, which he thought to sell at
a good price. Kate bade him cheer up, and
went indoors to set out the supper for the rea-
pers When it was ready, she called to them
to come three as Ragged Robbins as ever
might have served for scarecrows appeared at
her bidding.
One of them was a tall fine young man, with
a head well set on his shoulders, roguish eye,
and very decided national tongue He look
ed at Katie, and she at him 4; and fer the first
time in her life, the girls eyes fell, and her col
or rose. Alick seemed slightly bashfuI too
very slightly ly-for, after dropping his glance
! on his plate for second, it followed Katie to
and fro in the kitchca without intermission,
until she went out into the little garden
again. Alick could see her through the
branches of briar across the window, standing
at the gate with her father, talking with Rob
Mclean, and he Immediately conceived an
I intense dislike for that welI-built son of Vul-
can, with the scar across his forehead. Alick
jumped to conclusions very quickly he had
fallen in love at first sight, and was ready to
quarrel with any man who so mnch as looked
at Katie.
Having made an end to his supper, he went
out into the lane to his comrades, who were sit
ting under the hedge, resting and munching
Jumps Of bread and -MarShalFs kitchen
not being big enough to hold them all. Alick
kept Katie at the gate in sight and, though
she seemed never to look this way, she knew
perfectly well how he watched her and NOV
ed, perhaps by the natural spirit of coquetry,
she marched with her knitting into the house,
and shut herself up in her bedroom 1t had
window looking out the lane and Katie sat
near it with her pins and stocking, peeping out
sometimes TO see how the evening went on,
and whether there was promise of fine weather
next day to cut the corn. Alick wandered off
by-and-by. How should he know that tiny
lattice in the bushy pear-tree was Katie's D.?
".
Alick, Kester, Katie, and the rest, were
all in the fields next morning, as soon as the
sun was up. The reaping began. Katie would
bind for Alick and, during the day, the two
exchanged good many sharp words Rob
Mclean came to lend hand in the afternoon
and the men soon found each other out but
Rob had decided advantage over the other.
'WaS there ever such a wild Irishman, all tat
ters and rags, ever seen in the countryside
before Z" whispered Rob to Katie, as they sat
under tree, at four o'clock, eating the low
ance that had been brought from the house {;
Katie gave Alick sly glance, and said No"
And, as Alick overheard both question and
answer, he vowed vengeance against Rob.
The night in the lane there was Jasner Lin
foot and Phil Cressy and Katie talked and
laughed with both Of them and the next day
she was gossiping with Peter Askew over the
feld-style and in the evening Tom Carter
brought her Shreds of scarlet cloth that she
wanted to weave into mat, and Katie chat
tered with him ; and the next day Johnny
Martin came with an Offering of summer ap-
pies, which Ack being there to see) were
graciously accepted. So johnny was hearten-
ed into staying halfan-hour signing aud smil-
! ing spasmOdically. Alick went out very wrath
ful. So many rivals are too many for one
man." thought he. And all the following
morning he took no more notice of Katie than
he did of Kester-I mean, he seemed not to
take mnch notice of her.
Katie was as cross as sticks, and pretended
to be i'll, and must go home. Home, according
ly, she went, and tangled her knitting horribly
She had not been there long, when Alick
came in at the gate with long face, holding
his hand iii handkerchief, all stained with
blood. Up sprang Katie, the color going ont
Of her face with fright
You're hurt, Alick O how have you
done it ? Let me see and bind it up"
"The least bit in creation Miss Katie but
you're the best binder in the world, and it'll
heal under your eyes" replied the willy Alck,
uncovering the injured hand.
Katie got sponge and water, and bathed
it, and her pity fed
- It's not much more than q scratch" said
she ; so Alick groaned miserably.
Surely, Miss Katie, it's the hard heart
you've got, for all your bonnie face" said he
reproachfully.
Kate blushed. Nobody elSe's compliments
had ever had that pleasing effect before and
Ack suddenly took heart of grace, and said
one or two more pretty things that did not
seem to veX Katie very much. The dressing
of the wound being done, Ack was obliged
to 60 back to the field carrying the lowance
was an excuse for Katie to return too; so,
leaving her ball to the mercy of the cat on the
| floor, she got the basket and stone bottle of
beer ready, and followed Alick The reapers
said 'lowance was was early that day, and her
father found fault about it,
Alexis reflections were of more cheerful
turn now. "Too many rivals may be good as
none" he thought Indeed, he had found out
who knows by what freemasonry ?-that
Katie liked nobody SO well as him; and he
turned his discovery to good account Did
she encourage Rob, or Jasper, or Peter, or
Johnny, or any one of her numerous admirers
by word or smile, he devoted himself Jennie
the pretty Irish girl, who was binding at
Marshall's farm and katie's pillow could have
| testified that he had ample revenge.
Thus they went on till the last shock was
in stack, and the Irish reapers began to travel
north in search Of fresh pastures All went
but Alick and he, from his quick wit and
sharp eye, had won favor with the Squirc's
head keeper, who retained him as one of his