Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-01-17
DON'T PRoPosETN THE DARK
BY MISS MILFORD.

1
The pretty square farm house, standing a
the corner, near Kilbes lane (for the frs
phrase. although giving by far the closest pic
/ ture of the place, does, it must be confessed
/ look rather Irish,) and where the aforesaid
| brook winds away by another lane, until il
spreads into river-like dignity, as it meanders
4 through the sunny plain of Harlly common
and finally disappears amidst the green recess
es of Perge wood-that pretty square farm
house, half hidden by the tall elms in the flow
| er court before it, which with tie spacious
I garden and orchard behind, and the extensive
barn, yards and outhuidings, so completely
occupies one of the angles formed by the
crossing Of the lane and the stream-that
pretty farm house contains ode of the happiesi
and most prosperous families in Abcrleigh-
the large and thriving family iof. Farmer Ev-
ans.
Whether from skill or from good fortune
or, as IS most probable, from a very lucky
mixture of both-everything goes right on his
great farm. His crops are the best in the
parish; his hay is never spoiled; his cattle never
die; his servants never thieye; his children are
never i'll. He buys cheap and sells dear; mon
ey gathers upon him like SNOWFALL yet
in spite of all this provoking and intolerable
prosperity, everybody loves Farmer Evans
He is so hospitable, so good-natured, so gen
erous and so homeiy
There. after all, lies the charm. Riches have
not only not spoilt the man, but they have not
altered him. He is just the same in look, and
word, ard way, that he was thirty years ago,
when be and his wife, with two sorry horses,
cow and three pigs, began the world at Dean
Gate, little bargain of twenty miles Off
Ay, and his wife is the same woman the same
frugal, tidy, Industrious, good natured Mrs.
Evans-so noted for her activity in tongue
and limbs, her good looks and her plain dress
ing; as frugal, as good natured, as active, as
plain dressing is Mrs. E,ans at forty five as
she was at nineteen, and though in a different
way almost as good looking.
The children, six "boys," as Farmer Evans
promiscuously calls th,m, whose ages vary
from eight 10 twenty, and three girls, two
grown up, and one the youngest of the family
are just what we might expect from parents
who are so simple and SO good. The young
men, intelligent and well conducted; the BOYS,
docile and promising; and the little girl, as
pretty a little curly headed, rosy y-cheelled pop
pet as ever was the pet aud p'aything of a
large family. 1t is, however, with the eldest
daughters we have to do.
Jane and Patty Evans were as much alike
as hath ever bciallcn any two sisters not born
at one time, for, in the matter of twin children,
thero has been series of plzzles ever since
the days of the Drumois. Nearly of an age,
| Il believe at this momcnt both are turned nine
teen, and neither has reached twcnly.) exactly
of stature, (so high that Frederick the Great
would have coveted them for his tall rcgiment)
with hazel eyes, large mouths, full lips, white
teeth, brown hair, clear, healthy complexion
and that sort of nose which is neither Greek
laAlaass'', nor acqualine, nor &C pepi aer ret
rouse, that some persons prefer 10 them all,
but a nose which, moderately prominent, and
sufficiently well shaped, i; yet as far as l know
ANONYMOUS, although it be perhaps as common
and as vel looking feature as is to be seen
on an English face. Altogether, they were
| pair of tall and comely maidens, and being
constantly attired in garments of the same
color and fashion, looked at all times so much
alike, that no stranger ever dreamed of know
| ing them apart, and even their acquaiutances
were rather accustomed TO speak and think OF
them generally as the Evalsls," than as the
separate individuals Jane aud Patty Even
those who did pretend to distinguish the one
from the other, were not exempt from mistakes,
which the sisters-Patty especially, who de-
| lighted in the fun so often produced by the un-
usual resemblance-werca apt to favor by chang
ing places in a walk, or slipping from one side
to another at country tea party, or playing
hundred innocent tricks, to occasion at once
a grave blunder and merry laugh
Old Dinah Goodwin for instance-who, be-
ing rather purbind, was Jealous of being sus-
pected Of seeing less clearly than her neigh
b0rs, and had defied even the Evanses to puzzle
her discernme1t-seeking in vain on Patty 5
hand the cut finger which she had dressed on
James, ascribed the incredible cure 20 her
Qzxa incompatible salve; and could hardly be
I undeceived, even by the pulling off of Jane 5
glove and the exhibition Of the lacerated DIG
ital sewed round by her own bapduge. Young
George Kelly, too, the greatest beau in the
| parish, having bet at 4 Christmas party that
he would dance with every pretty girl in the
/ room, lost his wager, which Patty had over
heard, by that saucy damsel slipping into her
sisters place, aud pursaHdng her to i1in her
own unconscious partner; so that George
danced twice with Patty and not at all with
Jane n bantering piece of malice which
proved as the young gentleman Ia rustic ex-
/ quisite of the first water.) was pleased to as
! sert, that Miss Patty was not disDlcascd with
her partner. How little docs a vain man
know of wOmanhood If she had liked him,
she would not have played the trick for the
mines of Golconda. In short from their school
/ days, when Jane was chiddcn for Patty's had
work, and Patty siuPPcJ for Juncis bad spin
ming, down to their prime of womanhood.
there had been no end to the confnsie4r- pro-
duced by this remarkable Instance Of family
likeness.
And yet nature-wh sets some mark Of in
dividuality upon even her nearest productions,
making some unnoted difference between the
lambs dropped from one eve, the robins bred
in one nest, the flowers growing on one Stock,
and the leaves growing on one tree-hath not
! left these maidens without one permanent dis
tinctioE-a natural and striking dissimilarity OF
temper. Equally Industrious, afftctionatc
happy and kind; each was kind, happy, alftc-
tionate and Industrious. in different way
Jane was grave; Patty was gay. Ifyou heard
laugh or song, be sure it was Patty; she
who jumped the stile, when her sister opened
the gate, was Pattyi she who chased the pigs
from the garden, as merily as if she we're run
ming race, so that the pigs did not mind her
was Patty, On the other hand, she that SC
carefully was making, with It's own ravelled
threads an invisible darn in her mothers hand
kerchiels, and was hearing her sister read the
while; she that so patiently was feeding, one
5y one, two broods of young turkeys; she, too
that so pensively was watering her own bed
OF dollcate and somewhat rnre Hn,Eers-