Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-11-17

tin to take me on her recommendation,
which ! has in me pockit-an' here it is
now
She gave him little note which proved
to be from Barbie IIalstead. Anson read
it with very lover like carcfulness and shook
his head
I am very sorry. my good girl but we do
not wish to hire a servant.
Belize yer father mayn't object whin he
sees me, the girl persisted.
! Anson looked at the spoiled white bonnet
and red feather, and repressed smile
wondering what his father would say. But
he was of too kindly nature to expose even
this servant to his fathers rough manner
He repeated what he had said before, as
suring her that it would be Of no use to see
his father.
! The girl stood moment-If ye plaze,
sur, II just see him a moment. Belize he
will take a liken to the look o me-
And before he could reply she had cross
ed the room and stood upon the threshold
of the next. Anson followed presently,
curious to see what sort of a reception she
would get
"Shure an III be plenty more than am
worth to yees, >" she was saying with inno-
cent emphasis as Anson entered. She talk
ed rapidly, pouring out such a torrent Of
words that the old man could not by any
possibility slip one in among them. and sat
regarding her with an expression of most lu-
! dicrous astonshment
! This remarkable volubiity completely
/ baff1ed the old mans slowness. He could
not say word if he wished to- and when
she concluded at last, Il kin make tlapjacks
and corn bread that bring the very eyes
out iv yer head, and make ye swaly yer
head in delightsomeness, if he had a
weakness it wastor flapiacks and corn bread
he could only twirl his thum a sort of deli
cious awe, and ask her with smile, how
much she expected, ''to get for doin' all
them things
'Sivnty five cints wake was the
quick reply.
Witha still more cunning laugh, Joel of
fered her half the money. Greatly to his
amazement she agreed at once. and he soon
found himself to use his own expression, y
''in for it. " To add to his cuagrin Anson
stood by laughing with intense enjoyment.
But the GIRL, without further ado, pro-
ccedcd to dsencumber herself of bonnet
and shawl and vanished in the direction of
the kitchen before anything could be said
As she shut the door she stole glance at
Anson that made him start and bite his lips,
and presently he stole kitchenward also :
She was already at work, handling the
broom like an adept, and grumbling in her
rich brogue at the dust that had accumula-
ted in the corners; for the extent of Anson' S
and his fathers sweeping had been to brush
the centre Of the room, somewhat to the
disadvantage of the rest.
She did not look up as Arson entered
but he sat down and deliberately and fur
lively watched her. For some time she
{, seemed unconscious of the scrutiny; but
presently she turned, and clasping both
her hands upon the top of the broom han
die she said with a mixture of bravado md
, archne>s too natural to be mistaken:
"Well, Arson, what do you think?n
Arson laughed and looked annoyed in the
same breath
'Then it was you, Barbic?" he said II
was supposing something of the sort"
Not till | looked atyou, said the girl
roughly as he approached.
| ''Do think this is quite the thing, Bar
bic ?"
''Surc an why an'tit the thing for q
3 poor girl to be gettin' her livin' dacintly an
' honestly"
And that was all he could get out of her.
Having acknowledged her identity with
|, Burbie for an instant, she was the most un-
approachable Biddie the next day and wo' d
f have nothing to say to him save in that char
acter.
Docs you father know of this, Barbc?
What would he say persevered Anson,
anxiously.
"Shure an its not me own fader would
, be interferin wild me at all, would he p
said Biddy.
, In vain were all the remonstrances with
the rogush and wilful girl, She persisted
| in being Biddy, even to him, and maintain
ed distance between them very different
, from that between him and Barbie in her
j, own proper self. Annoyed, provoked,
f chagrined, almost angry, the advent OF
\ his father forced him to retire from the
, kitchen, for fear Of betraying Barbie's Sc
Y crct, which he would not have done for 6
a great deal
r 1t was several hours before he could re
| turn to the house, his father having Joined
e him, and upon one preteXt or another de
tanned him when at last they entered the
z kitchen together, which had been in an un
tidy state when they left it, it had undergon,
: such remarkable change that old Joel al
t first thought that he had set his foot il
: somebody else 5 than his own Supper was
n smoking on the tablc-such supper as ole
: Joel at least had not seen in months. TC
a crown all Mrs. Shcllenbarger was sitting
propped with pillows in a great easy chair
and looked wondrously contented, and witt
reason--the poor lady had not had "A wo
g mans hand about her since her illness =
They lived in such an isolated and inhospi
Y table manner, that very few of their neigh
: bors even knew that Mrs, Shellenbargor wa,
not as well as usual Biddy, as she calleC
l. herself had tidied the poor lady up in {
a wonderful manner.
u Joel Shellenbarger sat down to the dain
o ty spread table and made most heart,
meal, glancing askance at Biddy meanwhile
Biddy, after knowing that mother and sol
l. were fast friends and always Of one opinion
> told her secret to Mrs. Shellenbarger, anC
IS fairly wheeded the good old lady into ap
proval 1t is true that she shook her heat
d at first, and looked wondrously shocked :
l. But it was so charming to have those littl'
p soft hands fiuttering about. Anson, strange
to say, ate very little, and he watched
h Biddy too,
It This was but the beginning Of reform
Y this darling girl instituted. First, however
Il as much, perhaps, for her own peace, ant
N to see such brightness and comfort sprini
t. up around that she could not for her owl
d sake help countenancng, as much as silenc
a could Biddy's mysterious presence.
l. | havn't time to give you all the partlcu
" lars but having made so good a beginning
le with true Irish faculty, Biddy establishes
l. herself in very short time completely il
ID the good graces of the old man, He had
At lurking liking for neatness and order, am
,e Mrs Shellenbarger-poo lady WASH
st very tidy housekeeper: Under the ne1