North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-05-03
ry Barbie for q long time vet.


Professor Hallstead would would not make
a very good farmers wife,"
"Does he think z" Barbie hestated
looking with smiling perplexity at her little
white nands, "that these pretty hands don't
know much about brewing and baking"
etc z" -s
Exactly F.; | believe he thinks that"
"Then he thinks wrong" said Barbe, red
dsning, and looking up at her lover with a
comca little pout. "Did I not hear you
say you needed servant at home I've
mind to 60 down and offer for Ihe place"
Anson laughed again epjoyingly.
owe need one badly enough, but my ia
ther will not suffer one inside of the house"
"Why, how do you live then 2 Who
cooks for you, now that your mother is un-
we'll ?"
I'VE do our own cooking" Arson said
with q return Of the half,smiIng, half-em-
barrassed expression. We cook for our
selves or do without."'
The very day succeeding he one that wit
messed THIS conversation, Anson was at home
busying himself over some culinary opera
tions, when the outside door, which stood
ajar, was nolselessly pushed wide open, and
singularly attired form presented itself Oh
the threshold 1t wore red and green
plaid dress, the checks very large, a yellow
shawl, and very frowzy and tum bled white
bonnet red feather, nearly as long as
Anson's arm, streamed from one side, and
very frowzy and tumbled white bonnet
A red feather, nearly as long as Anson's arm,
streamed from one side, and VIII hin the brim
Hoped the Immense frilI OF cap which
clung close around the face Of the stranger
The face-what could be seen of it, was
very curieus one to be inside of such bon
net and cap. just now, as she surveyed the
Kitchen and Auson-herself still unseen
the muscles about her mouth twitched ner-
vously, and her eyes twinkled with roguish
brightness.
Presently Anson looked that way.
Instantly the face took lugubrious length
and, coming into the room, the girl said, in
sinusting!y, but without looking at him
"An' ye would afther hirn' servant the
day 2" aud stood fdgetting with the fringe
of her shawl.
81 believe NOT" said Anson, coloriDg, with
some annoyance, perhaps at the nature OF
his employment,
"Shure, sir, an the lady that sint me -
Lord bless her swate eyes ?-said you'd be
shure to take me On her recommendation,
which has. in my pocket-and here It's
now" .r
She gave him little note which proved to
be from Barbie Halstead Anson read it
with very-like carelulness, but shook his
head. 90 ..-. ... fs..
81 am very sorry. my good girl, but we do
not wish to hire a servant.o
BE like your father mayn't object whin
he sees me, the girl persisted
Anson looked at the solled white bonnet
and the red feather, and repressed smile,
wondering what his father would say. But
hs was of 100 kindly a. nature to be willing
to expose even this servant to his fathers
rough manner. He repeated what he had
said before, assuring her that 1t would be of
no use TO sec his father. a-...
The girl stood a moment. "If We pIase,
sur, I'l just see him a moment, Bcike he
may take ikin' to the look of me-"
And before he could reply she had crossed
the room, and stood upon the threshold of
the next. Anson followed presently, curious
to see what sort Of reception she would
get
''Shure an Til dc plinty more than Pm
worth TO yees," she was saying with Innn-
cent emphasis, as Arson entered.
She talked rapidly, pouring out such
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
the most ludicrous astonishmeut.
This remarkable volubility completely
baft1ed TIE old mans slowness. He csuld
not say word if he wished to, and when
she concluded at last by saying, Il
II can make tap jacks and corn bre ad hat
'ud bring the Very out " yer head and make
ye swally yer tongue with delighteomeness,
Cf he had o weakness it was for flap jacks
and corn bread, He could only twirl his
thumbs in a SOFT of delicious awe, and ask
her with cunning smile how much she ex-
pected to get for DUNG all these things.
Seventy five cents week." was the
prompt reply. .. .. -
With still more cunning laugh Joel of
fered her half the money. -
Greatly to his amazement she agreed at
once, and he found himself, to use bis own
expression, Gin for it," t
To and to bis chagrin, Anson stood by
laughing with intense enjoyment. But the
Girl without fnrthar ado rrorcadod to diaar