The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-03-15
LUkE'S LOVE- MAKING.

suds, scrubbing brushes and mops {
Cleaning houses indeed-the words are
all insufficient to express the forlornity
of that once cheerful little room.
ssAnd this comes of boarding. said
Luke to himself, when he was fairly in
the open air. If l wasn't such a miser-
able poltroon about such things, would
ask Jenny Hope to have me. I'll take
q little house somewhere and get Jenny
Hope to recommend some nice old wo-
man who knows how to roast partridges,
and darn stockings, and make coffee, and
iron shirts, and raise chickens, which is
all that is required of woman" And
Luke Trcssaly proceeded merrily to-
| wards the brown stone casket that held
his hearts jewel, whistling Yankee
Doodle and stroking his brown mustache
in very enviable state of mind.
Now what was there in tall, slender
wasted girl. brown eyed and pink cheek
ed with a mischievous dimpled mouth,
that should reduce 3 sixfooter like Luke
! Tressaly to speechless confusion Yet
the dcwy light of Jenny Hopes eyes
made a coward of him at once.
! So he sat twirling his finger and
! watching tie shine of Jenny needle
and wondering what he had better say
/ first, until at length. after fifteen min
utes Of embarrassed silence he plunged
headlonS into his subject.
Miss Jenny T.
" " ell, Mr.. Tressaly 2"
I'm thinking Of going to house keep
ing,
Are you, Mr.. Tressaly 2 Jenny bent
lower over her work to bite off a
refractory thread, and grew scarlet
- Yes, the fact is, I'm tired to death
! of boarding, and l think it would be
nice change, and-and-I fancied you
might recommend a housekeeper.'
- housekeeper what sort of one,
Mr. Tressaly 2
Oh, some nice old woman or other
somebody who can make snug little
home"
Jenny's eyes sparkled and her pretty
broWs contracted with a momentary
twitch. Luke stared, and wondered
what he had said to vex Miss Hops.
Il think l can Recommend the very
person you want said Miss Hope, curv-
ing her lip.
Can you? Oh, Miss Jenny, / shall
he a thousand times obliged to you. I'll
engage her Immediately, and l can look
up the house afterwards, YOU know p
Who is she =
''W ell, its my aunt, Miss Zeuriah Plant
she S staying here now, and it has al
ways been her ambition to assume the
charge of q gentleman household. I'll
call her at once, and you can settle the
preliminaries as soon as you please
d" "a give thousand dollars if l only
dared ask that girl to have me =
Miss Zeuriah was feeding her grey
parrot when Jenny came into her room,
She was not young, moreover she was
not pretty-and she wore spectacles and a
false front, vet Miss Plant waslstll on
qH ripe for a chance in the lottery mat
rimonial.
Aunt, dear, said Jenny. demurely,
i have received proposal for YOU
For me?' o, go along I Uttered Miss
Plant. dropping the lump of sugar she
was about to regale Pretty Polly with.
No, but Zeuriah l am in earnest
ho is it ? said Aunt Zeuriah. put
ting her hand on her heart, and mechan-
icaliy feeling TO see if her glossy black
curls were all straight.
Mr.. Tressaly. He wants to go to
house keeping, and needs some lady of
mature Judgment to preside over his
househoid-so go and see him
=" Gracious me" faltered Aunt Zeuriah
~ Wonder if l hadn't better put on my
green satin with the bugIe trimmin' ?
Oh, pshaw-you' well enough,
said Jenny, besides he is in hurry
and think what the consequence would
be if you were to lose such an eligible
opportunity as this
Miss Zeuriah waited to hear no more
but made 4 drive for the door, leaving
Jenny TO finish the ministration to the
grey parrot at her pleasure.
= You sent for me, sir = said Miss Ze-
uriah, tripping into her parlor and sink
ing with girlish confusion into the easy
chair opposite Mr. Tressaly
. Yes, said Luke, unconsciously, 1
wished for capable housekeeper. Do
you think you would be willing to take
charge of my home
Yes giggled Miss Plant, hiding her
bushes In her lilac edged pocket hand
kerchief. That is, if you don't think
me unmaidenly in giving my consent.
: am very particular about my cof-
feel suppose you understand all these
little details ?
'Of course | do, said Aunt Zeuriali.
L can make first rate coffee, tho l say it,
Ny coffee's as clear as wine, and L III
great on griddle cakes
Are you said Luxe, rather puzzled.
ell, think we may consider this an
engagement
: ealc'late So, said Miss Plant, again
taking refuge in her lilac -colored hand
kerchief
Il should like you to come as soon as
possible, as wish to engage house i'm
mediasely,' said Luke, rising
O, certainly, smiled Miss Zeuriah
w hen is il to be z
W hen Is what to be ?
Why-how EN- nbarrassing-the we'd
ding.
= hat wedding 2
Why-ours 10 be sure Ain'twe
/ going TO get married 2
My good woman, said Tressaly,
turning red 20 the roots of his hair.
some encrmus mistake--I merely wish
cd TO engage house keeper never