The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-03-16
Squire Turner.
by MARY KYLE DALLAS.

/ y
Squire Turner, with his arms folded
on the gate, looking over.
When he caught my eye he laughed
and | blushed, and / arose and made
him courtesy.
He was handsome gentleman, the
squire, and the hand he had pulled
the glove from shimmered in the sun
with pearls and diamonds, and he had
lace frills at his breast and wrists, and
was bonny to look at with his hair like
spun gold in the October sunlight.
When | courtesied he bowed, max
ing his curls dance over his shoulders,
and said he:
I've spoiled one pretty picture that
| could have looked at all day. but I've
made another as pretty, so Ill not
grieve. May | come in?'
"And welcome, sir" said /; and /
SET u chair for him, for he was grand
fathers landlord, and the squire; but
for all that | felt uncomfortable, for
was not used to fine company.
de talked away, paying me more
compliments than / was used to; for
grandmother, who brought me up, al
ways said, Handsome is as hand
some does, and Beauty is but skin
deep
Since I'm telling the story. I'll tell
the truth. had done wrong about
one thing. Neither of the old folks
knew that | wore Evan Lock ring
in my bosom, or that we'd taken a vow
to each other beside the hawthorn
that grew in the church lane. l never
ment to deceive; but grannie was old
and little hard, and that love of
mine was such a sweet secret Be
sides, money seems to outweigh all
else when people have struggled their
lives through to turn a penny, and
they knew Evan was poor thought
I'd wait a while until could sweeten
tie news with the fact that he'd begun
to make his fortune.
Grannie came in from the dairy
five minutes after the squire was gone,
and heard he had been there didn't
tell her Of his fine speeches; but there
was key-hole to the door she came
through, and if L have a guess, she
heard them.
That night we had something else
to think Of AIisfortunes had come
upon grandfather; but | didn't fore
see that when the half years rent
should come due, not a penny to pay
it with would be found.
All this time Evan and | had been
as fond as ever of each other, and he
came as often as before to talk with
grandpa winter nights; and still every
little while oT young landlord, Squire
Turner, would happen in and sit in
his lazy way watching me knit or spin.
Once or twico no was aHehed with
wine and over bold, for he tried to
kiss me. But, Squire or no, boxed
his ears for his pains, and no softer
than l could help either.
/ could not help his coming, nor
help seeing him when he came, and l
did not deserve that Evan could be
angry with me- But he was Eth, so
high and mighty, and spoke as though
one like the Squire could mean no
good by coming to so poor place as
the schoolmasters
He made me angry and I spoke up.
'For that matter, the Squire would
be glad to have me promise to marry
him, said l. He thinks more OF me
than you do just now"
maybe you like him better" said
Evan.
Il don't say that" said 1. But
bad temper and jealousy scarce mako
me over fond of another. L pray /
may never have husband who viii
scold me-
For he had been scolding me. There
was no other name for it.
Well, Evan was wroth with me and
| with him-not heart deep, though, /
thought--and did not see him for
more than week.
l wasn't troubled much, though. |
knew he would come round again, and
mayhap ask my pardon. For before
you are wed you can bring your lover
to his senses when you will.
So l did not fret after Evans alb
sence, nor qnite snub Squire Turner
who liked me more than ever. But
one night grandfather came in from
lonely ride, and, shutting to the door,
stood between grandmamma and me,
looking at me, and so strangely that
we both grew frightened. At last he
spoke;
I've been to the Squire's, said he.
'For the first time had to tell him
that l could not pay his rent when
due.
l opened my lips. Grandmamma's
hand covered them. Grandpa drew
me to him.
"Thou'rt young, lass" he said, "and
they are right who call the pretty.
Say, couldst like the young Squire
enough to wed him p
"Eh ?" cried Grandma. Sure
you're not wandering?'
esquire Turner asked me for this
lass Of ours tonight OF all women
in the world, there is but one he loves
as he should love wife, and that is
our Agatha"
81 dreamt of golden rings and a
bunch of white roses Christmas Eve,
cried grannie 81 always knew the
lass would be lucky"