National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-07-30

! oplectlc purple in consequence OF
trying to c0nvert burst of laugh
ter into a fit of coughing.
But how be ye going to get your
potato crop into the ground.' 2 he
demanded women can't plow.'
Il don't know why they can't, said
Miss Bell, argumentatively.
because they are women,' said
the conservative farmer. 'Ain't
that reason enough ?
Not by any means,' said Miss
Bell. Il am going to follow the ex-
ample of the German women, who
work out in the open fields just like
men. Germany is ii great country ?
Il should think it must be- said
Mr.. Tully, obviously.
And he took his leave, after some
very kindly advice. which Miss Bell
resoved mentally not to take.
SO, the days went by at elm
BrOok'-by which euphonious title
Miss Martin had decided to call her
farm-until one evening, returning
late from survey of her premises,
she came on Katie Appleton lean
ing over the stile talking to some.
body in the twilight.
Katie she cried, warningly, as
the cOnscience-stricken little dam
sci tluttered toward her with both
hands full of the lovely pink bios
sons of the wild azalea, was that
man you were talking to"
'lt-it was only the rector, Bell
faltered Katie, 'to know why we
were not at church all last month";
Miss Bell was not exactly salts,
fed with her cousins explanation;
but she said nothing. Verbal 81
lence, does not restrict the freedom
of thought, and within herself Bell
Martin was by no means ut ease.
The rector she repeated. "a
rector is only a man, after all and
| should think Katie had had
enough of the false hearts and hol-
low professions of men! But there
it is-some people will never learn
by experience
And between the obstinacy of
her Mercer potatoes, which abso-
lutely declined to come up, and the
ill-advised thoughtlessness of Kate
in persisting in any intercourse with
the forbidden ranks, Miss Bell was
really quite miserable that night.
She had cause to he more miser.
able yet in a day or twO-for in a
hand to hand encounter with re-
fractory pig, who had the good taste
to prefer the vegetable garden to
the precincts of his own pen, she
sprained her ankle.
'What are we to do now ? she
groanCd when, by dim of much for
ttude and resolution, she had hob.
blcd to the old chintz-covcred
lounge.
Don't you think hazardcd Katie,
that we had bcttel send for the rec
tor p
'Thc rector, indeed y cried Bell,
irasclbly. think the doctor would
be great deal more to the pur-
poser
The doctor came; so did Mr.. Mil.
burn, the rector, with his brother.
a handsome, ,Square-shouldcrcd man
of forty.
q thought said Mr.. Hugh Mil,
burn, apologctically, that you might
like some one to have an eye to
things around the place until You
get better. June is bad month
for working farmers to fall sick
Il am sure I'm much obliged TO
you,' said Bell despondcntly. If
Katie had the spirit of gay kit.
ten she could attend to matters and
things herself; but she screams il
the COW shakes her horns, and is
actually afraid of the China geese
The rector looked admiringly ut
Katie, whose bushes at these emu
nerations OF her faults were certain.
ly rather becoming, and Mr.. Mil.
burn assured Bell that he would
look after the interests of her agri-
cultural demcsncs.
Il like that man. said the nnwil.
ling invalid when Hugh Milburn
had gone ont to look after the cat.
tie, and his brother had also depart.
ed. There's no nonsense about
him.
Who, the rector p innoccntly
questioned Katie.
'Nor tartly responded her cousin,
Il mean his brother, Mr.. Hugh Mil
burnr
The early summer dawncd bright
and soft over Elm Brook. Old
specklc having maintained u troub
led existence under the board for
some weeks, suddenly decided to
set in good earnest, and divers 9th
or biddies followed her example.
Mercer potatoes sproutcd freely
above the earth; the sweet-corn
transplanted from Miss Bells earth.
cnwarc crooks died and made the
furrowed fields beautiful with their
silver-grecn spikes, and the farm
throvc gloriously under the new nd.
ministration.
slow nice it all looksv said Bell,
signing, nevertheless, when first she
walked out, leaning on Mr.. Hugh
Milburn's arm, to SEQ the young
wheat beyond the corr '0ts.
1T il beautiful iM IN, in bcaliti.
ful location, said Mr.. Milburn, quiet.
ly. Il have alwaysthought should
like just such q farm as thisV =.
'Why don't you buy one, then =
demanded the straightforward dam.