The Republican journal., 1869-12-23
RACHEL'S WAR.
BY AUGUSTA LARSED.

hACHtLS ) WAX.
BY AUGUSTA LARNED.
| Mrs. Pettigrew had come in ostensibly tC
borrow Rachel's large dripping-pan; and she
! meant to inquire, before the call was over
whether Rachel intended to use her presery-
ING kettle on the following week But there
was IN admirable inaircctness about the good
womans mode of proceeding; so she settled
creaked with her weight, and took off hen
sun bonnet and smoothed out the folds of hen
gown.
Rachel was making pumpkin pies and the
etiquette Of the country did not oblige her tC
forcgo her occupation on account OF hel
visitor. There was a pan OF sltted pumpkin
on the table and a pan of golden milk, show
ing the richness of full pasturage, and eggs,
and butter, and whf1s of cinnamon perfume
We're coming and going. Rachel held up a
blue pie-plate upon her hand, and slittcd the
crust from about the edge with dexterity. At
the moment, in that not unpicturcsquc aii-
tude, with the plump barred arm and we'll
poised head, Rachel was {; tit representative
OF the genuine Yankee girl. Nature had put
no lourncy-work upon her The clear, posi-
tive lines Of her face told that. If She was
not strictly handsome, there certainly was no
other girl in Bassett with the spirit and coul'-
age Of Rachel Henderson.
''llave you got acquainted with the Bray
tons, Rachcl?" Mrs. Pcttigrcw was inquir-
ing, as Il sort of roundabout Introduction to
ounce ''sass'' and the presery ing kettle
"You know, that family that has bought the
old Shorter place"
"No, haven't" returned Rachel, with IL
slight jerk i'll her tone, which showed her dis
position was not unmtigated sweetness, "'but
know their pigs and chickens too WE'LL" she
added. ''Ihcy have been oyerrunning the
garden for :: month past. and father is so
easy he won't say boo to II ncighbor what
ever happens but, al last | have taken mat
ters into my own hands, and declared Wur
We keep our animals at home, and expect
other folks to do the same, or else take the
consequences
Il know what you can do, Rachel, when
you get your dander up; but seems to me
you have got q brcachy COW of your own, >
remarked Mrs. Pettigrcw who took peculiar
comfort in touching up her friend on her
weak points.
ooh, yes" returned Rachel, carelessly
"old Bess was trying in that respect last sum
mer. But we always paid damages and now
father keeps a board on her head, and looks
well to the fences
''Wal,N and Mrs. Pettigrew sighed. II
don't know why the Lord put such propensi-
ties into critters; but | 'spose roofing and
scratching is the way pigs and chickens have
of arning u living, though some of 'em do
seem to be totally depraved. And if want
ed to prove total depravity, I'd pint to them
shotes we had year ago come next spring" ="
CAS- Il general thing, if pigs and chickens
have enough to eat at home, they wont trouble
the public" remarked Rachel, with u little
asperty, as she opened the oven door and
tried the temperature with her hand.
The Braytons havn't had time to get
things ship-shapc. Old Eli Shorter was
dreadful shiftless, and let the place run down
at the heel. Besides, Rachel, don't spoil your
market. There's a likely young man over
there. Everybody has a good word for Her.
man Brayton. Folks say he has been through
college, and knows Il sight; but he don't put
on any airs and he has chosen to be farmer,
rather than to 90 into having or doctoring -
81 am not acquainted with the young man., -
said Rachel coldly; "but | can tell him one
thing--it takes more than college learning to
teach some people to observe the rights OF
Others"
''Look out, Rachel and old Mrs Petit
grew screwed her eyes into an odious wink,
"Tve Leard girls talk jest as you do afore
now; but there's no knowing what may hap
pen. must tell you of q remark Philan-
der made last night, Just as we was blowing
out the candle. 1t seemed to strike him sud-
denly; and, says he, Hubby, says he, 4
shouldn't be Il bit surprised if one of these
times Rachel and Herman Dayton struck up
n match. For you see the farms jine, and it
would look, rs we might say, providential ,"
"Folks needn't trouble themselves about
making matches tor me-" broke in Rachel,
with her face in a flame. II can attend to
my own affairs without anybody's intcrfer-
ence and Herman Br;.yton is the last man |
should ever look att
"Comc, Rachel don't get rilcd," the old
lady made haste to say, in purring tone.
'It was all Joke, and Philander says, says
he, Rachel Henderson is as smart us whip,
and any man who gets her will be doing
plaguey we'll but she'll be awful pcrtcker-
ler, know she will Deary me! how late
it is Imust be going. Now think Of it,
Rachel, could you lend me your big dripping
pan? Sister Blake is coming over with her
family tomorrow and mine won't take an
extra sized roast"
The negotiation for the preserving kettle
also accomplished Mrs. Pettigrew left and
Rachel, in the interval of watching her pies,
stood at the window to cool her flushed face.
Constitutionally she hated the gossip of Il lit
tie country neighborhood; and it nettled her
to know her name had SO soon been joined
with Herman Brayton's. Now, with posi-
tive feeling of dislike, she looked across the
pleasant tields-wth broidercs Of red and
purple and gold hung upon the fringe of for
est trees, and corn lands ready for the sickle
undulating upon the little knobs until their
russet touched the blue of the sky-to where
the chimney stacks of the old Shorter place
came out from amidst their nest of trees.
.'Rachel! Rachel"' called out q half-groWn
boy, running at that moment round the cor
ner Of the house, and holding up the lifeless
form of a fine cock. You told me TO let fly