The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-04-15
Stlisttllanrous.
OUR FARM OF TEN ACRES.
(C0NCLUDED.)

he answered
Then, coming to my side, Philips
brother expressed himself highly graft
fled at our prospective relationship.
"And Uncle John will be pleased"
he said. "He is in New York now, but
when he returns may not bring him
Immediately to you?"
l begged him to wait until his broth
er's arrival, which would be very soon,
and he kindly agreed to comply with
my wishes. Then we rode home to as
tonish mamma.
AS Rosie had explained, while visit
ing my English cousins, had met and
loved Philip Allston, and had left Lon.
don his affianced bri lie. None of my
family had ever seen my lover, and al
though Murray Allston's remarkable
resemblance to him had struck me at
once, had not mentioned it, and the
misunderstanding in regard to his sur
name had prevented my surmising the
relationship. So that mammals amazed
questions:
"But Maudie, my dear, how was it
possible you should have been so stupid?
Does not DIR. Murray look like his
brothers."
And DIR. Murray's:
'1t is generally conceded that do,
but Maud has not paid me the compli-
ment of thinking so''-
Were, to say the least, rather embar-
RAISING. But, after all, you may be
very sure that it was quite agreeable
Tor us to have a handsome, talented.
and, withal, rather practical young man
running in" as the country folks say,
at all hours, keeping a brotherly look
out Tor our comfort, and setting right
our innumerable blunders in regard TO
our ten acres and their cultivation, and
all in the kindest and most unostenta.
tious way. Still, notwithstanding his
care and protection, we did have some
ludicrous experiences and adventures.
My oldest sister, living at Washing
ton, with her member of Congress hus.
band, had two small embodiments of
mischief, named respectively George
and Sue, and aged six and four. These
responsibilities were forwarded to us by
express, 1.-THE pure country air would
be SO beneficial to them," their nam.
ma wrote, and they arrived in season
TO hnd plenty of green Strawberries, and
10 experience all the stages of cholera
morbus. But am anticipating.
The first day of their arrival Geor-
gie's blue velvet knickerbockers and
Sues dainty white skirts reposed quite
contentedly in our laps and frequent
were our exclamations, "What sweet
little things! "What dear, docile lit
tie darlings !" etc, and the children's
bright eyes and dimples danced in glee
at their merry anticipations.
"Ill ride horseback, Auntie Maud,
won't l ?" asked Georgia, again and
again, and l, unwary female that / was
replied always, eyes, DEAR" suppos-
ing, in my ignorance, that my darling
little nephew would shrink from full.
filling his request.
Sues feeded the chickens!" was
that young lady's triumphant remark
as she came to me in the afternoon with
an empty box in her hand.
Have you, darling ?" asks Auntie
Rosie, taking the tiny fairy into her
lap "What did you give them?"
"This box full, plenty of it," answers
Sue, as we observe, horror stricken, that
the box is labelled, "Fine Table Salt"
which article of diet DR.. Murray had
strictly prohibited for hens.
So Sue was forbidden to feed the
chickens again, which almost broke her
heart, and our best hens sickened and
died from the effects of the chloride of
sodium.
George was very much interested in
the cow and calf, and used to watch
them eagerly while mamma fed them
with corn, meal or something equally
palatable to COWS and calves.
The possessor of the lacteal fluid had
a way OF shaking her head, and advanc
ing rapidly towards us, with her nose
down to the ground, and struck terror
to Rosie's heart and mine. But mann
ma insisted that it was only because
she wished food or water, and laughed
at our fears.
Alas!
lone morn we missed him from the
accustomed spot" (Alluding to Geor-
gie.) And just us we began "wonder-
ing where the dear boy was," our cow
dashed by the window with George
upon her back.
10 ittIn lrbi tn
frightened face look piteousIy into ours,
as they passed the window; before we
could reach the door the COW was tear
ing down the street at fearful pace.
Our brave little boy held bravely by
the horns, but we knew his tender fin |
gers would soon unclasp, and shudder-
ed to think Of the mangled heap we
might find on our path as wetleW down
to the road after him. But Michael was
our good angel this time. Hearing the
noise made by the clumsy animals
hoofs, he looked in her direction, and
quick as thought was at the gate, inter
cepted the cow, and rescued our faint
ing treasure.
"Dear little George, if his sunny eyes
had been closed to us forever"-
We never could ascertain how the |
child got upon the cows back. 70 all |
our inquiries he persistently replied
that he was "giving her some corn, and |
she put out her head and jerked him up
quick."'
1t might have been true; but IA few |
days after, upon my investigating the
cause of scratch on his nose, he inform
ed me that he had stepped on it.
George was quite subdued for some
days after his adventure with the COW,
which, by the by, we were subsequent
ly obliged to send away, for she ran at
mamma and hooked her and also Frank |