The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-10-10
MOTHER AUSTIN'S PLOT.

TULIUS AUSTIN was rich farmer.
u He owned many and fertile acres
near the city of Buffalo, into which lad
drove, every morning throughout " the
season." with fruit and vegetables gather
ed from the " old Austin place." as the
farm was called. Julius was good-looking
enough, and in general way, pretty
sensible; but he had some striking pecu-
liarities of character. He dressed with
such a critical observance Of "the fash
ion," that when abroad, he might have
been considered walking advertisement,
had his tailor's name only been append
ed to his habiliments. And as to his
hair-why, bless you, one would think
that the wind dared not touch it, ever SO
lightly. Every particular hair always
kept itself in just so sort of way, as
though it had been glued in position.
Julius was young, too-certainly not
more than twenty-five or six, so that age
could not have rendered him what his
neighbors averred he was ga man as
odd as the day was long, f. rl.
One day Julius entered the room where
his mother, who was the presiding genius
Of his house, sat knitting with gloomy
mien. He had been hoeing beans in
the garden, and his mother, from the
window where she was sitting, had no.
ticed that every now and then he had
Strengthened himself, and with his left
hand resting on his hoe, had gesticulated
with his right and made sundry motions
with his head in manner which con-
vinced the old lady that "Julius had
something bearing heavily ON his mind )"
so she was not at all surprised when he
left his work and came into the house.
But she was not quite prepared for the
announcement.
Mother, l shall have to get married"
Law bless you, Julius--how you do
talk ~ u0 M
=" It's just here" continued Julius, as
he twired his hat on his left forefnger.
" You know Molly is going to set up for
herself in month, and you are troubled
so much with the rheumatism that you
won't be able to get around to see to
things, and Sally needs some one right at
her elbow. She don't cook worth snap
since Molly has been busy over her we'd
ding fixings. She hasn't brought in
meal this fortnight that was fit to eat.
Why, the stomach of horse couldn
stand such puddings and pies as she
makes"
"Well," said Mrs. Austin, thoughtful
ly, " spose all you've got to do is to
say the word. You and Bessie Barton
have been keeping steady company nigh
about year"
" Bessie Barton is no wife for me-
would as soon think Of marrying Sally,
there in the kitchen, as her"
Mrs. Austin dropped her knitting and
looked over her spectacles at her son in
amazement.
" Why, Julius. What's the fuss ?"
There's been no great fuss, only |
told her that if John Gilman wants to
court her now as bad as he used to, |
shan't stand in his way. To come to the
point mother, | want a wife who knows
how to cook and fix all sorts of victuals,
and do it up brown, too; and I've found
out that Bessie can't get up an ordinary
dinner that anybody but starving man
could swallow"
"And you used to be always harping
about the good dishes they served at
Henry Barton's."
"Guess you haven't heard me say any
thing about the dinner ate there yester-
day." said Julius, dryly, and Mrs. Austin
showed her spectacles up over her fore
head and exclaimed
"Dear me Now, Julius you don't
say so"
"Yes-Henry would have me stay.
Mrs. Barton was sick abed, and the hired
girl was away, so had chance to find
out that the good dinners I'd had there
before weren't cooked by Miss Bessie, for
of all dinners ever tasted, my yester-
days one was the cap-sheaf The beef
was burnt black, and the pudding was
sogey, aud the salad was enough to make
dog sick"
No wonder, julius said Mrs Aus
tin, somewhat anxiously, for Bessie was
her particular favorite, No wonder, /
should think, with her mother sick and
needing to be waited on, and the girl
gone, aud half dozen extra hands to
work in the harvest One pair of hands
can't do everything, nor one head think
of everything at once. know that
much" lis6
Nonsense, mother. It's no more work
and I've heard more than one say go
10 cook for q dozen than one when a