The Lincoln County herald., 1871-06-15
JOHN HARLOW'S CHOICE.

There was q young lawyer by name Of
John Harlow in New York He told his
partner that he wanted to 50 home for
week. He said he wanted to see his
father and the boys, and his sister, but
that he especially wanted to ride old
"Bob" to the brook once more, and to
milk "Cherry" again, just to see how it
felt to be farmers boy again.
John" said the old lawyer, "be sure
you fix up a match with one of those
country girls no man is fit for anything
until he is we'll married, and you are now
abls, with economy, 70 support wife.
Mind you get one of those country girls.
These paste and powder people here
aren't fit for young man who wants
woman"
Tho next morning John had letter
from his sister. Part Of it ran thus:
ave concluded, old fellow, that if you
don't marry, you'll dry up and turn to
parchment. I'm going to bring home
with me the smartest girl | know. OF
course she don't know what l am up to-,
but you must prepare to capitulate."
In the old home they were looking
for the son. The family proper consisted
Of the father, good Deacon Harlow,
Johns two brothers, ten and twelve
years old, and Huldah, the help" This
last was the daughter of q neighboring
farmer, who was poor and helpless rheu.
matte, aud most Of the daughters hard
earning went to exc out the scanty sub
sis ence at home. Aunt Judith, the
sister of Johns mother, ''looked after
the household affairs Of her brother in
lsw, by coming over twice week and
helping Hudah darn and mend and make,
and giving Huldah such advice as hor
iuexperience was supposed to require
But now Deacon Hariow's daughter had
left her husband to eat his turkey alone
in Boston, and had brought her two
children home to receive tho patcrnal
blessing. Not that Mrs. Amanda Holmes
had the patcrnal blessing chiefly in view
in her trip. She had brought with her
a very dear friend, Miss Janet Dunton
the accomplished teacher Of Mt Paruassus
Female Seminary. Why Miss Janet
0unton came to the country with hel
friend, she could hardly have told. MOI
q word had Mrs. Holmes spoken to bel
on the subject Of the matrimonial scheme
She would have resented any allusion tc
such subject. She would have repelled
any insinuation that she had ever dreamed
that marriage was desirable under any
conceivable circumstances. She often
declared, seutimentally, that she wa'
welded to her books, and loved he
leisure, aud was determined to live an ole
maid. And oil the time this sincere
Christian girl was dying to confer herssl
upon some worthy man Of congenia
tastes; which meant, 10 her case, jus
what it did in Johu Harlow's-some on'
who could admire her sttaiuments.
Mrs. Holmes and her friend had arrived
twenty y -four hours ahead of John, ani
the daughter OF tho house had alread,
installed herself ss temporary mistress b.
thoughtlessly upsetting, reversing, and
turning inside out all the good Huldah''
most cherished arrangements. All th'
plans for the annual festival that wis,
AMI pi act,cal Huldah had entertained
were vetoed, without thought that thi
young girl had been for . year and
halt in actual authority in the house, ant
might have some feelings Of wrong il
having . guest of week overturn he
plans for the next month. But Mrs
Holmes was not one Of the kind to thinl
of that. Huldah was hired aud paid ant
she never dreamed that hired people coul'
have any interest in their work or thei
home other than their pay and their food
But Huldsh was pationt, though she con
fesssd that she had feeling aud that sh
had been rudsly "tramplsd all over"
suspect that she had . good CRY At th
end Of the 6rst day. cannot affirm i.
except from . general knowledge o
women.
When John drove up in the bugg.
which the boys had taken to the depo
for him, his 6rst care was to shake hand
with the Deacon, who was glad to 90
him, but could not forbesr expressing
hope that he would "shave the hair ot
bis upper lip" Then John greeted hi
sister cordially, and was presented l.
Miss Dunton. Instead Of sitting down
he pushed right on into the kitchen
whore Huldah, in . clean white apron
was baking biscuit for tea. She ha
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