The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-07-08
MISS KETURAHS YEARLING.
How II Brought Her a Husband.

she's notional with nothing but hens and
ducks and live stock to keep her company,
it amt wonder she sets so much store by
what she's raised. That's just how the
case stands, Usher !" ,-zssa sssss.s $500
The man addressed as "Lisher" was
leaning on pair of bars that led into Miss
Keturah's pasture, doing just what the
good book commands us not to do, viz
"Coveting his neighbours possessions
81 jocks" said he, with his gaze fixed
on pretty, frolicksome young animal,
clean of limb and straight of back, with
soft, bright eyes, like girls, 81 wish
could coutrive to get hold of that Aldernay
yearling there amt another like her in
the country, and I'd be willing to fork
down almost anything Ketury might ask"
you'd better not get your heart set on
it." said his brother Jabez, in the tone of
deliberate emphasis common to him. 81
do believe Ketury would almost as soon
give you herself as part with that yearling."
just then the graceful creature in the
lot, with her white feet buried in rich
feed, and a wisp of grass dangling from her
mouth, gave little caper, and a frisk Of
the tail, as much as to say, "You'd better
believe"
Jabez, the elder brother, moved out from
the shade of the butternut tree, where the
two men halted to lean over the rail fence.
81 mustbe getting home" said he, "or my
old woman will scold about keeping the
supper standin'. You hain't got any wife,
Usher, to fret if you don't come to time
ON meals"
Jabez, a sturdy, bronzed farmer, went
trudging his way homcward, with his coat
over his arm, and his checkered shirt
sleeves and red flannel back to his vest
showing. Elisha, however, fingered in the
road. He was different build from his
brother, not so square and thick set, but
taller, with cheeks following in little
about the mouth, a bushy beard, and kind
gray eyes. He fingered behind, half mus
ing on the words Jabez had so carelessly
spoken. ST believe Ketury would almost
as leave give you herself" lie knew his
brother meant nothing, but the words were
sweet TO him. 1t seemed as though he had
needed the assurance of their truth for a
long time.
There, down the road, which wound
little, and clasped a thicket of trees in the
crook of its arm, was the old red farm
house, where Keturah lived. IL was
homely place, and no effort had been made
to fix it up; but its air of snugness sug-
gested comfort and good cheer. The sheds
and outhouses struggled to the barn, or else
the barn struggled to the sheds. There
was plenty of shade from cherry and apple
trees, where robins and thrushes nested.
The old caves were swallow-harmted, and
there was a roomy, old-lashioned garden,
and path of green sward, sprinkled with
white clover, where Keturah stretched her
drying-lne, and let her clothes tlutter out
on Monday morning earlier than any of her
neighbors. 1t was a tidy old place, and
had come down to her from her fathers es-
tate, with a few outlying fields, well fenced
and TILED; a bit of timber land, a good
spring of water, and several other blessings
belonging to this sublunary sphere.
Keturah knew how to prize her indie
pendence. There were few plain rules
she never transgressed: to deal fairly, to
always live within her means, and to make
the most of blessings. seemed pretty plain
duties Che "s"s not supposed to be worry
friendly to matrimony, and she did enjoy
being her own mistress, with an unlimited
scope for the exercise of that which is
known in New England as faculty.
She was woman of middle height, with
bright, frank, blue eyes, face fresh yet in
color, and dark hair, combed smooth be-
hind her ears, aud twisted in smallish
knot at the back of her head. None of
those chin-yarns, as Miss Kiturah said for
her. She was a world too sensible to wear
a false wad on her Uranium. She had been
out just at nightfall to attend to her chick
ems, and to see that they were all in the
coops, under the feathers of the clucking
hens. A little invalid creature, pretty
ball Of down, with a sprained ankle, she
brought and put in a warm basket on the
mantel. There was shrewish wind
blowing outside, although it was May,
with blossoms from the apple trees whirl-
ing down to the grass A , Sms KTe29 Ga a6yss
hearth, and the hlacs We're in bloom, and
the door yard gay with jouquils and daffy-
down dlllles. The dog and cat, sleek and
well-fed as dog and cat need be, were living
on the hearth, in their own appointed places.
and there sat Miss Keturah, with a little
round stand beside her, in the circle of light
from the genial fire, sewing away on a pair
OF unmentionables for little Billy Shaw.
Mrs. Shaw, his mother, was poor, always
IN hot water, with dreadful want of calcu-
laton and good judgment in her upper
story. 1t was either feast or a famine
IN the Shaw establishment all the time.
The juvenile Shaws had to go without their
crust buttered six days in the week but if
on the seventh their mother happened to
earn dollar, just as likely as not it was
all spent in butter, and eaten up at one
meal. Keturah despised such shiftlessness.
but her hands never stopped doing for the
Shaws.
Now as she sat there in her cheerful and
contented loneliness, with the big clock
ticking, in the corner, there came a knock
at the door.
Come in Johnny Shaw, called out Ke-
turah, without turning round. 'sThere's
the 2, h ~, 9f.notatnes Inromised xpur paather
1 snail chu1n tomorrow, and your mother
may send over for pail of buftermiI iIo, y
"Ahem I" MINI
!, heturah turned round suddenly and
tiere stood Elisha Bates, holding 6is hat.
ana looking into it as if he expected to dis
cover the profomdest wisdom in ;ts dentbs
Snakes aliyew exclaimed Miss Retn.
ran you gave me such start. tbouoht
70 De sure it was Johnny Shaw. Take .
cnalr, Ilsha, and draw up to the fra
ooid amt 1t Tor this time of the wear.
Good for blue noses, y said 5Iisba h,,t
ne ielt, as he expressed It afferw,a nd
s ah, much as a man feels when he
nsi appat 70 break the ice, and plunge into
cold bath. However, he sat down on MA ~
edge OF chair, carefully depos;tad he h s,,e
under 1t, took out his red silk handl ias ias
and mopped his face all over. 'Neicihei
There was a LITTLE nral;n,;na