The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-09-30

aoOtnet one ana pt0oooUoo u 20 III. Oattlo8,
With little sonplinsatasy spseSh. 1ra Dar.
thread laos barb shs wore ct her throat
"But it's % strange what can have become Of
the other r. said Hrs. Darling.
Il Vas the golden month Of September that
the old doctor and Mr.. Darling made up their
minds to invite Aiss Bradbury to tea.
"An1 If Harry don't come on terms now, he
never viii. sddsd hsr husband, Who didn't.
~3st ont the best china aad the chased silver
tsa-eervice, Urula." said Mrs. Darling.
"And wear your pink French calico, child /;
tts the most becoming dress you have" said her
And Ursula Percy obeysd both of their man.
4in Badbury came, Q handsome, snowy
young Lady. With . smooth society" manner
that made Ursula feel herself very countrified
and common indeed.
delicious preserves these:" said Miss Brad
bury
"Tbey are of Ursula's making" said Mrs.
Darling. And Henry Clifford passed his plate
for second supply.
II remember the day they we're brewed, or
arch glance ut Ursula.
Suddenly old DR.. Darling grew purple in the
face. and began to cough violently. Every one
started up.
"He's swallowed the spoon ~ cried Mrs. Brad.
bury.
"Oh, oh he's got the sppoplexy |" screamed
Mre. Darling, hysterically.
Uncle! dearest uncle T. piped up little Ur-
sula, vaguely catching at glass OF water.
But DR.. Darling recovered without any more
disastrous symphonic
popletc family" said he. "Bat upon my word,
this is about the biggest blackberry I ever came
perilously nearly swallowing| And he held
out bis wife's pearl brooch, boiled up IN the
blsckberriesi
There was q momentary silence around the
table; and then it was broken by Mrs. Darling,
one of those blessed old ladies Who never Gee an
inch beyond their own specialized noses.
my goodness gracious !" said Mrs. Dprling.
show could It ever come into the preserved
black berries? don't see"
iagly knowing. "Yes, zee good many things
now that didn't see befo,e."
And Harry, glsncing across the table at Ur.
sula, was souewhst eonsoled to perceive that
her cheek vas y shade more scarlet, If that was
possible, than his ewn.
He followed the old doctor into his Office.
when the evening meal WAS concluded. Ursula
did not know how she even would have lived
through it. we're it9not for Mrs. Darling's OBJ
teseness, aud Sophy Bradbury's surfaee.Sbsru
Of manner, aud plunged boldly into the matter.
"Doctor. he began, valiently; but the old
gentleman interrupted him.
"There's no need of any explanation, my boy, y
he said. II know why you didn't want to marry
Miss Bradbury. And dent say that blame
you much; only came very nearly choking to
death With Uisuls's blackberry jam
And Dr.. Darling laughed again until. had hi4
spouse been present, she would surely have
thought second attack Of sppoplexy among the
inevitables.
Little Ursula" he added; "well, you shall
have my blessing" egr
The pearls we're all discolsred, end the gold
OF tho old-fashioned brooch tarnished with the
alchemy Of cooking; bat Ursuls keeps that old
ornament yet, moro tenderly treasured than all
the modern aicknsoks with which her young
husband loads her toilet table, And every year,
when she preserves blAckherries, Dr. Darling
comes to tea, aud mAkes ponderous witicism.,
and preteads TO search in the crystal preserve
dish for . "boiled broccoli"
But, then, jolly old gentlemen will have their
Jokes.