The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-05-19

awful. But Teetlet, noble soul, took
his part. AS for Mary Patterson, she
kept still, and could not toll
whether it was to conceal her love or
because she hadn't any. Ben loves her,
anyhow.
When we got to Tardy's field (you
remember what oceans of flowers grow
there among the young honey-locusts),
the boys all fell to gathering flowers for
the girls. Sam Sloan gave splendid
bouquet to Mary Patterson, and so did
Ben, and for that matter so did half
dozen others, until she was obliged to
leave some of them behind. But she
held on to Ben's and Sans. Ben gave
his second one to Teetlet as an acknowl
edgment of surgical services rendered,
and she blushed and looked half happy.
| Teet did not want for flowers, though,
for there is hardly boy or girl in town
who is not under some obligation to her.
But poor Sarah Jane Gray did not get
any at first. You know what wilted
weed she was when you saw her. She
has grown more limp, and jealous, and
fretful than ever. She is an old maid
of the sour kind, though she is not six
teen yet. Her calico dress hangs about
her in slovenly wrinkles that 90 well
with the pucker in her face. Sam Sloan
was mean enough to call her dried
peach, in an under-tone. But just as
she was putting on an expression more
forlorn than ever at finding herself neg
lected, Ben handed her handsome
bunch of flowers, not whit less beauti
full than the one he had given to Mary.
And Mary looked approvingly at him
until Sam was mean enough TO whisper,
so as to be heard by half dozen, that
Sarah Jane would wilt those flowers if
she looked at them much.
But the best thing | have TO tell is
to come yet. When we all got to play
ing Goats, peas, beans and barley grow,
and Ben was chosen, saw the struggle
in his face. He cast one longing, ador-
ing look at Mary, but turned away and
chose poor wilted Sarah Jane, who ac-
tually looked happy, or at least looked
less miserable when she found herself
chosen at all, for the poor girl is gener-
ally left out altogether. Wasn't this
splendid of him?
"When we got to the top Of the hill.
on our return, the party divided, as you
know. Ben and the Poynes and my
self 60 down the west path, and the
rest go straight down into the village,
except Mary Patterson, who can 60
eli her way For wonder, Mary plucked
up courage enough to face Sloan's ridi.
Guile.
'"'I'm going home with you, Ben,
she said, and turned down the path by
his side.
"EThat's right cried Sam after them.
two spooney fools together.
"This cut Mary to the quick, and
Ben no sooner saw it than he got red in
the face, and dashed up the hill after
Sam, who ran like n good fellow, drop
ping his new beaver which Ben, boy
like, pitched into the top of thorn
tree, and all the towards who had
laughed with Sam now laughed at him,
and left him to recover his hat as he
could. AS for Ben, he did not walk on
the ground last night, with Mary by his
side. | never saw a fellow worship q
girl as he does.
" SO much for my hero, of whom you
are growing tired
"SARAH LITTLE"
vi COuISt YOU ScHlic
that the handsome poor boy got over
his awkwardness, courted Mary, was
beat by her father carried her off with 6
rope ladder, married her. begged ole
gentleman's pardon, made fortune
&c, &C., &c. But you are wrong there
| know better Mary's father was dead
and the story did not come out thai
way. Is not this my story, and can | mo-
end it as please? Could not make
Mary die and have Ben marry Sarah
Little, who admires him so much
Couldn't | send Ben to sea and brinl
him back rich, and have old Pogue lose
all his money, and Ben buy the whole
country, and Sam Sloan 60 to the peni
Tertiary? And couldn't | have it dis
covered that Ben was the son of Duke
and heir to vast estates in the West In
dies, and several castles in Spain? O
course | could, but what shall do is t.
tell exactly the simple facts in the case
though they may not be half so inter
esting as any of the plots suggested
above.
When Ben had finished the "chores,
and climed to his loft, and looked agar
out of the gable-window, it was not will
peaceful heart The moon was shinin;
on the green pasture, the low-murmur
ing brook e. branch they call it in tn,
dialect looked like thread of silver
the trees on the hill were asleep, anC
even the long tresses of the weepin.
willow among the ghost. like gravestone
were not swayed by breath; and th'
bosom of the river lay all white anC
pure and peaceful in the light. But j
there any such thing as peace in physi
, cal expression? For to Ben, chafny
! under his limitations, stimulated by hi
passion, and now Thoroughly aroused b,
the desire so to cultivate himself tina
he might hold up his head when Mar,
Patterson looked at him--to Ben Lam
; son that great, deep picture framed b,
the little gablewindow was full of troub
lous tokens. The brook was fretting a
/ the stones, the willows were bemoanin,
the sorrow of the world, the dark mapl,
trees were threatening giants agains
, the sky, and the "ghostly sycamores'
by the rivers brink were palisades t,
shut him in.
As soon as every one was asleep