The Van Buren press., 1872-12-24
MISCELLANY.
The Squire's Mistake.

Squire Dudley WAS in bic garden, pull
ing weeds in his patch OF teme strswher.
ries, en- the morning when he tocka fan
cy for Ruth Lee's pretty face. She csme
down the road, looking fresh as new.
blown rose in hsr plain calico dress and
straw hat. Her brown hair, cut quite
short, blew all about her face in little
rings, and her blue eyes sna bright
checks made her as pretty picture ss
one often sees. Squire Dodiey saw her
just as she come opposite the strawbsrry
patch, and he called out Good morn
ing" in his brisk, CHEEKY way.
90, good mornings" she answered.
- You almost scared me. Squire Dudley
| didn't see YOU until yeu spoke.
Pleasant morning, isn't p said TIE
Squire, coming up ts the fence. Ruth
had halted in the road.
ITS beautiful weather answerad
Ruth. - told mother it was too pleas
ant to stay in doors, and started off ON a
visit
"Are your strawberries ripe ys. p
said the Squire, wondering that he never
had noticed what fresh, charming lace
Widow Lees daughter had before.
"Our Strawberries p lpughed Ru.,,
"Wo haven't hot ons Our ole rooster
got in one day, about a week ago, and
picked all he could eat, aud then coaxed
the hess in, and between them they ruin
ed eur strawberry crop,
n IA - j. t---- \ ...- ..t---.'
ic Squire Have some of these, Ruth
They are just ripe enough to be good ="
He picked some great clusters OF ripe
berries and handed them over the fence
tphr.
Thank you," said Ruth, smiling,
How nice they are. Mother was making
q eat calculations on her strawberry jam.
she was terribly vexra when she found
out what the hens hal done.
live got lots to spare, ssid the
qquire, "Ill send some over to your
mother.
Shed he much obliged to you. y
said Ruth if you have more than you
want
Plenty Of them answered the
SVuiIrs liltHtN VI tbNh' W" ""' "
them Just as well as not.
IL must I've going, said Ruth Good
msrning
Good morning. returned the Squire,
looking after her as she went down the
road, Il declare there amt pre,ter
1irl in town than Ruth Lee. ! wonder
some of the Young fellows haven't got her
ava, from the widow. II waa young
now-"
SQUIRE Dudley stopped suddenly An
ilea had just flashed across his brain
.Im Gftv," he said at last, after
thi king quite busily for some minutes.
g. m CITY. bat don't look it don
see why shouldn't try my luck, after
al. Girls MS young as Ruth marry men
older than am I'm sure she'd make
any man n good wife Her mother is
one of the liA.st women in the State. and
she's brought her daughter up to know
how TO work, and he saving aad pru.
dent. I'm sure we need good house
keeper Mrs Brown, sh s old and fus
sy and crooked, and this way Of living
isn't half living do believe II marry
her. il she'll have me. Maybe Charlay' II
say it's foolish. but cant help that.
The Squire fell to wedding out straw
berries again diligently, and kept think
| ing about Ruth all the while Long be-
fore dinner was ready he had fully made
up his mind to propose marriage to Ruth
and bring home a new housckeeper and
mistress to the great house whose mis-
,re.s had been dead for ten years o
more provided, OF course. that Rut.
didn't say no. and the Squire thong II
there wasn't much danger Of that thougi
why he should be So sure, cant say.
"Don't you think We need house
keeper ?" he said to his son Charley thsI
afternoon, as thev sat on tho versndah
The Squire evidently saw some nov
feature in the landscape, for he kept his
face turned away from Charley's - h
spoke.
"A housskeepsr ?" asked Charley
:" We've got one. What do we want .
more. | should like 80 knowT
"Ycs. know" asscn.ed ths Squire
turning red in the face. and bsginniag tt
get 4 little uneasy; "but Mrs. Browt
lent such woman a. we nssd. Sh'
doesn't take anv in the work as--as
woman would whO-who had more in
terest in it.
After which extremely logical argn
ment the Squire got more fdgetsy thar
ever.
~ understand that, answered Char
lev. If she had a personal interest il
the place. and in being prudent. and keep
ing things up. she'd do better thaa oh
does now. Now. she gets her pay 10
her work. and that's all she cares Tor. IL
all we can expect " her. =
just go. said the Squire, glad t.
know that Charley agreed with MIN q
! far. 1--WE been thinking this morning