The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-06-28
tFrom petcrson's Magaxius.l
HOW FRED FOUND A WIFE.
MRS. NJ. A. DENNIsoN.

Freu DAGGER was considered, in
common parlance, a "catch." Veal.
thy, high-toned, rising lawyer, ev-
erybody courted him. He had passed
his twenty-eighth year in the vain
! hope of finding some paragon who
would enchain his senses, and prove
to be his ideal. In the search after
this yet undiscovered perfection, he
had become weary, At last one sum-
mer day he found himself at Maple
wood, a beautiful village among the
hills. He was delighted with its sur
roundings, and resolved to remain for
a day or two at the little inn.
To his amazement he found fruit
for breakfast, though it was still June.
"'Tis like living in Paris" he said to
himself, slipping his coffee. "These
strawberries are the best | ever ate"
he remarked to the landlady. "Do
they grow in your garden?"
"Oh, no these are some that Miss
Stainely raised. We've a young lady
here who has fine garden, and we
buy of her, because we always get the
BEST said the hostess. "IIer father
| died last year; he was a clergyman,
and he left nothing but the house and
garden. Miss Stainely supports her
II. other and herself"
Miss Stainely must be genius
said Fred, taking up his paper.
''In,leed she is! her garden is a
sight to be seen. They send for miles
around for her fruits and flowers"
AN old maid, l presume" mutter-
ed Fred
s.No, indeet,,, as fresh and blooming
a young lady, and as well hammered
as you could wish TO see. Everybody
loves Miss Stainely."
Fred smiled to himself, and soon
forgot Miss Stainely. But some hours
after, when out for a walk, he saw Il
little brown cottage that arrested his
attention by its pictures9reness.-
There was a vine-covered porch with
the Wisteria climbing up all the cor
ners, and there were great double ro-
ses, full of sweet odors, blushilg he
side the pretty entrance.
Just then a little boy came out of
the gate with a basket OF luscious
strawberries.
Pray, my lad,a said Fred, "who
lives here?"
Miss Stainely, sir"
Fred glanced again at the straw
berries. They looked doublv beauti- |
ful now that he knew a young lady. |
and said to be pretty, had picked |
them. He wondered if her fingers
were fair. Then he laughed to him |
self at the folly of ST ch an idea.
Suddenly voice sounded, so near
that it startled him.
"Please bring me nv pruning |
shears, Janey. This vine needs atten-
tion," it said.
Heavens! is she strong enough to
wield them:" thought Fred with a
sort of horror
''Ah the poor little things; how /
hate to cut them. But they mgst 60"
said the voice.
Fred noticed how c2ressing and
tender, how soft, low and womanly
the voice was.
"And here's my darling little Con
cord, the voice continued, putting
out such tiny, moist budsl / gave It
up week ago, and came near cutting
it down. How glad | am spared il"
By this time Fred was in an agony
to see the lips from which proceeded
such sweet sounds. AT that moment
gentle-faced, elderly woman appear
ed at the back door and SAID:
Gp4ga Inor 81 49,, =. |
hot for you"
"Yes. mother" was the reply, and
slight girlish figure. the face com
pletely shaded by large garden hat,
came blithely forward, sprang up the
steps, and vanished.
"Rosel What a pretty namem
mused Fred, more interested than he
had ever found himself before. "And
such little creature, / had fancied
her large and masculine, in face and
figure. Pshawl what fool l am -
What is the girl to me-"
True, what was the girl to him? It
was very strange that her voice haunt
ed him so. A little country girl who
sold vegetables-he would not think
of her again.
But the next day, almost before he
knew it, he found himself sauntering
towards the brown cottage. As he
came near there was sound of mu-
sic-piano forte, well played-the
Wedding March" his favorite He
stopped, thunderstruck. What did
it mean? Could the hands that dug
and weeded elicit such harmonious
chords
Presently the music ceased.
"She must go out and pull radishes,"
laughed Fred, nervously to himself.
Then bright thought struck him.
She sold berries, seedlings and slips.
Why not sell some to him? He would
at least ask her.
You see Fred was a bold fellow,
and no faint-hearted coward. In a
moment he was ushered into room,
which at first glance he took for a
babitation of the fairies. Hanging
baskets, rustic frames, vines trained
over every window. A little grotto
of moss and shell work in one corner.
Bookcases, tastefully ornamented-
The piano with one of the most beau
tiful covers he had ever seen in his
life. The carpet like bed of ferns.
The chairs and tables quaint in their
fashioning
Miss Rose Stainely came in. She
was neither blonde nor brunette. She
had charming large gray eyes under
CT. s<rkr+ lacI |