Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-11-13
THE sQuIRE's MISTAKE.


Squire Dudley was in his garden
pulling weeds in his patch of tam'
straw berries, ,on the morning when he
;uok fancy for Ruth Lees pretty
ace. She came down the road look.
:ng fresh as ncw-blown rose in hei
,lain calico dress and straw hat. Hel
brown hair, cut quite short, blew all
,bout her face in little rings, and he.
blue eyes and bright cheeks made he,
IS pretty picture as one often secs
squire Dudley saw her just as shn
:ame opposite the strawberry patch
md called out Good morning!' y il
lis brisk, cheery way.
so, good morning ~ she answered
You almost scared me, Squire Dud-
ey. l didn't see you until you
poke"
pheasant morning, isn't it ?" sal.
lie Squire, coming up to the fence
Ruth had halted in the road.
ats beautiful weather." answered
Ruth. "I told mother it was too
pleasant to stay in doors, and startot
If on a visit"
"Arc your Strawberries ripe yet ?
.aid the Squire, wondering that HI
never had noticed what fresh, charm
,ng face Widow Lees daughter ha.
before.
"Our strawberries" laughed Ruth
We haven't got one. Our old roos
cr got in one day, about Il week ago
md picked all he could eat, and the
:oaxed the hens in, and betwee
hem they ruined our strawbcrr
:rop."
"Too badw exclaimed the sympa
.hetic Squire. "Ilave some of these
Ruth. They're just ripe enough t
De good"
lie picked some great clusters {
..ipe berries and handed them ove
The fence to her.
"Tlank you," said Ruth, smilln:
t. How nice they are. Mother W;
making great calculations on Il,
,trawberry jam. She was terribl
sexcd when she found out what tt
.lcns had done"
"l'vc got lots to spare," said Il
squire. "I'll send some over to yo,
MOTHER"
"She'dIbc much obliged to you
,aid Ruth ; "if you have more til:
yon want"
"Plcnty of them," answered L
squire; "plcnty Of them. Can ha
hem just as well as not"
81 must be going," said Rut
Good morning"
"Good morning." returned t
squire, looking after her as she VIC
town the road. IL declare there all
u prcttier girl in town than Ruth LIZ
!, wonder some Of the young fello,
4 haven't got her away from the wi
;, ow. IfI was young now"
i, Squire Dudley stopped suddcnI
:; An idea had just flashed across
/" mind.
d "I'm fifty" he said at last, aft
d thinking quite busily for some hi
:, utes. "I'm fifty, but l don't look
N Il don't see why l shouldn't try l
: luck after all. Girls as young as Ru
,e marry mcn older than am. FIN 81
m le she'd make any man good wife. L
a; mother is one of the finest women
6 6 the State, and she's brought
th daughter up to know how to wo
and be saving aud prudent. I'm s,
Il we need a good housckcepcr. NJ
9. Brown. she's old and fussy and cro'
ed, and this way of living isn't h
living. do believe I'll marry h
il she'll have me. Maybe Charlie,
Isl SAY it's foolish, but l cant help tina
es The Squire fell to wedding out
strawbcrries again diligently, {
kcpt thinking about Ruth all
s while. Long before dinner was l
o,, on dy lie had fully made up his mine
j.: propose marriage to Ruth and br
an home new housekecper and mistl
,,g aT TO the great house whose mist
had been dead for ten years or NJ.
h. provided, of course, that Ruth die
= say no, and the Squire thought IL
wasn't much danger of that tho
why he should be so sure, can't
Don't you think we need . ho
keeper 2" he said to his son Cha
that afternoon, as they sat on
ycrendah. The Squire evidently
some new feature in the lsndsc
for he kept his face turned a.
from Charlsy's as he spoke.
"a housekeeper 2" asked Char
aWs've got one. What do We v
Of more, l should like to know ~
He Eyes, 1 know" !" assented the So,
turning red In the face, and begin
-, to get . little uneasy; "but
Brown isn't such . woman u
need. She doesn't take any int,
In the work asa woman would
who had more interest in it.n
After which extremely logics
gument the Squire got more fidf
than ever.
Cd understand that" answ
Charley. "If she had . person,
tsrest In the place, and In bsing