New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-17
TEE sor1REss mEsTAKE.

| her plain calico dress and straw nat. Her
brown hair, cut quite short, blew allabout
her face in little rings, and her blue eyes
and bright cheeks made her as pretty a pic
| ture as one often sees. Squire Dudley saw
| her just as she came opposite the straw
| berry patch, and called cut GOOD morn
ing!' in his brisk, CHEEKY way.
90, good m0rningp she answered.
" You almost scared me, Squire Dudley.
| didn't see you until you spoke"
| Pleasant morning, isR't itp said the
! squire, coming up to the fence. Ruth had
| halted in the road.
otis beautiful weather" answered Ruth.
| 81 told mother it was TOO pleasant to stay
| in doors, and started off on visit"
care your strawberries ripe yet " said
| the squire, wondering that he never had
noticed what fresh, charming face Widow
Lees daughter had before.
'Our straw berries ?" laughed Ruth. eve
havn't got one. Our old rooster got in one
day, about a week ago, and picked all he
could eat, and then c0axed the hens in,
and between them they ruined our straw
berry crop"
"Too bad p exclaimed the sympathetic
squire. " Have some OF these, Ruth
They're just ripe enough to be good"
He picked some great clusters of ripe
berries and handed them over the fence to
her
ildllh yOuy Hdtu AbhbLt hhIllIuSs now
nice they are. Mother was making great
calculations on her strawberry jam. She
was terribly vexed when she found out
what the hens had done
GIVE got lots to spare,7 said the squire.
''lll send some over to ycur mother"
Shed be much obliged to you,' said
Ruth; "if you have more than you want"
PLENTY Of them," answered the squire;
''plenty of them. Can have them just as
well as not"
81 must be going" said Ruth. Good
morning"
Good morning" returned the squire,
looking after her IS she went down the
road. Il declare there aih't prettier gil
in town than Ruth Lee. l wonder some of
the young fellows hayen't got her away
from the widow. If l was young now"
Squire Dudley stepped suddenly. An
idea had just flashed across his brain.
Pm fifty" he said at Last, after thinking
quite busily for some minutes. Pm fifty,
but | don't look it. [ don't see why |
shouldn't try my luck, after all. Girls as
young as Ruth marry men older than l am.
I'm sure she'd make any man good wife.
Her mother is one of the finest women In
the State, and she's brought her daughter |
up to know how to work, and be saving and |
prudent I'm sure we need good. house |
keeper Mrs. Brown, she's old and tHssy |
and crooked, and this way of living isn't |
half living. l do believe I'll marry her, if |
she'll have me. Maybe Charleyll say it's |
foolish, but can't help that"
The squire fell to we6 ding out his straw |
berries again diligently, and kept thinking |
about Ruth all the while Long before din
ner was ready he had fully made up his |
mind to propose marriage TO Ruth and bring
home a new housek8eper and mistress to
the great house whose mistress had been
dead for ten years or more, provided, of
course, that Ruth didn'S say no, and the
squire thought there wasn't much danger
OF that, though, why he should be SO sure,
| can't say.
Don't you think we need house
keeper2" he said to his son Charles that
afternoon as they sat on the verandah.
The squire evidently saw some new feature
IN the landscape, for he kept his face turned
away from CharlAy's as he spoke.
"A hOusekeeperE" asked Charley. "We've
got one. What do we want OF more, l
should like to kn0wsn
Yes, know" assented the squire, turn
ng red in the face, and beginning to get a
little uneasy; "but Mrs. Brown isn't such
woman as we need. She doesn't take any
had more interest in it,"
After which extremely logical argument
he squire got more tidgety than ever.
II understand that" answered Charley. |
IF she had a personal interest in the place, |
md in being prudent and keeping things
Up, she'd do better than she does now.
Now she gets her pay for her work, and
hats all she cares for. is'5 all We can ex-
,ect Of her"
Gust so," said the squiro, glad to know I
charley agreed with him SO far. I've {
'een thinking this morning that the best
hing l could do would be to get some one !
Who would take o personal interest in mat {
ers. / don't see as you intend to get mar
led, and if you won't, 1 don't know bat I'd t
etter" E
The squire breathed easier. The worst
art was over with. {
! intense surprise. "WhT l didn't kno1w 1
nat you ever thought Of such thing" !
"And | haven't till this morning" ex !
Iaimed the squire. Il got to thinking t
bout it this morning, and the mere | '
lought about it the Inore l thought it q Z
God plan. You haven't any objections}" d
"Of course not" answered Charley. Z
You can do as you think best If you T.
eem it advisable to get a wife, l have b
Othing to say further than the hope that is
on will get some one who viii make you
Apply"
"S6e will" said the squire very decided
:, "she will, | am sure"
"May l ask who tbs to bel !" inquired q
harley.
Ii haven't asked her yet" answered ,,
e squire, as red as rose. "Td rather X
ait until I'm sure of her before | tell who :;
is. She might say no, you see, and l g
lould feel rather cheap" .
Prudent Squire Dudley. That afternoon "
} picked painful Of his finest str&wber- {"
es, and directly after tea started off across (
is in the direction Of Widow Lees, with y
q berries on his arm. 1t was dusk before ! W
got to the widows, for he walked slowly. ~
9 had very busy thoughts for company. -
g was wondering what it were best to do. Il
lOuld he propose at once to Ruth, or y,
Ould he see her mother first, and talk =
it'll her? He concluded the last was the 81
sest plan. AS be opened the gate noise -
3sly he heard voices in the other corner ~
the garden, and stopped a moment to u'
ID out If it was the widow and her duugb- ",
Y never had any idea OF it before, said ";
voice, which he recognized as Charley's: 81 81
OF the least in the world. He said he ~ ~
dnt thought anything about it until to- h il
Y. couldn't find out who he had in nv nv
w. hope it isn't old Miss Sharp. She'd " "
g to get somebody" -
The squire burst into a pr0fuse persDira- H.
n at the idea of having Miss Sharp for a o 0o
He says he didn't see as ever intended to,
get married" went on Charley. 81 didn't WI
him had got me a wife picked out but re-
7anted to. I am sure he'd approve my
tie in making a selection" 49,
What DOnsensew Iaughed'R clear, pleas ! 81
voice; Ruth's voice, the squire knew. olI
moment he heard it. eff I am s8l
ng to be your wife / want you 60 quit co.
Ching at me in that sly way, pretending ~
are fatteriEg me all the time" oe
His wife. Good gracious y gu
The squire was so taken by surprise that S Sl