The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-10-31

pin conspicuously displayed on nice
lace collar. She sailed through into the
sitting-room without deigning to give
her niece word. Margaret sat down
in great split -bottomed rocking-chair,
and with her head resting against the
faded patchwork cushion, fell into a
reverie, which was braided with the
robins song outside in the cherry-tree
and the lingering cadence of Mark
Thorpe's voice as he marched away down
the meadow-path. She was awakened
by hiss from the bubbling porridge
over the side of the pot into the hot en-
bers, and at the same moment came a
sharp rap upon the knocker of the front
door. By this latter sign Margaret knew
that z eltiel Pritchards roam horse was
hitched to the front-yard fence.
Mrs. Stepford, slowly putting down
her work, went and admitted the widow
er He was a lean, wiry man, well sea-
soned by hard work and exposure to the
weather. There was a cast to his small
gray eve, and he had the habit of raking
his Jaw with his brown hand and cough
ing in dry and husky fashion before
getting ready to speak. Now he drop
ped his buff silk handkerchief into his
hat, and deposited it under the chair
where he was sitting, and allowed his
eyes to wander rather eagerly about the
room. There was little desultory talk
between him and the widow about the
fine hay weather and last Sundays ser
mon, and then Ezekiel cautiously inquired
after the folks. Mrs. Stepford knew we'll
enough that folks meant Margaret, but
she answered heartlessly, quite away
from the subject.
"Oh," said she, Hiram is driving at
the hay to beat all. There's sight of
grass down, and every nerve must be
stretched to get it into the barn before
another rain-storm."
The widower could not muster courage
to inquire directly after the lady of his
love. He was Ill at ease; his eyes roved
from place to place; he crossed and un-
crossed his legs, and tiddled nervously
with his watchchain; but his senses
were on the alert to detect some trace of
the person he was seeking. Presently
there came through the window, mixed
with the scent of Prince Albert roses,
the wholesome, old-fashioned smell of
bean-porridge, and Mr.. Pritchard, sharp
ening his ears, thoughthe detected Mar
garet's light tread upon the kitchen floor.
1t was Zekiels habit to disguise his
counting errand under some thin pre-
tense of business with the men-folks, so
he now said, rather hastily:
"I called to-day, Mrs. Stepford, to
take peep at your brother Hiram's new
moving l am thinking about
buying one for my own place, and would
like to see how it operates"
Whereupon he arose, quite forgetful of
his hat, which rested peacefully under
meath his chair and started for the
kitchen, although the front-door afforded
more convenient means of egress.
Zekiel's enterprise was rewarded by
the sight of Margaret, who, even in her
messed calico, was the pleasantest object
his eyes could rest on. He stopped just
beyond the threshold, prepared to break
the ice with care. Margaret's back was
still toward him, but hearing Brother
Pritchard's dry, chirruping cough, she
faced about and said, " How do you do?"
rather languidly, holding out at the
same time the long iron spoon in her
hand, as if she expected him to give it a
shake.
"What pleasant place this is !" OBJ
served Mr.. Pritchard, lifting the tails of
his obnoxious broadcloth, and sitting
down unasked. Although the enamored
widower showed furries of embarrass-
ment on the surface, he was of q slow,
obstinate type. al always feel more to
home in the Kitchen" he added compla-
Gently, ethan in any other part of the
house"
"When 1 am busy, and have good
many irons in the fire" retorted Margar-
ct, 81 am not anxious to have the NEIL
folks around"
Ezekiel laughed as if he considered this
tart little speech delicious joke.
"Y0u needn't feel afraid to have your
kitchen seen any time of day, Miss Mar
garet," said he, giving his chair an alarm
ing hitch toward the young lady's vicin-
ity. "It's as neat as posy, and every
body knows how you've got your name
up for housekeeping"
81 don't care for the opinions of peo-
pie who think women were made for
nothing but to scrub and scour."
"Tm not one of that kind" Ezekiel
struck in, eagerly "'Tain't my wish,
Margaret, that woman should overdo
and go beyond her strength. My idea
of you is that you've got good judgment
and frst-rate common-sense."
al am too obstinate and independent
to ever try to come up to any body's idea
of me-" retorted Margaret, courageously
although, in truth, she was suffering
from panic of apprehension.
"You are not obstinate, Margaret u
Zekiel's dry tones had acquired a ludi
crously sentimental twang.
"Oh yes, am" cried Margaret, feel
ing that something must be done to avert
the crisis. "I am dreadfully self willed
Father says l take after grandmother
Baker; and from all accounts, she made
people stand round"
"Pll run the risk, Margaret, and take
all the chances, if l can take you" And
with that Ezekiel made such bold and
startling maneuvre in the navigation Of
his rocking-chair that Margaret, to avoid
closer proximity, sprang little to one
side, and the ladle slipping from hel
grasp, sent wave of the boiling por-
ridge over her right hand, at the same
time literally besprinkling the person Of
the widower. Margaret .moaned with
pain, and went STOPPING about the room
half crazed by the terrible smart. Mrs
Stepford found Ezekiel standing in the
middle of the floor, the very picture Of
despair, and conscious, as it would seem
that the spilling of the bean-porridge
had irrevocably upset his own dish. He
had sustained no bodily injury, but the
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