Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-10-03
Eke SquiRe's Mistake.

@ASV Ss sAAAS - shs 9sSeHs '.'A
Squire Dudley was in his garden,
pulling weeds in his patch of tame
Strawberries, on the morning when
be took o fancy for Ruth Lees pretty
face. She came down the road, look
ing fresh as new-blown rose, in her
plain calico dress and straw hat. Her
brown hair, cut quite short, blew all
about her face in little rings, and her
blue eyes and bright cheeks made her
4s pretty picture as one often sees.
Squire Dudley saw her just as she
came opposite the strawberry-patch;
and called out Good morning. in
his brisk, CHEEKY way.
30, good mornings" she answered.
you almost scared me, Squire Dud-
ley. / didn { see you until youspoke."
Pleasant morning, isn't it?' said
the squire, coming up to the fence.
Ruth had hated in the road.
Its beautiful weather" answered
Ruth. "I told mother it was too
pleasant to stay in doors, and started
c.ttit IN q visit
Aeyoar strawberries ripe yet?'
asked .ae squire, wondering that he
.eYer "a: noticed what a fresh,
el>.i,,ing face Widow Lees daughter
lad 5eiore. u
,0urstrawberries?" laughed Ruth.
e haven't got one. Our old roos-
'ter sot in one day, about week ago,
.:u,l picked all he could eat, and then
coaxed the hensin, aud between them
nay ruined our strawberry crop
To bad reclaimed the sympa-
t-@tic eq,nr:. Have some OF these,
Ks.;. They are just ripe enough to
5e ..oo:
lie picked soRle great clusters of
I5. :.erf.@s and handed them over
jos :eHce 10 ner.
aa.nk YOU, said Ruth, smiling.
How nee they are. Mother was
uaking great calculations on her
strawberry jam. She was terribly
ve1ed when she found out what the
hens. had done.
I've got lots to spare" said the
squire Ill send some over your
aotaer."
I,e'd 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
tl:- Jlst as we'll as not.
Il must be going said Ruth.
"Good morning.
Good morning." returned the
squire, locking after her as she went
down the road. II declare, there
amt prettier girl in town than
Ruth Lee. I wonder some Of the
young fellows haven't got her away
from the widow. III was young,
new
Squire Dudley stopped suddenly.
An idea had just flashed across his
brain.
I'm fifty" he said at last, after
thinking quite busily for some min
utss. l m fifty, but I don't look it.
i don't see why l 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 has
brought her daughter up to know
how to work, and be saving and pru-
dent. I'm sure we need good house
keeper. Mrs. Brown, she's old and
iu.sy and crooked, and this way of
..vlng isn't half living. l do be-
l;eYe I'll marry her, il she'll have
ne Maybe Charley'll say it's fool
.s., but j can't help that"
The squire fell to wedding out his
strawberries again diligently, and
kept thinking about Ruth all the
while. Long before dinner was ready
he had fully made up his mind to
propose marriage 10 Ruth. and bring
home new housekeeper and mistress
to the great house whose mistress had
been dead for ten years or more
Provided, Of course, that Ruth didn't t
s:x no, and the squire thought there
wasn't much danger of that; though
.ghy he should be so sure, I can't say
Don't you think we need a house
keeper ?" he said to his SON Charles
that afternoon, hey sat on the We
rasda. The Squire evidently saw
some uew feature in the landscape,
ior be Kept his face turned away from
Caagieys rs he spoke.
"A hcusekeeper?' asked Charley.
"We,ve got one. What DO we want
of mose, should like to know %
"Yss, l know assented the squire,
turning red in the face, and bHgi'.-
ring to get q little uneasy; but
blls. Brown isn't such a woman as
re need. She doesn't take an inter.
est.in the work as-as woman would
who who had more interest m it.
Alter which extremely logical ar
gur.snt the squire got more fidgettty
than ever.
Il understand that" answered
Charley. IF she had a personal in
terest in the place, and in being pru-
deuti AID keeping things up, ahe'd
d better than she does, now. Now,
she ges. her pay for the work., and
that's oil she cares for. It,s all we
can expect Of her.
Just ao,';sssid the seditd, glad to
know that Charley agreed With him
ea ,ar dive been thinking this
r5.l ing that the best thing I could
dc gorts be to get soms one who
uoal: take a personal interest in
matters. ! don't see as you intend
10 get married, and if you won t, !
don't know but Ed better"
The squire breathed easier. The
worst part was over with. $
sYou get married r. exclaimed
Charley, in intense surprise. ) g Why,
l didn't know that you ever thought
of suebSa thing. -