Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-07-10
StItfttD Storp.
Sugaring OF.


Last night froze everything stiff, an
the sun has riz as clear an bright as q
new brass button.
And Squire Strong rubbed his rough
palms complacently as he bent over
the glowing stove upon which his wife
was frying her breakfast cakes; then,
with sidelong glance from beneath
his shaggy eyebrows at the girlish fig
ure just emerging from the pantry be
continued:
Il jest met Worth's Ben, out here in
the road, an he offered his help up in
the sugar orchard to-day"
The pretty face in the doorway flush
ed little, but the rosy lips remained
firmly closed, as Mrs. Strong, looking
up from her work, remarked in her
pleasant motherly fashion:
"Oh, he's got home, then-has he ?
How thankful Mrs. Worth'll be She
misses i'm dreadfully when he's away,
an no wonder, seein' he's all the child
they've got left. When did he come,
squire|
Il dunno why, / declare, l never
thought to ask i'm. Did you know
that he'd got home, Say ?"
NO"
The pantry door and Says lips
closed with snap that was significant
of something-,crong Judging by Mrs.
Strong's anxious G ance from the door
TO her husbands face-ri9ht, if one
might trust the shrevd old squire's An
swering smile:
Don't you worry, ma'am,' he whis-
pered, reassuringly, with a nod toward
the closed door. "ltll all come out
right in the end. Never you fear but
we'll see our little girl settled down in
a happy home of 'er own, close 10 us
in our old age. Give the young folks
line enough, an they'll twist it into a
marriage moose, fast enough, if they
only jest let alone"
Mrs. Strong smiled rather doubtful
ly.
"Tm afraid"-she began; but at
that moment in walked Say, cream
pitcher in hand, and q color in her
cheeks that almost put TO shame the
scarlet of the asparagus berries that
nodded knowingly at her from their
perch, above the looking-glass.
"Shall put the cakes on the table,
now, mother:" she asked in very much
the same tone with which, the next mo-
, ment, she rebuked the encrOachments
of her favorite kitten:
"Scat! What are you up to now
you hateful ca"
The breakfast passed off without its
usual accompaniment Of pleasant chat
and good-natured merriment; for Mrs
Strong Was too much troubled with bel
daughters unaccountable behavior. .and
her husband was too thoroughly en-
[ crossed with his plans for the days
work, to be as talkative as usual; sc
that Say, who seemed, somehow, to
have suddenly developed q new char
acter, had the field entirely to herself
privilege that she availed herself o.
in q way that aroused even her gentle
mothers Indignation. 81 do, wish
Say" she said at last, with unusua
sharpness, "that you'd stay tormenting
that kitten so. If you're to give hel
that bit of meat, why don't you do it
an not keep putin it close to 'er nose
an then snatchin' it away? do hats
TO see any creatur tanterlizsd So"
''Pm only playing with her, mother
She rather likes it, and" in . lowel
tone, $50 do l."
Il think" interrupted the squire
who, having finished his meal, was nov
briskly preparing to take his depart
ure for the scene Of his days labOrs
"Pll send Jim over to Jordan's sn'bor
row his kettle, for if / have Ben WOrtl
to help me, We might as we'll be tend
in two fires as one and, Say" turn
ing to his daughter, "if you don't lnin'
the trouble. wish you'd bring me
luncheon some time in the evenin'.
don't spose shall get through til; pret
ty late-an' some hot coffee, and,
you have 'em handy, q few hot butter
ed biscuits won't come amiss after eal
in cold dinner an supper. Got m
dinner pail ready, ma am p to his wife
and as he hurried of to bring the nict
ly packed lunch, he whispered with
comicai glance under his daughter
down-cast lids: sa5s sAst 9a-
..Ben asked after you, this morning
but l thought l wouldn't ask i'm il
just at breakfast time 90"
ssIm Glad YOU didn't"
There was q good deal Of petulanc
, with not quite hidden undertone
J. disappointment in the tone, that 4
listener Was shrewd enough TO int
pret, and wise enoagh 70 pretsnd i
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