Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-29


petulantly, "he was looking for some.
thing"
"Pocket-book, eh?"
"No."
"Gold headed cane?"
mo, no; specimen" said Floy, i'm
patiently producing it. "Ihls gentleman
is naturalist, and, in trying to secure
this he lost his footing and fell"
She held the " specimen" out in her lit
tie, soft palm. The farmer surveyed it in
| blank amaZement.
"7Aat?" he asked, incredu!ously. Floy
nodded. Mr.. Stokes sat silent moment,
while a broad grin slowly overspread his
leathery countenance. "a Miller" he ex-
claimed, at last, with long, low whistle.
dts butterfly" said Floy, indig-
nantly.
so perceive, marm," said the FARMER.
oval, [ swan"
After this brief ejaculation, he bent for
ward, and, pointing to John, whose eye
lids had again closed, he said, in a low
whisper, "How long since he lost the
use of his wits, marm?'
| "He hasn't lost them at ALL said FlOy,
starting. you do ask me the queerest
questions"
why, you jist said he was nat'ral,
didn't you?"
mo; said a naturalist" said Floy,
choking down little laugh, as she an
swered him.
WALL" responded the farmer, after a
pause, II don't zackly take your meanin'
But chasin butterflies does seem rayther a
looney occupation for a man Of his age,
| don't it?'
'You don't understand,' said Floy, in
| dignantly. Its a curious specimen''
| mo, miss, I don't understand" said the
farmer. "1t's very keurious business,
| altOgether'
The dry tone in which he said this, and
the manner in which he eyed them both
as he rose to his feet, nearly upset Floy's
gravity again. And, glancing at John,
she saw the corners of his pale mouth
| twitching suspiciously, too.
oval, | reckon I'll try and find your
friends agin." His tone said plainly, II
think you need friends to look after you"
80, there they are noW!" cried Floy
| springing to her feet. Harvey-dcar
voice broke in sobs. She was fairly over
come with her long excitement and the
sudden relief Of my presence
Katy, dear, don't you think John and
| Floy are growing quite good friends,
now"
"Well, | shouldn't wonder, love-" said
Kate, with peculiar smile, as, leaning
upon my shoulder, she surveyed the pretty
scene below
There, in our rustic arbOr, sat John Dur
ham, a slight pallOr and cumbrous
crutch the only tokens Of his late illness
| BY his side sat our pretty Floy, examining
with him the huge portfolio spread upon
| his knees, and listening with child-like in
terest to his entertaining descriptions of
the specimens" he untolded to her view
| "a pretty tableau, John,n said Kate !;
"but there comes an interruption, in the
| shape of Mr.. Stokes Come, Harvey We'll
| 90 down"
Good morning, Mr.. Stokes" said l.
meeting him at the entrance of the arbor;
you find our patient pretty we'll recover
| ed, sir"
so, yes; I shall soon be in condition to
| hunt the 'pesky millers' again." John re-
| piled, with humorous glance at Farmer
Stokes
"Humph." said that worthy, contcmptu-
ously, ''it does seem a pity a strong, able
bodied young man like you can't find Il
| better business than that"
That's a fact, Farmer Stokes" said l.
! gravely.
He won't git no sensible gal TO tackle
| herself to him, in a hurry-eh, Miss Floy?"
| the old man went on
| I'm sure / don't know, sir said
! Floy, assuming an air of supreme inditfcr-
| cnce.
EFF ever he axes you, Miss Floy, you
! bid him fust quit this varmnt business
| You can't make grasshoppers an SIGH
serve for whites, as they did in John the
Baptist's time"
"a delicate way of putting the matter,
farmer" said |, as Floy, her checks like
| bramble roses, vanished with Kate; but
must inform you that this 'varmint bust
ness, as you call it, is really quite a
| profitable thing for our young friend
| here"
But does it really pay" asked the
! farmer, staring. John, shaking with
laughter, followed Floy into the house,
while | strove by my explanations, to en-
Tighten little the farmers mind. But |
| found it a difficult as well as a thankless
| task
'No-no, sir, he interrupted me- testify;
II don't see it at all Beg pardon, if I'm
imperlite, sir; but it strikes me as a sort
of imposture, gittin' a lot Of fools to pay
a big sum for what they know already.
Why, I'll bet | know more about bugs'n
he does. Eff he'd find out somethin' to
'tarminate 'em, nOW-somethin' like
Lyons powder, for INSTANCES
"Ill try to impress it upon his mind,
farmer" said |, solemnly.
"Do, sir-do," replied the old man,
earnestly. at really concerns me to see
a smart young man like that THROWN
away all his chances of usefulness"
Our story grows too long. Three years
have passed since that eventful summer,
during which time great changes have
taken place. Near the dear old mansion
which Kate and inhabit still, has risen
a rustic cottage, overgrown with vines.
| There lives John Durham and his pretty
wife, who, with her little daughter, Flor
ence, makes sunshine in his heart and
home You see, dear reader, in spite of
Farmer Stokes prediction, John Durham
did succeed in capturing our Floy, the
prettiest little butterfly that ever t1uttered
across mortal's path.-Ogerland Monthly
Snmn l. bIo CI,ncc- Dlaviur