Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-11-27


there stood Usher Bates holding his
hat, and looking into it as if he expect
ed to discover the profoundest wisdom
in its depths.
"Sakes alive !" exclaimed Miss ke-
turah, ''you gave me such start.
thought to be sure, it was Johnny
Shaw. Take chair, Usher, and draw
up to the fire. Cold, amt it, for this
time of the year:"
Good for blue noses," said Usher,
but he felt, as he expressed it after
ward, "streaked," much as a man feels
when is about to break the ice, and
plunge into cold bath. However, he
sat down on the edge of a chair. care
fully deposited his hat under it, took
out his red silk handkerchief and mop
ped his face all over.
There was little preliminary clear
ing of the throat, and then Usher said
with that circumlocution of speech
habitual to the born Yankee:
81 don't s'pose, Keturah, you've got
any grass seed you'd be willing to part
Win tor lalr price.
Going to put down more of your
land TO grass Z" inquired keturah, with
slight accent Of disapproval.
IL was squirting that way" return
ed Usher, hesitatlngly, almost wish
ing he could back out of the scrape,
and go to grass himself, but he gave a
hitch to his chair that brought him q
little nearer keturah, on the other side
of the stand.
"Instead of seeding down any more,
if had your farm. should put few
barrels of lime on the triangle lot, and
SOW it with clover"
That's what | mean to do" re-
sponded Usher, giving his chair an
other hitch, utterly forgctful of St.
Paurs command, Il suffer not woman
to teach" Your pasture looks un-
common well this spring he added.
Yes, the feed is good" said ketu-
rah. sewing away calmly in the candle
light.
The chair hilched little nearer.
"keturah, that's a mighty fine Alder
ney yearling of yours The tone was
soft, persuasive and melting.
heturah just raised her eyebrows.
"Umph :" she knew what 'Lish was
driving at now.
The chair hitchcd little nearer. the
tone grew more coaxing, and only
"ketury, wouldn't you, couldn't you,
h.. ,,sr-ttatal "a l.tn thu, -
The small unmentionable dropped
from keturah's hand the audacity of
the request filled her with amaz emcnt.
.llow can you ask such question,
Usher Bates: lou know | wouldn't
part with that heifer for any money!"
Usher had heard that "where there.
a will," and another wise saw: "faint
heart never won fair lady," He deter
mined upon strike. Then. ketu-
rah.' said he, suddenly, "you must
marry me, for I'm determined to get a
lien on that critter, some way or
other.
If .Lisher's unheard of tcmeritv had
stopped here keturah would probably
biIio"li liit
at him, but he did not wait for such
dlsaster-he got up, made one stride
over To where the bewildered spinster
sat, and gave her rousing kiss on her
cheek. 1t is utterly impossible to pre-
diet what would have happened # an
unmistakabe "snicker' had not sound
cd through the room. The door had
| opened during the love scene, above
described, and admitted johnny Shaw
just in time to witness the denouemcnt
He had come for "them potatoes"
Them potatoes" saved Usher 5
bacon, although suspect keturah had
| always had sneaking kindness for
Usher. AT any rate, some months
| atterward she gave him the yearling
and herself along with it and he be-
ing a good man, who knew the use of
door mat, was regular 10 his meals,
and was appreciative of an excellent
wife, whose price is above rubies.
can safely say that keturalI's last state
has not been worse than her first and
AS to the yearling it has grown to be :,
famous COW. the best mixer in the
country, and lives i'll perpetual clover.