The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-11-29

what little / knew hal run wild since
then, and / couldn't keep the boys
straight somehow and the girls didn't |
care about samplers. for the sewing |
machine had ridden right over every |
thing. Then Jesse fell i'll of the fever, |
and with all the tuning and fretting |
and nursing of his mother, and with all
my watching day and night somehow
he slipped off between us. And | found
myself widow with the ill-fared, vast
ed farm on my hands, and Mother
Plumber drilling and maunderlng
after Jesse III way 90 break my heart.
But | kept my spillt up yet, and
advertised the place for sale at the
| Court House, for if / could sell 1t we
could skin through somehow on an acre
or two, j thought.
Well, who do you suppose came over
one sunny afternoon, as | was standing
in the kitchen2 Who, to be sure, but
John Strnger, large as Hfe--a little
gray, mayhap, and little more angu-
lar, but keen and strong as ever. He'd
a use for that bit of land, 1T seemed,
and had his eyes Oh 1t along back.
"Always was wanting what wasn't
| his Mother Plumber said. She owed
HIM a grudge for being more fore
handed thanFJesse. 1t took Il deal OF
looking after, and lawyering and sur
veying, and the Lord knows what, to
settle it; and [ used to see John
Strlnger's stopping shoulders and broad
felt bet down Just beyond the rise OF
the meadow time and again. But he
scarce ever came near the door, till one
| II l,n
settlements were to be made, L just
took baby up stairs and had good
cry for that bit o land had been
Jesse's favorite piece, and Mother
Plumber had been worrying me all day
about it.
" The way o. Providence are SO very
strange" said Mother Plumber, lay
ing her specs down atop O. the Bible,
and putting on that awfully patient an
which was wearing me to skin and
bone" past finding out. Now if Jes-
RE had married Sophie Mills that was,
and you"
But ] did not wait to hear any more
As say. [ Just caught up baby and
went off to the garnet. And while
sat by the cob webbed window Mrs.
Barret-Sophie Mills that was-wen
riding by in their new spring wagon
she had her half dozen children, rount
and rosy as barrel of apples. Sophie
nodded and smiled TO some one coming
up the road and looking along L saw
John Stringer walking, thoughtful
like, right up to our gate, just as he
used to come in counting dayS-fO
John never had any foolish way abou
d him. / saw Sophia look back at hin
, as she and the children, with thei
= huttering ribbons and gay ginghams
! disappeared at the turn o the road
, Then ] smoothed my halr and washed
l my face and went down. The time o
> settlement had come, [ knew.
> MARY Ann said John, gravely
> "the lawyer will be here presently; bu
! | reckon we can make it all clear Il
I our own minds without his help. Anc
. I've settled it, in tact, that there ar
Ii certain conditions on which III TAX
the land-if you agree.
Then | flew into passion. - 1ou'v
= been long enough making up you
: mind" says L. Il don't throw m.
{ land at anybody's feet, and [ haven
asked any favors of you, leastways
= John Stringer."
/, Softly there, softly" said John
{ putting out his hand. 9 Don't be in
;, hurry, little woman"
. John Stringer, says all in a heat
/ you're just the same man you wa
yeals ago, when you thought / was al
, ways flying up every time you got on
, o. temper yourself"
i And weren't you, little woman {?
+ said John, quite gravoly- Don
II II women folks always like their own wa
u better than anything else 2"
"You don't know anything abou
{ { women, . | cried, "any more than yo1
u did then. You thought l wanted silk
} and furbelows more than-than-
I Ethan you did me-" said John
. ''and right enough you was, too,
yoa could ha' got 'em. [ always sai'
:, so, Mary Ann"
} 'Any man with half an eye woul,
= have known better, says [, holly.
:. >HOw 2" said John. His grea
! hulking figure lifted itself up, and h
y looked at me with those sharp BROW
. eyes that used to give me a start in tn
. old time 'How?" he repeated, soft
II II ". "Do you mean to say / was mis-
u taken years ago 2" His big, brow
hand was all of tremble as he held
- out to me- Little woman, it'll
u woman" says he, "let's ha' don
- with it all now, and it'll all be as !
u never was"
! Presently Mother Plumber put he
Il Il head in the door. "Perhaps to me tina
u lawyers making a long spell of it,
u says she "Ben't you almost tired c
=, waitin' for him, Mr.. Stringer."
l.
a much Without the lawyer" says John
rising fand that is the condition
q had to propose, Mary Ann-to take yo
: and the meadow land together .
And he did.
4 America Abroad.