The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-02-22


hope that you will get some one who
will make You happy"
"She will, said the squire very de-
cidedly, " she will, am sure"
"May l ask who tits to be7" in
quired Charley. .....
ell haven't asked her yet" an
swered the squire, rs red as a rose.
"I'd rather wait until I'm sure of her
before / tell who it is. She might say
no, YOU see, and I should feel rather
cheap"
Prudent Squire Dudley. That af-
ternoon he picked painful of his fine
strawberries, and directly after tea
started off across lots in the direction
of Widow Lees, with the berries on
his arm. It was dusk before he got to
the widows, for he walked slowly.
He had very busy thoughts for com
pany. He was wondering what it were
best to do. Should he propose at once
to Ruth, or should he see her mother
first, and talk with herr He concluded
the last was the wisest plan. AS he
opened the gate noiselessly he heard
voices in the other corner of the gar
den, and stopped a moment to find
out if it was the widow and her daueh-
ter.
~ never had any idea of it before, )"
said voice, which he recognized as
Charley's; "not the least in the world.
He said he hadn't thought any thing
about it until to-day. | couldn't find
out who he had in view. hope it is
not old Miss Sharp. She would like
to get somebody"
The squire burst into q profusc per-
spiration at the idea of having Miss
Sharp for wife.
"He says he didn't see as ever in
tended to get married." went on Char
ley. "I didn't tell him had got me
a wife picked out, but l wanted to.
| am sure he would approve my taste
in making selection"
"What nonsense!" laughed clear,
pleasant voice; Ruth's voice, the squire
knew the moment he heard it. off
am going to be your wife l want you
to quit laughing at me in that sly way :,
pretending you are flattering me all
the time.n
His wife. Good gracious!"
The squire was so taken by surprise
that he came near dropping his straw
berries. So it was all settled between
them, and lie had come near propos-
ing to his sons intended wife. He felt
cold all over at the thought Of it. How
lucky that he did not take Charley
into his confidence, and tell him who
he had concluded to marry.
~ declare" exclaimed the squire,
GIVE made a mistake this time, sure
enough. The rascal got the start of
me. I'd like to know what I'm to do.
I've told him that intend to get mar
ried, and if don't he will likely as
not mistrust something. Dear me !"
The squire was in trouble. Sud-
denly another bright thought occurred
to him. There was the widow. After
all, she would be more suitable for
him than Ruth would have been. She
was somewhere near his own age. A
fine woman, and q smart woman. She
would make royal mistress for bis
empty house. Why shouldn't he mar
ry her, since he could, not have her
daughter
am do it," said the squire, bound
to go through with the matter since
he had got SO far.
He knocked. The door was opened
by the widow, round checked, rosy
and smiling.
"Why, Squire Dudley! Good eve
ning," she exclaimed. 81 scarcely
knew you at first, you haven't been
here in so long. Come in; take this
rockingchair and give me your hat"
The widow hustled about and got
the squire chair and deposited his
hat on the table before he happened
to think of his basket.
"Oh! Ruth told me your strawberry
crop had proved a failure, SO thought
I'd come over and bring you a few.
Strawberry short doesn't go bad
this time of year,
"I'm thousand times obliged to
YOU" said the widow, taking the bas-
ket. II was SO provoked to think the
hens should spoil mine. Such nice
lot as I would have had"
"If you want any preserves, come
over and get them," said the squire.
"We've plenty Of them. Mrs. Brown
won't do any thing with them except
as we use them in their season, sup
pose."
"I want to know!" exclaimed the
widow. "You ought to have them
done up. They're SO nice in the win
ter. l would like to get some for jam,
and if Mrs. Brown won't take care of
them, I'll do them up on shares"
"I wish you would, "said the squire.
"Things are all going to wreck and
ruin about my place. 'Taint to be
expected that a hired woman will take
any interest in affairs" and here he
sighed deeply.
"No, that's So"
It was strange that the squire had
not found out how things were going
to wreck and ruin before. Mrs. Brown
had been there ever since Mrs. Dudley
died.