Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-07-09
FARMER HILLS NEPHEW.


"Jest you walk in and make yoursels to
hum whilst I call Ralph He's my
nephew, down here from college, rusti-
cruiting round awhile for his narves. It'll
do him good to drive YOU over"
This was our first knowledge of the ex-
istence of such a person as farmer Hills
nephew. And here it will be well, per-
haps, to break the thread of my discourse
and explain how we came to make the ac-
quaintance of farmer Hill himself. Some
/, six months previous, father and mother
had gone abroad for their health, leaving
Grace and myself, together with cousin
Frank, to the care of Arabella, our digni-
fled elder sister Arabella was widow
still in her weeds, a little prim naturally,
and with an outer-crust of GOODNESS which
grief and black robes had failed TO SOFTEN
vet so true-hearted and conscientious that
our parents felt entirely safe in entrusting
us to her during their years absence
They had talked of taking Grace with
them, but we could not bear to be separ-
ated for We are twins, Grace and I you
would never guess 1t, though, we are so
unlike, Grace being short and plump,
with a face like ripe peach, and palish
golden hair, and the purring way 81 pet
looks and temperament, and far more of a
trial, | fear to Arabellas patience But
Arabella's greatest trial in those days was
our cousin Frank. Dear child, she would
not for the world have been trial to any
one, but it was just as impossible for her
to conform to Arabella's strict notions of
propriety as it would be for a humming-
bird to put on the stateliness of the swan
She was nothing unless she could be her
self, and Arabella was forever trying to re-
model her Left an orphan before she
was ten years old, she had been adopted
by doting aunt, who, after doing all in
her power TO spoil the girl-fortunately
one not easily spoilt-died and left her
heir to a neat little fortune. Since then
she had been with u.s. and we all loved her
in spite of the fact that, wherever she was,
she was the center of attraction.
We had been boarding all winter with
Arabella's mother-in-law, a stylish, mat
ronly woman, who, having for Arabella's
sake consented to take us into her family,
felt it her duty to devote herself to our
entertainment. And gay. season had
been the Tesult-reading receptions, and
parties following each other in such quick
succession, that by the spring we were
heartily tired of fashionable life
"How pleasant it would be if we could
only go into the country for WHILE" said
Frank, half-burying her face in bunch
of arbutus which, bought that morning
of a little flower girl at the door, had been
whispering to.ls all day of the far-away
woods where its home had been.
"Why not take lodge in the wilder
ness and Try housekeep1ng?" said |, with
sudden Inspiration.
''Wouldn'ti it be Splendid" cried Frank,
catching at the idea with enthusiasm.
"Splendidn' echoed Oracle warmly
"My dear girls, you do not know what
you are talking about" said Arabella in
alarm. Is
Indeed we do" said Frank. az, for
one, aln hungry for country air"
sAnd Ir'
''And T." chimed Grace and myself
"But there are so many inconvenience
attending country life," expostulated
Arabella, seeing that Frank at least was
in downright earnest.
"Kerosene OIL for instance" said the
mother-in-law aggravatingly.
"And such sWarms of mosquitoes, y
added Arabella.
II am sure we have mosquitoes enough
en town" said Frank quickly; sand as for
kerosene oil, III agree to keep the lamps
in ORDER
''Let' go!' said I with growing zeal
"Let's!' echoed Oracle. And so over
whelming were the arguments we brought
to bear on Arabella, that by the time the
discussion ended she had yielded her con-
sent; and before month went by, we
found ourselves actually at housekeeping
in a picturesque cottage not far from DeX-
ter Station. As for the locality of Dexter,
it will not be indicated on the maps vet
awhile, there being not more than six
houses in the place, all told; but for that
we liked it none the less. OF course there
were incoveniences, especially for the first
two days, when, owing to the non-arriva]
OF our kitchen-ware and china, we were
somewhat puzzled to know how to furnish
forth our board, but they only served to
add zest to the enterprise.
Jolly isn't it?" said ], presiding as
gracefully as possible at battered peach
can in place Of a teapot.
at is just fun," said Grace, using hel
fingers for fork as she helped herself to
sardines
Il wish you could find some more lady
like word, my DEAR remarked Arabella
calmly slipping her tea from terra-cotta
vase, and managing to maintain her native
dignity IN spite Of the fact of her being
seated on an inverted wash-tub.
Jolly doesn't half express it," said
Frank, taking lingering looks at the land
scape as she buttered her bread with q
penknife; "it is blessedness itself.n and
when we were fairly "put to rights even
Arabella was ready to agree with her.
One day it was found necessary for some
of us to go to town to order household
supplies, and as Grace had headache and
Frank was still too much in love with the
country to care for sight of the city, Ar
abella and | decided to take the morning
express and make the needed purchases
We had fully expected to be at home be
fore evening, but in one way and another
we were detained until there was barely
: time to catch the six o'clock train. 1t was
only an hours ride, however, and with {
delicious sense of rest, we shook off the