Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-06-12
SELECTED STORY,
THE SQUIREs MISTAKE.

Squire Dudley was in his garden,
pulling weeds in his patch of tame
strawberries, on the morning when he
took fancy for Ruth Lees pretty face.
She came down the road, looking fresh
as new blown rose in her plain calico
dress and straw hat. Her brown hair,
cut quite short blew all about her face
in little ringlets and her blue eyes and
bright cheeks made her as pretty a
picture as one often sees. Squire Dud-
ley saw her just as she came opposite
the strawberry patch, and called out
"Goea morning. in his brisk, CHEEKY
way
"Oh, good mofning!" she answered.
''You almost scared me, Squire Dudley.
l didn't see you until you spoke
pleasant morning, isn't it" said the
Squire, coming up to the fence. Ruth
had halted in the road.
otis beautiful weather." answered
Ruth. 81 told mother it was too
pleasant to stay in doors, and starte d
off on visit.
care your strawberries ripe yet?''
said the Squire, wondering that lie
never had noticed what fresh, charm
ing face Widow Lees daughter had
before.
"Our strawberries laughed Ruth,
we haven't got one. Our old rooster
got in one day, about week ago, and
picked all he could eat, and then coaxed
The hens in, and bewteen them they
ruined our strawberry CROP
"Too bad!' exclaimed the sym
pathetic Squire. "Have some of these
Ruth. They're just ripe enough to be
good"
He picked some great clusters of ripe
berries and E'snded them over the
fence to her.
''Thank YOU" said Ruth, smiling
GLOW good they are. Neither was
making great calculations on her straw
berry jam. She was terribly vexed
when she found out what the hens had
done; f-5-
give go: lots to spare" said the
Squire. I'll send sonse over to your
motS 55t."- | . 3D..
"She'd be much obliged TO you, -
said Ruth; eff you have more than
you want"
'Plenty Of thera," answered the
Squire, ''plenty of them. Can have
them Just as well as not"
a must be going" said Ruth.
"Good morning"
"Good morning" returned the
Squire, looking after her as she went
down the road. q declare there amt
prettier girl in town than Ruth Lee.
1 wonder mono Of the young fellows
haven't got her away from. the widow.
Il was young now"
Squire Dudley stopped suddenly.
An idea had just flashed across his
brain.
81 am fifty" he said at last, after
thinking quite busily for some minutes.
81 am fifty, but I don't look it. I
don't see why I shouldn't try my luck
after all. Girls as young as Ruth marry
men older than I am. I'm SIRE she'd
make any man a good wife. Her
mother is one of the finest women in
the State, and she'd brought Fer daugh-
ter up to know how to work, and be
saving and prudent. And we need a
Egood housekeeper Mrs, Brown, sizes
old and fussy and crooked, md this
way of living isn't half living. I dc
believe I'll marry her, if she'll have me.
INLAY be Charley will say it is foolish,
Eibut can't help that.
The Squire fell to wedding out his
strawberries again diligently, and kept
thinking about Ruth all the while
Long<bcfore dinaser was. ready he had
fully made up LIS mild to propose
marriage to Ruth, and bring home q
new house-keeper and mistress to the
great house whose mistress had been
dead for ten years or more; provided
of course, that Ruth didn't say no, and
the Squire thought there wasn't much
1,neror. ne '4baf fLhuoh univ ha should