The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-05-23

shall | ~
"Oh dear no." giggled Amanda shes go
ing to be the band herself"
"Mandy's laughing at me-" exclaimed
Nell because Pm going to buy piano WIN
my earnings
'Let those laugh who WIN" cried Tom,
lightly. "Wc'll play duets together, NcIL'
"Well, I'm no company for such famous
musicians" said Amanda. 81 guess III be
going home"
I'm going your way" said Tom rising
"Oh, so soon" pleaded Nellie.
81 didn't think Of stOppng-l heard INC
music of your voice as | came by. ,
1T don't compare with the music Nell Will
make on her piano"
"Well, good.by, Nell. Let me know when
you're ready to begin that duet. By.thc,way,
what shall it be--'The rose that all are
praising" and then he went OH laughing
with hdngry eyes, and heart heavy WIN
unspoken wishes. What happiness would
there be in the possession of Il piano, or
word, if Tom preferred Amanda? Ard yet
who was She t. dream OF taking fancy OF Il
young fellow like Tom Brierly-she with
her pale face and serious eyes and PLAIN
way? The women OF his family had been
used to rustic in stiff silk, and shine in sheen
of lace, with sunshine and powder tangled
in their curls and rouge and sm lies on their
Idimplcd cheeks: ut least, that was the story
dusty IN the great hall year after year. 1t
was hardly likely that the heir Of such tradi-
ItiOns would think finer; and yet it was her
Idaydrcam, her aspiration. that some day hCI
might-a presumptuous dream; but he was
always so kind, and might not kindness cry.
stallize into love any day? Amanda, with |
her vivid cOlors and pretty confidence and
dashng ways, might beguilc the heart of a
seraph, she fancIcd and, after all, Tom was
Lon 1y "a r. x,y;Il ~: T,,I
warmth, vitality and beauty. And what if it
should all come to pass, and she should have
to live out her life next door to Tom and his
wife, and watch their shadows upon the cur
tans, and see their children go in and out!
After all, perhaps she needed the piano. in or.
der that that she might contlde the secret that
sometimes seemed too big for her one heart
! to hold.
"Nell is SO odd" said Amanda, as she and
Tom loitercd home. What do you suppose
she wants of piano-a girl who spends halt
her time in the dairy and the Kitchen"
"a piano isn't a bad investment" answer ;
cd Tom; land Deacon Small says Nel's got t
a talent that oughtn't to be hid in napkin" c
| laughing. @
ooh, that's it! he's been turning her head 4
with his batteries | wonder why he don't b
marry her and done with it?'
Marry Nelly Deacon Small" cried Tom, f
WIN start ana u lauBn. 'Dlu he ever Qafc II
propose such thlngT' a
They say she has had it under considera- f,
ton. Folks think she couldt do better" b
Couldn't she?" said Tom, uneasiy Il
"lIe's got means, you Know" said Aman u
da, seriously, "and Nel's got ambition" u
"And he's old enough to be her grand W
father" IL
"SOmc folks, you know, would sooner be :"
an old mans darling than young mans
slave"
"Iou Wouldn't" IN
"l'll wait till the young man asks me-"
answered Amanda, suggcstlvely as well as ~
wisely, and tossing her head as she babe HIM W
good.by, 81
at cant be that Nelly would marry the 81 81
Deacon for his means,'" muscd Tom H.
"Amanda's such little apple blossom that "
it's hard for fellow to make up his mind. Il. I"
Jehu! what a conccited ass | am Perhaps TO
Nell wouldn't marry me any way. There's VI
4 look in her eye, though, that makes me feel Ut
as if there wasn't any body else in VI
the wide world-and then Amanda'll throw ~
one of her saucy glances this way and raise al
the deuce in met" as
1oughnuts that father likes" said Amanda nc
that evening; "1m going to surprise him AZ AT
with EN- on
"Wa'al, there's nohin' ter hinder" return pu
ed her mother, "only the cmptin's is out" 9n
That's always the way if | take notion p,
to do anything" ca
"Waal, you don't take notion often DO
enough ter hurt; but if you're sot on it. YOU ca
might toss up rolly-poly; he likes that an
sight better, only it's apt ter swell in his IN
stomach" an
Dear nc. but it stains your hands so, peel. so
ing apples said Amanda, who was too or III III
to be very useful. In fact, the ~.
neighbors had asserted long ago that the i n'
Whcatons were spelling Amanda; that she ~
wasn't brought up as II farmers daughter Nv
should be; She couldn't make up baking a.
nor churnng mora than II baby. These -,
things had come to Farmer Whcating's ears ~
and had made them burn. 50 when he came ~
home to dinner and found the rolly poly III
smoking hot on the table he smackcd his ,no
lips and said DC
jest see what IA wife your mother il, Mandy pc
You'll never hey the SENSE to make such vi .,
tidbit fur your husband like this ere. You'll NJ
hcv to perk up and git accomplished in your az
cooking, Mandy If you want ter git married "a,
fur they do say as how IA mans heart is tu
reached through his stomach, and dunno " "
but they're about right w
II guess | shan't have much trouble in ,y
getting married when | want to-" pouted to
Amanda, with a toss Of her head And that's No.
vi u'c thaukS l get Tor staining my hands TT,
heelng apples and bliStering my face over or
the oven!" 81
"iloloa, Mandy, you don't mean ter say ~
'hat You made it? I'd AZ soon expected tie Il,
moon Ter turn ter green checsew 81,
cure mighty encouraging. When Nell re
COOKS up things just to please her father he tn
always praises EN- mp to the skies: and it th
isn't so hard ior Nell, because she was
brought up TO it, sulked Amanda. 40
"Wa'al, amt lprasing oft, Mandy Amt an
been helped TO ii twice? Whatbet,c praise Lr
can YOU hev than that:' yl
"Nell's going TO have piano, too" pouted co
Amanda, who was hankering after something
more substantial than praise. Ibc
a pianny, What's she going ter do with
it? Keep it for the chickens ter roost on II
L, L. IL l..