Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-03-12
THE SQUIRE's MISTAKE.

Squire Dudley was in his garden
pulling weeds in his patch Of tam'
strawberries, on the morning wher
he took a fancy for Ruth Lees pref
ty face. She came down the road
looking as fresh as a new blown ros,
in her plain calico dress and straw
hat. Her brown hair, cut quite short
blew about her face in little rings
and her blue eyes and bright chez k.
made her as pretty a picture as one
often sees. Sqnire Dudley saw hel
just as she came opposite the straw
berry patch, and called out "GOod
morning." in his brisk, CHEEKY way.
20, good morning. she answered.
"You almost scared me, Squire Dud
ley | didn't see you until you
spoke"
pheasant morning. isn't it?" said
the Squire. coming up to the fence
Ruth had halted in the road.
"Tt's beautiful weather" answered
Ruth. 81 told mother it was toe
pleasant to stay in doors and started
off ON visit"
care your Strawberries ripe yet?
said the Squire, wondering that he
never had noticed what fresh
charming face Widow Lees daugh
ter had before.
"Our strawberries" laughed Ruth,
1--WE haven't got any. Our old roos-
ter got in one day, about a week ago
and picked all he could eat. and then
coaxed the hens in and between
them they ruined our strawberry
crop"
"Too had," exclsimed the sympa-
thetic Squire. "Have some of these,
Ruth. They're just ripe enough to
be good"
He picked some great clusters OF
ripe berries and handed them over
the fence TO her.
"Thank you,'' said Rnth, smiling
GLOW nice they are. Mother was
making great calculations on hel
strawberry jam. She was terribly
vexed when she found out what the
hens had done"
"Tve got lots to spare" said the
Squire. "I'll send some over to
your mother"
"She'd be much Obliged to you,
said Ruth; ''if you have more thar
you want -
"Plenty of them," answered tht
Squire; "plenty of them Can have
them just as we'll as not.
81 must be going" said Ruth
"Good morning"
Good morning." returned tht
Squire, looking after her as she
went down the road II declare
there amt prettier girl in town thar
Ruth Lee I wonder some of thu
young fellows haven't got her away
from :ie widow. If | was young
now"
Spuire Dudley stopped suddenly
An liea had just flashed across hi!
brain.
"I'm fifty" he said at last sfte
thinking quite bnsily for some min
utes. "I'm fifty. but / don't look it
| don't see why shouldn't try ny
luck, after all. Girls as young a
Ruth marry older men than l am
I'm sure she'd make any man a goot
wife. Her mother is one of tn,
finest women in the State, and She
brought her daughter up to know
how to work, and be saving and pru
dent. I'm sure we need a goot
housekeeper. Mrs. Brown, she's old
fussy and crooked, and this way o
living isn't half living. l do be
lieve I'll marry her, If she'llh have me
Maybe Charley'll say it's foolish, bu
I can't help that"
The Squire fell to wedding out hi
Strawberries again, diligently, an,
kept thinking about Ruth all tn
while. Long before dinner va
ready he had fully made up his min,
to propose marriage to Ruth an
bring home a new mistress of th
great house whose mistress had bee
dead for ten years or more; pre-
vided, of course, that Ruth didn'
say no, and the Squire thought ther
wasn't much danger of that, thong
why he should be 80 sure, / can
say.