The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-04-21

Hester it's mighty handy to have worldly
goods to cleave on to besides. / always
agree with your father on all p'ints. He
expects e of me and if he should say
black was white, laws, should say so, too,
but think jest as I've mind tu inside.
always said no man should tSranize over
me. A woman can squint round corner
handler than man can, and she can find
ways of getting her will, and / guess I've
ruled the roost as much as the Old Square
has after alPs said and done but he don't
know, and wouldn' have him find it out
for the world. don't say shall enker-
ridge Joel, but if you only make up your
mind there's no use argufying, for yon're a
reg'ler born Preston, and they all hold on
like adog to root. shall try to ease off
things that's all 1 can promise, but
must confess, Joel is a pleasant creetur,
and you can't help liking him if you should
try"
Hester kissed the old lady's wrinkled
cheek rather more impulsively than was
necessary, and then, in a half-coaxing
shamed-faced sort of way, she said:
"Mother, expect Joel over this after
noon, and thought if you didn't mind I'd
put little handful of fire in the sitting
room stove"
"No, you'd better not" said Mrs. Pres
ton decidedly. "Your father won't like
to have any underhand counting going on.
1t will only rile him the more. He and
did all our courting business up by the
kitchen fire. Mother thought it was eco
nomical. Every Sunday night he came like
clock-work 1--WE used to keep Saturday
night in them days,) and there he sot and
cored apples, and 1 strung um, and we
killed two birds with one stone as neat as
any thing you ever saw. Joel had better
be treated in an everyday sort Of fashion.
In your fathers present state of mind it
won't do to waste candle-light and fire.
wood on him. And, Hester, you had bet
ter stir up some fritters for supper The
Square is fond of fritters. I hain't lived
with him all these years without finding
out that good meal of victuals makes con.
siderable difference with his feelings"
Hester knew her mother was wise in her
day and generation-an experienced wo.
man; SO she set her wheel away and went
up to her chamber-a little, cold, neat room
with shopping wall
Joel came driving to the gate. The all
was nipping, and spiteful gusts of wind
whirled along the valley. He fastened his
horse to the fence, and blanketed him
carefully. The boys, Hester's brothers,
had gone with lumber to the village mill
and would not be back until late, if at all,
that night. The Squire was in the barn
tinkering away at his sap buckets. The
cold weather had kept back the sugar sea
son, but thaw might be looked for nov
at any moment. The old man was shor
and stocky, with an eagle face, and iron
gray hair. All his motions were brisk
and his words exploded something aftel
the fashion of fire-crackers, Now grin
sort of smile puckered the old face, as hC
thought that long-tailed gray of Herrick's 5
the liyery-stable keeper, might stand there
in the cold till doom's day for all him
Then rub-a-dub-dub on the sap buckets
Hester met Joel at the door demurel!
enough. He was good-looking, tall, ant
slender, and unconsciously elegant and re
fined in appearance. The young MAJ
drew up to the fire with his overcoat on
and Mrs. Preston engaged him in tall
about the weather and the neighbors. TIL,
kitchen was large and light, with foo
unstained, and braided mats, and comfort
able chairs, and great clock ticking il
the corner. There were pots Of petunia
and "hen and chickens" in the window
The bit of greenery made pretty bacl
ground for Hester, who, seated in loy
chair, took out her company work, som
old-fashioned lace she was knitting, whicl
uncoiled and foamed over her black sill
apron. She was anxious as she glance,
out at Joers horse, shivering under hi
blanket, when the cold did not sting hin
unto positive uneasiness. The young ma
still sat with his overcoat on, lingering hi
hat and muffler, while Mrs. Preston talke
away about Sally Mifiin's cough, and no,
the Selkirk children had all come dow
with the measles. Hester saw how IN
comfortable Joel was, not knowing wheth
er to stay or go, so sho ran out with
shawl over her head, set the long-taile
gray free from the shafts as quietly as poi
sible, and led him into the barn. She knev
all the ins and outs Of horse tackle, an
could harness and unhaness as handily a
n man II was nnt long thorafora hafov