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

handed thing under his very nose, so to
speak, and the strokes on the sap buckets
grew more savage than ever. When the
girl went back into the house she was
much relieved by hearing her mothor say
81 guess the Squire has put up your
horse, Joel, and you had better stay to
supper, and spend the night with us"
Hester had spread the tea-table, not with
the best napery and dishes from the keep
ing-room cupboard, for her mother had
limited that it would be impolitic to make
any change on Joels account but every
thing was clean, wholesome, and appetiz-
ing. There was the platter of sliced meat,
the snowy bread, and golden butter, and
the dish of clear honey for the fritters.-
The old man came in, and gave a sort Of
snort when he detected Joel sitting snugly
ensconsed in a warm corner by the fire.
He drew his chair directly to the supper
table, without reference to anybody pres
ent, and his shaggy gray eyebrows met in
a twisted frown-always most decided
storm signal. With something which en-
anated from his throat between grunt
and growl, he pushed the various dishes
toward the unwelcome lover. 1t is mild
statement to say that Joel was literally on
pins and needles. Hester's face was very
red, but she maintained herself bravely by
the frying kettle, and in few minutes
slipped fritter, brown, puffy, hot, with
little sprangles and crisp bits clinging to
its edges, on to the old gentleman's plate.
His face relaxed slightly, and a sort of
juiciness crept into the dry wrinkles about
his mouth. Presently two more delectable
brown puffs took the place of the one that
had already vanished, and the modified look
stole up to the knobby old nose, and higher
still to the keen gray eyes, and softly unit
ed the twisted knot of the eyebrows.
"Wal, Joel, how's the JedgeP" in a pa
cifc growl.
Joel almost sprang off his seat, the ques-
ton was SO sudden and startling.
80, the Judge he is WELL" stammered
the young man, turning several shades red
in quick succession.
Making money hand over fist, I'll war
rant"
"Yes, he is doing pretty WELL" replied
Joel, SO painfully confused that he dropped
lump of salt into his tea in place Of su-
gar.
"Them lawyers have got long heads,
and sharp claws" said the Squire. The
best way is to give 'em wide BERTH
There's an old saying / used to hear when
l was a boy tell the truth and shame the
devil but guess the devil don't often get
shamed that way by the lawyers. There's
one thing will say for the Jedge, though
he's the likeliest of the lot, and he freezes
right snug to his business but that amt a
, family trait, is itP"
t "What, honesty ?" returned Joel so,
yes, never knew dishonest Selfridge.' y
, "Humph," grunted the old Squire, "did
r you ever know a shiftless selfridge? But
there amt no use asking questions. Every
thing has got a new-fangled namc. What
, are lazy folks called nowadays, Hester
You have taught school and ought to bt
acquainted with fashionable Names"
"rm sure don't know" said Hester
,, bending her head down over the fire.
"Now recollect. They're called gen
, tlemen of leisure. If the Jedge can afford
to keep his relations without work, why
it's mighty fine thing for them, and
! don't know as it's any business of mine
; and with metallic sound in the chest
which might have been either laugh or I
, chronic cough, the old man arose from thu
q table, set his hat determinedly upon hi
head, and went away out of the house tt
|, do his evening chores.
' The lamp was lit, the fire we'll trimmed
0 and bright. Hester brought forth a large
b pan of rosy-cheel1ed apples (Baldwins) Il
K pare for the last batch of mince pies. The
d keen knife glanced and shone, and prett!
s red rings slid down from her comel!
n hands Mrs. Preston was at work on I
n long gray sock, sock anybody nigh
4 know belonged to the Squire If they hac
seen it in China. Joel had taken from hi
" pocket the joints Of his flute, and wa
n screwing them tightly together, and as tn
+ old man opened the door he heard his dam
l. say = M ri.F
a "Come, now, Joel, give us Genera
d Greene's March, or Yankee DOODLE
; There's the Squire coming in, and he'
v fond of music, too" na hl stlta.
d "You can't eat it or drink it, growie
's the Squire, as he took his own particula