Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-10-31

WNIt utChs
"Wal," said Farmer Pearl, ~ b
pretty early tonight, that's a fact
but Eve sold the greening apples
and two cord o wood, and got
pretty tol'able fair price for 'em too
And l tell you what, it's goin' to b
a reg'lar cold night. If | dom
smell frost in the air outside, then
haint no nose on my face"
After successfully propoundin!
this astonishing specimen of til,
"double negative in grammar
Elkanah drew off one mixed yarl
mitten, and plunged into his inside
coat pocket.
"There, Dolly, there's a letter fo
you, Squire Hawley handed me, al
come by the post-office. And nov
let's have bite O supper as quicl
as you can get it, for l tell you, Tn
sharp setm
DOrothy's pretty cheek reddene(
slightly, as she took the folded
epistle from her brothers. hand.
"It's-I think it's from Reuber
MITCHELL" she said, replying to Pat
tvs inquiring glance. CAT least the
writing looks like his"
"Oh it's from Reuben, eh?" said
the farmer, patting his daughters
shoulder, with an approving glance
"Now don't run away as if you were
ashamed of your beau, Marthy-
you haint no call to make belief
shy What does he say, Doll ?"
''He's coming here tomorrow with
his BROTHER" said Dorothy, holding
the sheet close to the window, to
catch the last CLEANS of the fading
light. "Gracious alive P! what does
the man mean? HAS something
very particular to say, and hopes
soon to sustain nearer and dearer
relation to me than that of my friend
REUBEN MITCHELLv
The farmer burst into great,
resonant, well. pleased laugh.
"Why OF course it means that he's
goin' to be your nephew-in-law,
Dolly" said he, rubbing his brown
hands complacently together
"Patty! why, Patty Pearl! come
back here, l say! What's the sense
O running away to hide on the
stairs Gals will be gals, and Reu
ben Mitchelps fine feller, with the
best farm for ten good mile round.
'Taint nothing to be ashamed of, as
I know on"
"But father" faltcred poor Patty,
"he's-he's so much older than |
am"
"That don't make no whit O. diff
ference. He aint much above forty
| dessay---"
''Just thirty -nine," interrupted
Aunt Dorothy, softly, from her
station by the twilight window.
"And you mustn't s'pose that's
so dredful DID," went on Elkanah
Pearl. "Why, bless your heart,
Patty, Pm sixty four"
eyes, but, father--'
Patty's sobblng plea was drowned
in the crash Of hickory logs upon the
iron fire dogs, and the fall of halt
burned foresticks on, the wide stone
hearth, as Elkanah adjusted the
fire.
"My darter,' said the old man,
setting his teeth together, tive won't
argue the pint no longer"
And Patty knew that her fathers
decree admitted of no appeal.
Aunt Dorothy stood before the
fire, with clasped hands and droop-
ing lashes, that half hid the velvet
darkness of her eyes, while Patty
set the blue-edged crockery ware on
the table, and cried softly over the
jars of honey in the corner cup
board.
"It don't seem possible" ponder
ed Aunt Dorothy to herself, I'll
thought l had conquered the old
silly feeling. / never fancied my
self capable of such absurd week
ness--such sentimental folly as
this"
Through the coral shine of the
red embers, Aunt Dorothy saw the
amber flush of long past sunsets
when she had been wont to stand
in the old porch, with Reuben
Mitchell at her side-the yellow
sunshine of balmy summer morn
ings, when Reuben always brought
her baskets of wood Strawberries or
lunches of wild, pink honeysuckle,
before he went to his days work F!
All when Reuben came back from
his lonr N ohrono, ot tho Mast ,,on