Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-07-31
5fliscellanu.
Farmer HIPS Hired Man.

jest you WALK III anu MAKE yOurSell
to hum whilst | call Ralph. He's my
nephew, down here from college, rusti-
cruting round awhile for his narves. It'll
do him good to drive you over"
This was our first knowledge of the
existence of such person as Farmer
Hills nephew, and here it viii be well,
perhaps, t. break the thread of my dis
course and explain how we came to
make the acquaintance of Farmer Hill
himself. Some six months previous,
father and mother had gone abroad for
their health, leaving Grace and myself
together with cousin Frank, to the care
of Arabella, our dignifed older sister
Arabella was awidow, still in her weeds,
little prim naturally, and with an out
er crust of coldness which grief and
black robes had failed TO soften, yet so
true-hearted and conscientious that our
parents felt entirely safe in intrusting us
to her during their years absence. They
had talked of taking Grace with them,
but we could not bear to be separated, i,
for we are twins, Grace and [ you
would never guess it, though, we are so
unlike, Grace being short and plump,
with a face like a ripe peach, and palish
golden hair, and the purring way Of
pet kitten, while !, am just her opposite
in looks and temperament, and far more
of trial, fear, to Arabella's patience.
But Arabella's greatest trial in those
days was our cousin Frank. Dear child,
she would not for the world have been
trial to any one, but it was Just as i'm
possible for her to conform to Arabella's
strict notion of propriety as it would be
for humming-bird to put on the state
illness of a swan. She was nothing un-
less she could be herself, and Arabellg
was forever trying to remodel her Left
an orphan before she was ten years old,
she had been adopted by dotipg aunt,
who, after doing all in ber power to spoil
the girl-fortunately one not easily
spoilt-died, and left her heir to a neat
little fortune. Since then she had been
with us, and we all loved her in spite of
the fact that wherever she was, she was
the centre of attraction.
We had been boarding all winter with
Arabella's mother-in-}aw, stylish, mat
ronly woman who. having for Arabella's
sake, consented to take us into her fam
lily, felt it her duty to devote herself to
our entertainment. And gay season
had been the result-readings, recep.
tions, and parties following each other in
so quick succession that by spring we
were heartily tired of fashionable life.
"How pleasant it would be if we
could only go into the country for
while" said Frank, half burying her
face in a bunch of arbutus which,
bought that morning of little flower
girl at the door, had been whispering to
us all day of the far-away woods where
its home had been.
"Why not take lodge in the wilder
ness and try housekeeping for whie?
said l, with sudden inspiration.
Wouldn't it be splendid?" cried
Frank, catching at the idea with enthu-
siasm.
"Splendidl echoed Oracle, warmly.
"My dear girls, you do not know
what you are talking about" said Ara
bella, in alarm.
"Indeed we do, said Frank. al, for
one, am hungry for country air.
"And L"
"And II" chimed Grace and my
self.
"But there are so many inconven-
fences attending country life" expostula-
ted Arabella, seeing that Frank at least
was in downright earnest.
"Kerosene oil, for instance" said the
motber-in-law, aggravatingly.
"And such swarms of usquitoes,"
added Arabella.