Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-11-27
INDEPENDENCE, IOWA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER ~, 1874.

but girl, sitting III low chair
stringing apples. A great tub of
quarters stood by her side, and the
table was filled up with those she
had already strung. | felt kind of
awkward like and began to whirl my
hat around in my hands, for | was
so taken aback that | didn't know
just what to say.
"Did you wish to see Mr. Gale?"
said she, looking up.
81 am his nephew, Ezekiel Gale"
| managed to stammcr out, 'and /
came up from Massachusetts to make
him a visit"
ooh, did you?" said she, jumping
up and putting down her pan Of ap-
pies. "Why, you must be very tired.
Sit down here by the firc-its quite
frosty tonight; and let me take your
hat Mr. and Mrs Gale have gone
to Greenough, but they will be back
this evening | am Content Sabin."
l said l guessed l would 60 out
and put up my horse. was glad Of
/ chance to get out into the open
air and get my breath, for she was
just the neatest girl had ever set
eyes on; and, although | was count
ed quite beau at home, she fluster-
ed me so that l hadn't word to say
for myself When | went back into
the house she had drawn out little
square table, which was covered
with white cloth, and spread with
raised biscuits, cold boiled ham, ap-
ple-sauce, and pumkin pie. She sat
down opposite to pour my tea, and |
could hardly eat my supper, good as
it was, for watching her. She did
look just like a picture, that's 4 fact.
She had on linsey-woolsey petticoat
and blue checked short gown; her
brown hair was braided back just as
smooth and shiny rs could be; and
she had blue eyes, plump, rosy checks,
and neck and arms as white rs
milk.
II am sorry Mr.. and Mrs. Gale
are away" said she, for hadn't had
the grace to speak civil word yet,
and she began to be afraid that |
wasn't pleased. But, dear me, al
though / had come so far to see my
relations, | was beginning to wish
that they would never come back at
all, but that might just set in that
warm little room all the rest of my
life, with the teakettlc singing, the
cat purring on the hearth, and Con-
tent pouring tea for me, and | look
ing at her. | found my tongue after
Il while, too, so that when Uncle Jer
~ and Aunt Nancy came home we
sat bv the fire rs sociablc rs though
we had known each other all our
lives"
Well, l stayed and stayed there
till my folks began to think | was
never coming home. | helped I'm
Gle Jerry get in the late crops, and
| had kind of knack with saw
and hammer which made me very
useful about the house to Aunt Nan
cy. Then in the evening l some
times took Content to husking or
an apple bee. Finally my father
sent for me, and that night, coming
home from husking at Deacon
Handtorl's-I mind how the moon
shown down through the pine trees
that shaded the road-Content prom
ised to go back to the Bay State with
me when came up in the spring.
Uncle Ezekiel grew thoughtful.
lie seemed to be living over again
that golden October evening, but
Genevra clasped her hands together
and said i'll that pretty little affected
way she has:
''What did she say when YOU pro
posed to her? O, | should like to
know so much"
Uncle Ezekiel reused up.
"Shc gave me il simple, straight
forward answer" replied he, "and
didn't ogle and put on airs, as You
would have done in her place, miss. "
We were familiar with Ezckiel's
blunt ways, but we nil thought that
he was too hard upon Genevra; so
we changed the subject to the last
importation by Stewart, and he fell
into doze in his casy-chair by the
CRATE.