The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-02-06

making great calculations on her
strawberry jam. She was terribly
vexed when she found out what the
hens had done.
I've got lots to spare, said the
Squire. "I'll send some overto your
mother
"She'd be much obliged to you"
said Ruth, eff you have more than
"Plenty Of them," answered the
Squire, "plenty OF them. Can have
them just as well as not"
'I must be going" returned the
Squire, looking after her as she went
down the road. 81 declare there
amt q prettier girl in town than
Ruth Lee. l wonder some of the
young fellows havn't got her away
from the widow. If 1 was young
now"
Squire Dudley stopped suddenly.
An idea flashed across his mind.
"I'm fifty" he said at last, after
thinking quite busily for some min
utes, "I'm fifty, but 1 don't look it.
I don't see why l shouldn't try my
luck after all. Girls as Young as
Ruth marry men older than I am
I'm sure she'd make any man wife.
Her mother is one of the finest wo-
men in the State, and she's brought
her daughter up to know how to
work, and be saving and prudent
I'm sure we need good housekeep-
er. Mrs. Brown is old, fussy and
crooked, and this way of living isn't
half living. 1 do believe I'll marry
her, if she'll have me. Maybe Char
ie'll say it is foolish, but 1 can't help
that.
The Squire fell to wedding out his
strawberries again diligently, and
kept thinking about Ruth all
the while. Long before dinner was
ready he had fully made up his mind
to propose marriage to Ruth and
bring home a new house-keeper and
mistress of the great house whose
mistress had been dead ten years or
more, provided, of course, that Ruth
didn't say no, and the Squire thought
there wasn't much danger of that,
though why he should be SO sure, I
can't say.
"Don't you think we need a house
keep" he said to his son Charles
that afternoon, as they sat on the
veranda. The Squire evidently saw
some new feature in the landscape,
for he kept his face turned away from
Charley's when he spoke.
ga housekeeper?" asked Charley.
"We've got one. What do you want
Of more, l should like to know"
eyes, [ know" answered the
Squire. turning red in the face, and
beginning to get little uneasy
"but Mrs. Brown isn't such a wo-
man as we need. She doesn't take
any interest in work asa woman
would who--had more interest in it. :"
After which extremely logical ar
gument the Squire got more fdgety
than ever.
81 understand that" answered
Charley. eff she had a personal in
terest in the place, and in being pru-
dent and in keeping things up, she'd
do better than she does now. Now
she gets her pay for her work and
that's all she cares for. Its all we
expect of her"
"Just SO, said the Squire, glad to
know that Charley agreed with him
SO far, "I'ye been thinking this morn
ing that the best that 1 could do,
would be get some one who has a
personal interest in matters. l don't
see as you intend to get married, and
as YOU won't l don't know but I'd
better"
The Squire breathed easier, as the
worst part was over with.
"You get mar1iedp' exclaimed
Charley, in intense surprise. ''Why,
I didn't know you ever thought Of
such thing"
"And / havn't until this morning, "
exclaimed the Squire. "Igotto think
ing about it this morning, and the
more 1 thought about it the more I
thought it good plan. You have
no objections"
"Of course MOI" answered Char
lev. "You can de as you think best.
If you feel it advisable to get q wife l
have nothing further to say, further
than the hope that you viii get some
one who viii make you happy"
"She will, said the Squire very
decidedly, "she viii / am sure.
May / ask who It's to be?" in
quired Charley.
aI-I hayn't asked her yet an
swered the Squire as red as a rose.