Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-05-14
Wau-I,rn no onmnanv for such ia.

| - Oh. so S00nt' pI6ducu 4NCiAtO'
ct didn't think Of Stopping heard
the music of your voice as came by
cit don't compare with the music Nell
will make on her piano"
Well, good-by, Nell. Let me know
when you're ready to begln tnat duet.
Blythe way, what shall It be The rose
that all are praising ?" and then ne went
! off IauohinC with Amanda, and left Nell
looking after them with hungry eyes, and
q heart heavy with unspOken wishes.
| What hanniness would there be in the
possession of piano, or world, if Tom
preferred Amanda? And yet, who was
She to dream of taking the fancy Of a
Young fellow like Tom Brierly-she with
| her male face and serious eyes and plain
WAYS? The women of his family had
been used to rustic in stiff silk, and shine
in sheen of lace, with sunshine and DOW
der TANGLED in their curls, and rouge and
smiles on their dimpled cheeks; at least,
that was the story their portraits told,
hanging and growing dusty in the great
/ hall wear after year. 1t was hardly likely
that the heir of such traditions would
| think of her; and vet it was her day
| dream, her aspiration, that some day he
might-a presumptuous dream; but he
was always SO kind, and might not kind
ness crystallize into love any day? Aman-
da, with her vivid cOlors and pretty CON
| fidence and dashing ways, might beguile
the heart out of a seraph, she fancied {:
| and, after all, Tom was only q young man.
| with a mans relish for warmth and vital
| Ity and beauty And what if it should
| all come to pass, and she should have to
| 1--we out her life next door to Tom and his
| wife, and watch their shadows upon the
| curtains, and see their children go in and
out! After all, perhaps she needed the
piano, in order that she might cOnfide the
secret that sometimes seemed too big for
| her one heart to hold.
Nell is so Oddr" said Amanda, as she
and Tom loitered home. "What do you
suppose she wants of a pianO-a girl who
spends half her time in the dairy and the
kitchen? ?"
"a piano isn't bad investment" an
swered Tom; "and Deacon Small saws
Nell's got a talent that Oughtn't to be hid
in a napkin"-laughing
"Oh, that's it, he's been turning her
head with his batteries. | wonder why
he doesn't marry her and be done with
it?"
"Marry Nelly Deacon SMALL" cried
Tom, with a start and laugh. Odd he,
ever dare propose such a thing?"
"They say she has had it under con
sideratiOn Folks think she couldn't do
better"
Couldn't she? said Tom, uneasily.
"He's got means, you know" said
Amanda, seriously, and Nell's got am
bition."
"And he's old enough to be her grand.
father"
"Some folks, you know, would sooner
be an old mans darling than young
mans slave"
" You wouldnt?"
CPL wait till the young man asks me-
answered Amanda, suggestively as well
as wisely, and tossing her head as she
babe him good-by.
" 1t can't be that Nell would marry the
| Deacon for his means,'" unused Tom
"Amanda's such little apple blossom
that it's hard for & fellow to make up his
mind. Jehu! what a conceited ass | am
Perhaps Nell wouldn't marry me any way.
There's look in her eye, though, that
makes me feel sometimes as if there
wasn't anybody else in the wide world
and then Amanda'l throw one of he1
saucy chances this way and raise the deuce
in mel
doughnuts that father likes" said Amanda
that evening; I'm going to surprise him
with 'em."
"N a'al, there's nothin' ter hinder
returned her mother, "only the enptin's
is out"
"That's always the way if take no
ton to do anything"
"Wa'al, you don't take a notion often
enough ter hurt; but if you're sot on it
you might toss up rolly-poly; he likes
that sight better, only it's apt ter swell
in his stomach"
"Dear mel but it stains your hands So
peeling apples" said Amanda, who was
too ornamental to be very useful. In fact
the neighbors had asserted long ago thai
the Wheatings were spelling Amanda;
that she wasn't brought up as a farmers
daughter should be; she couldn make up
a baking nor take off a churning more
than baby. These things had come to
Farmer Wheating's ears and had made
them burn. So when he came home to
dinner and found the rolly-poly smoking
hot on the table he smacked his lips and
said:
jest see what wife your mother is
Mandy You'll never hev the sense to
make such tidbit fur your husband like
this ere. You'll hev to perk up and git
accomplished in your cookin', Mandy, ii
you want ter git married; fur they do say
as how mans hearts reached through
his stomach, and l dunno but they're
about right
:" guess [ shan't have much trouble in
getting married when I want to-" pouted
Amanda, with toss of her head. "And
that's all the thanks l get for staining my
hands peeling apples and blistering my
face over the oven!'
"HollOa, Mandy, you don't mean tel
say that you made it! I'd as soon ex
pected the moon ter turn ter green
cheeseI"
YOU'RE mighty encouraging. When
Nell cooks up things just to please he1
father, he always praises 'em up to the
skies; and 1t isn't so hard for Nell, be.
cause she was brought up to it, sulked
Amanda.
"Wa'al, amt a-praisin' of it, Mandy
Amt | been helped to it twice? What
better praise can you hev than that ?"
"NelTs going TO have piano, too
pouted Amanda, who was hankerlng after
something more substantial than praise.
"a PLAINLY! What's she goin' ter dc
with it? Keep it fur the chickens tel
roost on? Old Eustis is a-shellin' out
pears to me. l 'spose y0lt'W be wantln
one next?"
I'D give all I'm worth to get one
first" confessed Amanda. She'll be SC
hltalutin you can't touch her, and it's
dreadful uncomfortable to live beside
neighbors who put on airsr
And l S'pOSe a pianny would make