The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-03-25
A COLD SNAP.

A COLD SNAP.
Aunt Lakeland lived away out in the
country in those days-in the backwooGs,
Nell and called it, though, to be sure,
OR own place wasn't so very populous,
coasid, ring that there were seventy-odd
miles betweeu the two; but then we
were on the river-banks, and a steamer
ran between us and Boston once a week,
and we had a shabby little newspaper
and a shabbier lecture course, and an &C.
casional concert, and sleighing parties,
and assemblies among ourselves, while
out at Lakeland people dwelt SO far
apart that it was a days work to make q
call.
Aunt Lakeland was widow with no
child. en-. ard we had often urged her to
come to Wateredge and live with US, but
she had eadily refused, and thought
she shouldn't live out half her days it Sue
were to tor axe the familiar fields where
her good man had plowed and reaped.
She had an old servant, who had lived
with her since her marriage; and kind
OF cousin of her Naturalization
Andrews-had come to manage the farm
for her at uncle's death, who was execu-
tor Of the will, residuary legatee, and
goodness knows what not, and by whom
she set the world. 1t used to DC, "Eben
thinks So" and "Eben doesn't like this"
till got worn to shoes rings the first
time | went to see her, for, you see,
mother, plying her forlorn condition,
living so out Of the world, and no blood
relat- Oh within call, used to send Nell
and me to make alternate visits there to
make sure she wasn't imposed upon by
her hu b. nd's relatives.
WHO cares what Eben thinks and
likes:' said l, for, l suppose, l was
little jealous that she should regard the
opinions Of this raw farmer as OF greater
Importance Than mine.
Il dare say you'll care more'n you'll
like to own before you're much Older"
said she, laughing, land you won't be
the first girl, neither"
'lll go right home if you talk So" l
cried. II don't think l shall lose my
young affections to Eben Andrews in u
hurry. Anybody'd think / had never
seen a young man before"
You never did see one like Eben," she
persisted.
AND never want to see another"
"That's just the way girls talk when
they're in love-" put in Tidy Bruce, who
nau CpluC uO"u w Wv w SAS SS"AA6 ~
Aunt Lakeland, whose eyes began to fail
her.
Tidy was something Of companion
for me in that lonely place, though had
no great fancy for her. She lived six
miles away through the woods, and Eben
used to 60 for her, and carry her home
when her work was done.
There's our Esther" she went on
"what fun she used to make of Tom
Adams red head! But, sakes alive, now
she's married to him every particular
hair is gold.
Every likely" / re'orted; {" it runs in
the family. heard you say yourself
that Eben had the biggest hands you ever
saw. suppose they'll SHRINK as soon as
he offers them to you"
ale got heart to match EN-" added
Aunt Lakeland, while Tidy Uttered.
"Yes," said l., just to plague Aunt
Lakeland, for l had really thought Tidy
impudent en- ugh to joke about the size
OF my aunt's husbands cousins hands
Eyes, and mouth to match the hearth"
so much the better to kiss you, my
dear" sang out Eben himself; and there
he was, standing in the doorway. 1didn't
know how much he had overheard, and
I didn't care; at least thought didn't,
and I left the room in dudgeon and
slammed the door. A great bear of a
backwoodsman to talk of kissing me!
Well, suppose was contrary mink,
for when Aunt Lakeland said that Eben
dotted ON green l took great pains to
wear blue ribbons: and when he declared
that blue became me nightly just
changed 10 cherry-co,or next time. If
Eben liked curls I combed my hair out
as straight as Digger Indians; and
when he began to read aloud / left the
room, or hummed tune as rudely as
you please. Tidy Bruce used to gigsle,
and say that did it just to keep myself
before his eyes; and she was always SO
ready to run and jump for him, and fat
tered him SO broadly, that could have
sh,ken her soundly many time. She
spared no pains to please him, wore the
colors discarded, and made beau-catch-
ers of her hair. She used to dare me to
refus. his arm when he offered il, or his
hand when he would have helped me into
fool enough. She induced me to send
him a sa1cy valentino, and to play ali
manner of giddy tricks upon him, such
as putting salt in his tea, and vinegar In
his milk, and sewing up the armholes of
his overcoat, and lining his hat with
burs! But he made q joke of it all, and
called me his jester.
"Tnat means fool" said /, faring up.
ooh, does it?" said he, quietly.
"Well, sometimes the king was more
fool than the jester, you remember"
oracularly.
so" said Tidy, afterward, he thinks
that he has only got to ask, this minute,
and you'll say Yes, thank you.'"
Hell find out his mistake" tossing
my head, "if ever he does ask!-ss
though 1 would marry farmer when
I've been at boardingscho and can
play the piano and read French! Mercy!
If you should see the young men at Wa
teredge, in their kid gloves and broad
cloth, you wouldn't wonder that / wasn't
ready to fall in love with Eben Andrews,
Tidy"
"And what are they like at Water.
edge?n asked Aunt Lakeland.
"Like heroes in Q romance" said
spitefully; mot at all like >Eben An
drews."
"No, reckon they're not; heroes Of
fiddlesticks and n0nsensel"
Heroes of yard-sticks, guess, add
ed Tidy. ....s -,
And, sure enough. EbeD did ind out
his mistake not long after; though you
might call it mine, in the long run. One
day in March he asked me to 70 down
into the maple grove 10 see the sap run,