Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-07-28

she found no comfort in the prece-
dent Of that maiden's "brier-torn
gown and graceful ankles bare and
brown" but to Ashford the familiar
lines occurred.
The sight of her berries, however,
brought back his mind from the re.
gions Of poetry to the fact of an un'
romantic appetite, and caused him to
ask his new acquaintance where he
could obtain nights lodging and
something to eat.
The square forehead was knit in
meditation.
"Uncle Zabdiel's is the nearest
house; jimmy and l live there, right
down by the river. There amt an.
other till you come to the village,
and that's beyond Enoch Green's
pasture lot, three miles off. 1 guess
uncle could keep YOU"
"Uncle Zab amt at home, Glenn
volunteered Jimmy. "He'n' Aunt
'Tury went over to the village this
morning, you know, with the wagon
and old Tom-Old Tom, he's our
horse" for the enlightenment Of the
stranger; "and Miss Jones is there
now."
"Oh yes, I forgot" said Glen,
Miss Jones, she takes care Of the
house when Aunt 'Tery goes off, she
is real neighborly, you see. But,
anyway you might come home with
us and get some supper; they'll be
back soon."
The house presently announced
as "Uncle Zab's" was of class COM
mon in that primitive rcgion-square,
red, one-storied, with two dormer-
windows projecting from the roof,
and porch covered by woodbine.-
In front board fence enclosed the
box-like yard, divided by straight
path from gate to doorstep into two
compartments filled with old-fashion-
ed flowers.
Here, side by side with roses,
spice-pinks, and sweet-willlams, 9th.
er flowers bloomed less fragrant; tall
hollyhocks of every hue which holly.
hockdom owns; sunflowers that, des-
pite the devotion dwelt on by the
poets, rather seemed brazenly striv'
ing to outstare their god; peonles,
gigantic caricatures of the rose world
and other typical New England bios
SONS.
Within the house thus gorgeous
ly centineled a bountiful supper was
provided by Miss Jones, a woman as
full OF angles as porcupine OF quilts
but with that air of neatness and
shrewdness inseparable from the
genuine Yankee matron. And to
this mountainous meal, Ashford not
only did full justice, but, under the
inspiration of golden butter, straw
berries and cream, feared lest he
might be betrayed into pastoral
versifying, bucolic strain naturally
foreign to his taste.
Half an hour late appeared a curl
GUS turnout-a vehicle in which Noah
might have bowled along the fash
lonable avenue of his day, drawn by
an equine marvel at whose antiquity
the fast young men, even of that time
would have scoffed. Surely that
gaunt body could never have known
the pranksomeness Of colthood, but
must have entered existence at its
present reverend age! The clumsy
wagon held two occupants-a man,
slouching, grlzzled, sharp featured,
with thin face marked by cabalis-
tic wrinkles, and a woman whose lin
eaments were fixed in that expression
which its wearier fancies "religious,'
but which impartial observers de-
nominate "sour," and whose figure
was even more angular than that of
Miss Jones, who, Ashford had at
first fancied, enjoyed monopoly OF
all the angles of the region.
"Uncle Zab and Aunt 'Turyn
cried Jimmy, from his place by Ash
ford's knee.
Uncle Zab showed some surprise
at sight of the stranger in his porch,
on such familiar terms with both the
children and reined in his steed be-
fore the gate with long-drawn
"Whoa-a," which Bucephalus obeyed
with proud confidence that whoaing
was the point wherein he feared no
criticism.
By the way of salutation, Zabdiel
scratched his chin.
"Guess you're the chap Jake
Braown's tellin' me he see pass his
shop three haours ago, amt yer?-
S'pose, naow, you're wantin' ter put
up?" Receiving an affirmative an
swer, he continues: "Wa'al, we
don't keep tarvern genelly; but
guess we ken Accommodate yer
Mustn't look for city fixln's, though
Be from the city? Wa'al,'s l wa2
sayin', we're plain farmin' folks, but
l cal'late we knaow the time o'day
'6oaut's Wells Bosting or New
York"
Of which Ashford politely assured
him he had no doubt; whereupon he
was presented to his hostess accord
ing to the following formula:
SNAKE ye' 'quainted with my wife,
Ketury, Mr."
"Ashford," supplied that gentle
man, with a bow and a smile which
actually softened the Justification
which served Aunt 'Tury for heart,
AS that evenings hospitality end
ed in Ashford's being domiciled in
the old farm house for the summer,
we will endeavor to describe its inte-
rior.
The kitchen, where tho family
meals were spread, was garnished
with the usual festoons Of onions and
dried apples, hanging from its smoke
darkened walls and rafters guilt.
less of ceiling, while on the mantel
piece reposed Zabdie's stumpy clay
pipe in friendly company with bun.
die of "yarbs" Anglice, herbs) for
the good mans bronchitis. In the
centre of the floor flight of rough
stairs ascended to the 'loft"-two
bare closet like places where the
children slept, pleasant only in the
dormer windows already mentioned
The "fore room," assigned to Ash
ford, somewhat more pretentious in