The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-06-21
Mr.. Hartman looked round to see how

in mine field. Goot-day."
A few days afterward the young man
went again to the little farm and pre-
sented some birds to Gazena's father.
81 shot them myself" he explained.
.Sol + meter kill to leedle pirds,,
said Mr.. Hartman, regretfully.
Then Horatio kindly offered to carry
them into the house.
"Nein, pein, ! do dat mineself," said
the farmer. % Mine wife; she's very.
very bissey always. She wants no
strange peoples round. Our place Is
not pig one, and I likes to if by mine
SELF" -. -....tI...
Horatio understood that delicate hint,
and retired politely. BE. was provoked,
but he did not tell his neighbor SO. The
father of such daughter must !: be hu-
mored if he Was blunt. .,*-... r.
As for Gazena herself, Horatio could
not understand her at all. When she
happened to meet him, she gave lit
tie nod, shy look, and a merry smile,
but she never spoke to him, or stopped
long enough for him to speak to her
more than monosyllable or two. She
always seemed to be in great hurry
every bissey," as her father said.
At last, one evening, he met her ut
one of the neighbors, and insisted upon
walking home with her. And as he was
not sure that he would ever have such 3
good chance again, he decided; to make
the most of it.
"I have been trying to speak to you
for the last five months" he said.
"Why do you run away from me so Z.
"Oh, I don't know; it's such fun r
answered 9Gazena, laughing. ~ " fgs 5E'
aIt'snot fun to- me-" said Horaho.
Itmakes ne.feel very unhappy. Do
you dislike me2"
"No, don't care anything about
you. It's only the fun" said Gazena,
too frankly. j.. ...
"But won't you feel sorry for me, and
try to like mea" asked Horatio.
!" Like you'll" she said. ''What do
YOU want me to like you for r. ..:.~'
Because-because-you know you
will Like somebody sometime, and get
married - =
"No, neverl" interrupted Gazena.
ct don't want to get married. I am
going to be a nun, and work on On the
yoh won't, " Said Horatio.
"You will get married, and-and want
you to marry me-" -.
Gazena stopped suddenly, looked up
at him with flashing eyes. " You are
bad boy! Don't you know you
shouldn't talk so to me ?"she said, hot,
" and fast. Then she ran away and
left him alone on the road .:..s
Some owl must have heard this con,
versation, and told the, story, for Aunt
Ermy said to- Mr. Brown, ,the;next even
ing $50 we're goih to have weddin'.
] .s'pose they'll have. to, come and live
here." I @3 Z p : II ~ a. =
5t:'Who,is coming to live hereTss =
"Why, haven't you heard2 Ratio
has proposed to 'zena Hartman. Oh
course she'll have him." H.
Farmer Brown was 30 angry at first
that he could not speak. But he go'
over that in a few minutes, and spoke
his mind pretty freely to his son.
won't have it! "he said. "You sha M
bring a. Dutch girl into this house where
you mother has iyed-not while
live!"rs E1gEs Z. ,yF.y4S :.
"Whoi said Iwould ?" said Horatio
quietly enough; and he too was very
angry and disgusted with everybody
Gazena included. H.; .-:r..
When Mr.. Hartman heard the story
it made him laugh, and he only said
"Vat2 Gif mine daughter to Won lay
mana Not mooch!" ..
Gazena did not laugh at all. She criet
every night when she was safe IN he N
bed. "Oh, what bad people they are 7
she said. 81 wish I could get a chanc'
Of. speaking my mind to somebody "
She had her wish. One afternoon sh'
met Farmer Brown Us he was going t.
his fields. They were alone on the road
and he spoke first.
"Look here, my girl, You shadbette
be- careful what you do You are no
wanted at my house. You understand 2
Gazens's face turned red. then white
but she answered bravely Farme
Brown, I amt your girl, so you needn'
call me so. And i, don't. want to liy
with proud folks, and work for my hus
band. We are as good as you be, O., ~ q
'a.lea aAna q away she ran. EE4EEEsx I
Farmer Brown was so surprised 8
this speech that instead of going to hi
j fields, he went home and went to bed
declaring that he was sick and shoul
die. That was way he had. It wa
one of his oddities. 20 'T% ::
When he was more than ordinaril
} troubled about his affairs, he alway
thought he was going to die. Some
times he made few last remarks, the
. took a dose of rhubarb, and then-th
next morning he wus as well as ever.
] So, when Aunt Ermy called out
{ "Come in quick, boys! Your fathe
thinks he is dyin'!" the boys went int
the house without hurrying very mucl
They had seen their. father in the sam
, condition before. .
The scene was quite impressive. Nj
, Brown lay ron his bed, dressed in h
Sunday clothes, his head propped u
on several pillows.
"Come here, boys he said, in
weak voice. "Isam going to die IL
} good this time, and want to speak
you" .u.g...;,.>.g ~
The boys stood by the bed, and Aur
Army sat down near the patient, wh
J spoke thus !: TG ELtSET- -
Z aErmy, you have been q good siste
to me, and it is my wish that you shoul
stay here till YOU die. You dear, MAJ
cusa Take good care of her. Th
} house is yours, my son, and the land
: the whole farm iss yours, because 70
have been q good and dutiful Sol
Horatio, come here. / haven't much
. say to YOU. Here are fifty cents. G
and buy rope to hang yourself with.
Horatio took the fifty cents with ver
, faint thanks. If he had any doubts b.
fore, he was certain now that his fatht
3 was not going to die. He did not eve
stay to see. He put on his hat an
t marched out of doors in transport
, mingled wrath and modification.
( Alone in the open air, he begun
t plan what he should do He would G
: to a large city, and become a gre
preacher, great lawyer, great -
:: "No, I WON'T" he said, stopping SUI
8 denly. "Iwill stay here and work.
will be great farmer, and marry Gaz
. ma Hartman! Then We shall see wi
D viii buy rope and hang himself Aht
: I will keep that fifty, cents for goc
luck" (taking out the coin and holdir
t it up in his fngers). "There, that