The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-04-15

/ "eN NV UOhANh hhot ny Ba~ NAhoe was
heavy, for my heart wasn't in my work at
all. l was thinking Of Tom all the time,
and wondering if we couldn't manage to
speak to each other at the social some way
or If | couldn't sec him early in the morn
ing before he left the village.
+" Dear me, the butcher can't be coming
to-day, after all, and what in the world
shall We do for dinner suppose he got
out Of everything before he got here; there
are so many people in town to be fed just
now" said mother, breaking in upon my
happy thoughts again. SIT is enough to kill
anybody outright to have 80 much company
under such circumstances.
$50 l have been saying and thinking, "
| said, quietly; "but then think we can
do well enough for dinner Seth can kill
some chickens, and | will have them in
the pot in less than no time"
"I don't see how we can spare any more
chickens We have only the cropple crowns
left now, and they're so good for laying.
Still, | suppose we must, for there's moth
ing else to be had, aud you can't set q
picked-up dinner before ministers. But
there isn't a sign Of a vegetable fit to be
cooked in the garden. Seth brought in
the last cucumber yesterday, the peas are
all too large, the squashes aren't ripe, and
those case-knife beaps are so tough that
nobody in the world can eat them"
"Well, perhaps | can find some corn
that is large enough; saw some in the
field that was pretty well grown, day be-
fore yesterday, and can make some nice
sauce Of those tomatoes Uncle Ben sent
over" l said, consolingly. "Leave the
dinner to me; I'll manage it some way"
"You're great comfort, Ruth" said
mother, with Frightening face; and she
left the kitchen with sigh Of relief, and
never glanced into it again until the din
ner was on the table.
After the chickens were in the pot and
cooking briskly, had little moment to
rest, and going up stairs, took that pre-
cious ring from its case, and placing it on
my first finger watched it sparkle with a
bliss which is not uncommon to foolish
young girls under such circumstances Tom
and had been lovers ever since we we're
children, but he had never spoken until
last night, and had been somewhat trou.
bled that he did not do SO, for could not
help doubling sometimes whether he really
cared for me as l cared for him, and
know that it would break my heart If lie
should go and marry another now. Girls
in books always go on through their court
ships with the most delightful unconscious
ness and never dream that they are in love
until they are asked, and then the knowl-
edge that they are fathoms deep in this
blissful state comes to them like magic,
and they fall into their lovers arms as
easily as if they had always been their
abiding place. But some way the girls in
Plum6eld are different, and when Tom
singled me out from all the rest, and went
home with me from the church and sing.
ing school, and came to our house nearly
every evening in the week he was on shore,
and made soft little speeches to me, sup
posed that he would ask Inc to marry him
some day, and knew that loved him with
all my heart
l forgot the dinner, ministers, and every
thing and everybody but Tom for as many
as fifteen blessed minutes; then it sudden
ly occurred to me that ID was high time
that the corn was on the FIRE, aud it was
still rustliug on its stalks in the back field.
So without removing the ring, hurried
out Of doors and succeeded in finding q
number Of ears that were large enough,
though | felt into the husks of whole rows
of those that were just beginning to show
their tiny, milky kernels. The dinner
was altogether success, and the minis
ters seemed likely to be well fortified for
their afternoons work. Mr.. Hibbard
grew almost jocose over il, and Uncle
Reuben's wife, who came from the city,
and who is dreadfully particular, praised
everything until mothers face was fairly
glowing with satisfaction. But something
happened to me that oame near wrecking
my happiness forever. The ring was
missing from my finger. In my hurry and
hustle did not think Of it, or know that
1t was gone, until l came to wash the
dishes after dinner. Then it suddenly
flashed into my mind that jewels like that
would not bear wetting, and I wondered
how / could have been such an idiot as 10
wear It under mothers very nose--she
knowing nothing Of the story yet--and
why Sam, my wideawake, small brother,
had not remarked upon it in his usual
striking manner. Then to my horror and
J amazauent, found my finger bare and
the ring nowhere to be found. 1t had
been little loose, but it did not seem
nearly enough so to slip off of its own ac-
cord. Iran up stairs and looked IN the
case to see if might have absent-mind.
edly put IL away; but no, ii was not there.
| might have lost It in the cornfeld and
leaving everything as II was, rushed oul
there, searching frantcally under and be,
tween every stalk that came in may way
but without success. The dish water grew
cold, the dinner table stood In the middle
ef the floor, and mother was calling me a,
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