The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-07-13

Barbara, brusquely. "Of course you
ought. And since you don't choose to
work for your master, you may as well
be working for me"
"My masters"
Esquire Dallas; of course" said Bar
bara. Dear me, how stupid YOU are"
"And how, may / venture to ask, did
YOU know who | was7" he questioned in
an amused sort of way.
ooh, it didn't require any great ex-
ercise of brilliance for that" responded
Barbara, with a little nod of the head.
az know Squire Dallas hat got new
hired man; and if you're not he, who
are your"
"That is the question, said the stran-
ger gravely.
"But we mustn't stand talking here, !"
went on Barbara, in a business-like sort
of way. "Take the basket and 30 to
picking strawberries just as fast as ever
you can, because we're to have company
at our hotse-I'm Barbara Wylde, you
know, young mat-and [ must get back
with the berries for dessert as soon as pos
sible."
"All right" said the stranger; "Pm
believe
81 hope you are,' said Barbara-in-
tent on extricatirig a tiny fose-pficker
from the point of her stained forefnger
=" and at other things too. Because, if
yoh'te not, Squire Dallas won't keep
you."
"He won't, eh 90
Barbara shook her head "The last
man went away because he couldn't en-
dure the squire driving ways" said She
used to lend ME books and things over
the fence, and he ,tatight district school
in the winters. | used often to come
here and talk with him over the stone
wall, because, you see, it's lonesome up
at the house if | do have two grown sis
tiers. Lisette is cross with me if | want
to borrow any of her books-she has a
dreadful tettipet, has our Lisette-and
| Maude is too intellectual to trouble her
self about a slip of girl like me.
Grown sisters are dreadful" with a SOL
emn shake of the head.
=" And / suppose you are not grown"
said Squire Dallas hired man, with a
curious CLEAN of amusement around the
corners of his mouth.
No." said Barbara, | am only six
teen, and | haven't got trains to my
dresses yet. But perhaps when the girls
get nattled, and one of them is sure to
marry this Captain Severii-Oh, take
care, you're tipping all the berries out
upon the grass Squire Dallas won't
keep you week if you're as clumsy as
that"
But the hired man luckily succeeded
in righting the basket before its crimson
contents were irretrievably lost.
cts all right" said he "see how
rapidly it is filling up. But suppose this
captain-I forget what you said his
name VAST"
"You mustn't forget things" said
Barbara esquire Dallas never will be
suited with that. He'sa very particular
old gentleman. | mention these things,
you know with an air of mild pat
ronage-" because you seem like a nice,
respectable young man, and | should
like you to keep the place"
81 am much obliged to you," said the
stranger, hurriedly putting a straw
berry into his mouth.
CHOW you are eating the strawbe
ries," said Barbara, severely. You
shouldn't do that"
"One or two is of no consequence,
apologized Squire Dallas hired man.
:" But was going to say, suppose this
company gentleman"
Captain Severn, his name is" inter
posed Barbara.
Yes-suppose that Captain Servern
shouldn't fall in love with either of your
grown sisters|
Then he'd be very great disap-
pointment," cried out Barbara, because
Lisette is six-and-twenty, and Maude
says she'll cut her throat sooner than be
an old maid.'
"He might fall in love with vou,"
suggested the young man, regarding his
pretty companion with glance from be-
meath his long lashes
"With me?" repeated Barbara. "Me?
a little girl that wears dresses without
trains, and isn't out of her scales yeti
Now, ] tell you what young Than, you
are talking great deal too much and
working great deal too little. Perhaps,
if you are very smart with the berries,
I'll bring you one of Phillis' tarts, and
put it on the stone fence tonight. Phil
lis does make the deliciousest strawberry
tarts."
"That would be delightful" said the
stranger, promptly.
Barbara gave scrutinizing glance at
the berry basket.
81 begin to think we've got almost
enough" said she.
Not yet" pleaded her companion.
Yes" nodded Barbara. 'And ma
will be in hurry, and Maude will scold
dreadfully If Pm not there in time to do
her hair"
at strikes me-" said the stranger,
with half smile, 4" that you're a good
deal like Cinderella in the story books"
Barbara considered the matter for a
second or two.
$50 | am" said she. 81 never
thought about it before; but I do be-
lieve | am little like Cinderella. But,
dear me- there's no glass slipper for me.
And as for you, young man" relapsing
all at once into the severe mentor again,
"you had better get back as fast as pos
sihle to your work; and don't let Squire
Dallas catch you lettering again, if
you've any regard for your place"
The stranger stood with dotted cap
and attitude of chivalrous attention.
"But you'll not forget the strawberry
tart?" said he.
Certainly not; if once can get old
Phillis' back turned long enough to
steal it out of the milk-room, said Bar.
bara.
And of she tripped with rosystained
lips, her golden hair floating recklessly
in the wind, and light elastic feet bow
ing down the buttercups and red clover