The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-29

haste toward the stone-wall that sepa-
rated Squire Dallas domains from Dea-
con Wylde's south pasture lot.
81 beg your pardon" said he; but
did you call?'
"Of course l called" said Barbara,
thinking within herself how tall and
straight and darkly handsome Squire
Dallas new hired man was. "Don't
you think, young man, you ought to be
at work?n
cat work." repeated the Spanish
browed stranger. Well, perhaps |
ought"
"There's no perhaps about it,"
said Barbara, brusquely. "Of course
you ought. And since you don't choose
to work for your master, you may as
well be working for n1e'
My-master?"
esquire Dallas, of course" said
Barbara. :" Dear me, how stupid you
are?"
"And how, may l venture to ask, did
you know who l WASP" he questioned,
in an amused sort of way.
"Oh, it didn't require any great ex-
ercise of brilliance for that" responded
Barbara, with wise little nod of the
head. 81 know Squire Dallas has got
a new hired man; and if you're not he,
who are you?"
"That is the question:" said the
stranger, gravely.
"But we mustn't stand talking here"
went on Barbara, in business-lik sort
of way. ''Take the basket and go to
picking Strawberries just as fast as
ever you can, because we're to have
company at our house-Tm Barbara
Wylde, you know, young man-and l
must get back with the berries for des-
sert as.quickly as possible" '.
"All right" said the stranger; "rm
tolerably quick. at this sort of thing, l
believe" IL
81 hope you are" said Barbara in
tenton eXtricating a tiny rose-pricker
from the point of her stained forefnger
=" and at other things, too. Because,
if you're not, Squire Dallas won't keep
you. =
"He won't, ehpo
Barbara shook her head. 'sThe last
man went away because he couldn't en-
dure the 'Squire's driving ways" said
she. "Oh, l was so sorry! He was
nice. He used to lend me books and
things over the fence, and he taught
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 sisters. Lisette is cross
with me if l ask to borrow any of her
books-she has a dreadful temper, has
our Lisette--and Maude is too intel
lectual to trouble herself about slip of
a girl like me. Grown sisters are dread
fuln' with a solemn shake of the head.
And | suppose you are not grown"
said Squire Dallas hired man, with
curious CLEAN of amusement around the
corners of his mouth.
mo" said Barbara, I" am only six
teen, and l haven't got trains to my
dresses yet. But perhaps when the
girls get married, and one of them is
sure to marry this Capt. Severn Oh,
take care, you're tipping all the berries
out upon the grass Squire Dallas
won't keep you a week if you're as
clumsy as that"
But the hired man luckily succeeded
in righting the basket before its Grim
son contents were irretrievably lost.
Its all right" said he. % See how
rapidly it is filling up. But suppose this
Captain-I forget what you said his
name WASP"
"You mustn't forget things" said
Barbara. esquire Dallas never will be
suited with that. He's very particu-
lar old gentleman. | mention these
things, you know'-with an air of mild
patronage because you seem like
nice, respectable young man, and 1
should like you to keep the place"
&c am much obliged to you'll said
the stranger, hurriedly putting straw
berry into his mouth.
(" Now you are eating the strawber-
ries,'' said Barbara, severely. "You
shouldn't do that"
Zone or two is of no consequence"
apologized Squire Dallas hired man.
" But | was going to say, suppose this
company gentleman-n
"Capt. Severn, his name is" inter-
posed Barbara.
"Yes-suppose that Capt. Severn
shouldn't fall in love with either of your
grown sisters?'
"Then he'd be a very great disap-
pointment," cried out Barbara, :" be-
cause 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 you,"
suggested the young man, regarding
his pretty companion with sidelong
glance from beneath his long lashes.
"With me :" repeated Barbara. "Me!
"a little girl that wears dresses with
out trains, and isn't out of her scales
yet! That's a likely thing, isn't it?
Now, l tell you what, young man, you
are talking great deal too much and
working great deal too little. Per-
haps, if you're gerry smart with the ber-
ries, I'll bring you one of Phillis' tarts
and put it on the stone fence tonight.
Phillis does make the deliciousest
strawberry tartsr'
THAT would be delightful" said the
stranger, promptly.
Barbara gave a scrutinizing glance
into the berry basket. -"
81 begin to think we've got almost
enough" said she.
''Not yet" pleaded her companion.
"Yes," nodded Barbara. "And
mamma will be in hurry, and Maude
will scold dreadfullv if I'm not thara in