The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-08-28

1 L
and snow. "As if Captain Severn
would ever look at you!"
"But may look at him, ] sup.
pose? ?" cried indignant Barbara.
"And Pm sixteen years old and you
have no right TO treat me Ike q
baby"
"Children. children don't get to
quarreling," said Mrs. Wilde. "And
Barbara can just sit here behind the
tea urn. and / dare say we shall have
plenty of room"
"There," said Barbara, with tri-
umphant grimace at her sisters.
'Horrid little spoiled childH said
Maud.
barbara always gets her own
way" commented Lisette.
Hush p said Mrs. Wyilde author
itively. "Here comes your papa up
the laural walk with Captain Sc
vern."
I.isette peeped from behind the
folds Of the 1luted Swiss curtains,
Maud ran to the Venetian blinds of
the bay window, and Barbara climbed
with sixteen year old agility into
chair TO peep over her sisters shout.
der"
80, good graclousl" cried she drop
ing from her aerial perch with start
ling suddenness.
@HVhat is it ?" said Maud.
"It's Squire Dallas bred man."
gasred B.,rbara.
What ?" said Lisette.
I'll don't mind about the first Ia
ble," said Barbara, turning pink and
white, like York and Lancaster
rose; "Pd rather cat in the kitchen
with Phillis." And away she darted
like a scared young doe, before any
one could stop her.
$50 awayr' cried Barbara indig-
nantly.
She had cried till her eyeIashcswcre
all glitterIng and her cheeks stained
with tears, to say nothing OF the
crumpled state Of her sash ribbon and
white dress, and now she sat crouch
ed under the shadow OF the great
Towering almond bush, as il, she tain
would retreat utterly out OF the
world Of sight and hearing.
Captain Severn stood before her
with folded arms and questioning
Spanish eyes.
Il shall not go away said he, "un-
til You have pardoned me-"
"How can | ever pardon you,"
flashed Barbara. you have impos-
ed upon ne, you have practiced on
my creduli,y."
You asked me to help you gather
straw berries-and ! helped you"
"Tou al lowed me to suppose that
you were Squire Dallas hired man."
Il claimed no identity either one
way or the other" pleaded Captain
Severn. "Was trying to find my
way by short cut across the fields
TO your fathers house, and sat under
the oak tree to rest. And when you
call, d me / came like true knight
of old. Now if you can convict me
of'any otfense in all this, / stand
ready to abide the consequences"
"You never never will be able to
forgive me-" sobbed Barbara, again
retiring behind the end of her blue
sash.
Little Barbara" said Captain Sc
vern, falling upon his knees, as if it
were the most natural and convention
81 thing in the world, will you for
give me-"
And what could Barbara do but
say yes
Captain Severn insisted upon his
straw berry tart that evening, accord
ing to agreement. and he and Barba-
IA ate it together like two school
children, out on the lawn Willie Maud
yawned behinG book; aud Lisette
acllly wondered, what on earth
Captain Severn could find 10 amuse
him i'll the chatter OF a child like Bar
bara."
Aud when tie red leaves of late
October choked up the little stream
beside which they had gathered wild
strawberries, there was Il wedding at
the Wilde homestead, and the bride
was not Maud, the intellectual, nor
the lovely Lisette, but little Barbara
Oars no accounlin' for true love"
said old Phillis as she stirred the
wedding cake.