The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-10-08


dusky chapel crying passionately over
some modification, and as passlonately
determined to endure IL without asking
her father to do any thing more for her,
he undertook TO console her. Heleaned
against the window while Julia dried
her eyes, and delivering himself of his
own and his fathers opinion, declared.
"It's a shame your father hasn't any
idea of the decencies of life, Julia ~
1t was the clan call. Julia straighten-
ed herself.
" said 1 was silly enough to Cry be-
cause Nora Dickinson had no better
breeding than to laugh atmy everlasting
calico, and didn't mean to ask father
for any thing more. But / didn't dis
pute my fathers judgment in putting
me in calico, did l p'
We'll, you know he is stingy, !" urged
Charley, uneasily, finding herself in the
predicament of having his sympathies
thrown back on his hands.
"Well, I'm thankful he hasn't the
faults of some other people," retorted
the Asher.
don't think my fathers perfect"
proceeded Charles and must say,
don't see why the two families have to
biker always"
And returning to the subject at in
tervals, the young man eventually found
out that two members, at least, of the
rival families, need never differ any
more. They grew to be quite of one
mind. They consulted frequently on
hard questions in mechanics they had
something to say on the languages
and perhaps in u language-to each
other. The affair grew right up before
the Pettibone girls-before they could
believe their eyes, they wrote home to
their father, and by that time vacation
had come.
Pettibone had threshers at his home
on that hot day when the letter came,
stating explicitly that Charley owned
to being engaged to " that Asher girl. +"
One of his men brought the mail, and
the rotund farmer read this bit of news
after delightful dinner, which in no.
wise Modified him. Threshing at Pet
tibone's was not labor to disturb the
flow of animal life. There was an
abundant table, and the usual army of
laborers; but cook and her assistant
shared the trials with Mrs. Pettibone,
whose only desire was to get through
with this necessity of farm-life, and
have the house in order before the girls
came home-the girls who were going
East with a party of schoolmates for q
few weeks, to return and flood the place
with company until September. Her
overwork was different kind from Mrs.
Asher's, and perhaps carried more
pleasure with it, but was overwork all
the same.
"It'll be very easy matter to settle
Charles" Pettibone was angry, but in
a lofty and benevolent way, which be-
came man of his avoirdupois and in
fluence. He would just meet Charles at
the deport and have talk with him
there would be a good opportunity, for
the girls were not coming home, and
they would have the carriage to them
selves. Charles was the eldest, and his
pride. He would send the young man
East for time, until he overcame his
fancy. He didn't know, though, but it
would be better to let the boy see that
Asher girl at home; that would cure
him Pettibone left his threshers to
attend to their business, and drove slow
ly toward the station to meet the train.
1t was very hot day; he was inclined
to get along slowly, and as he passed the
lane leading up to Asher's, it occurred to
him to go in and have word with Job.
If Jobs girl had any design on Charles,
he would have it out with Job him self.
Asher's men had gotten reluctantly
up to resume their labors, and he was
perspiring with an inward fire of haste
as great as the outward heat of the sun.
Job Asher was lean, brown, sharp
eyed man, and Pettibone looked at him
with all his old dislike intensified. Mrs.
Asher, hearing carriage wheels, came to
the door and looked out eagerly; the
eagerness died out of her face, and she
shrunk back, hiding her soiled apron,
as she saw her neighbor. She thought
Julia had come from the train. Her
husband had no time to go after tn
child to-day. He said some of the
neighbors could bring her over, and he
would get her trunk home some time
when he went to town with grain. He