The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-02-15
"what did he ssyY" demanded Lutte,

talking in his room about you. Dick
said he didn't care how much you
whistled; whatever you did seemed pref
| ty to him. I'd be ashamed to have any
fellow as spooney about me as Dick
| Spur Is about you, Lutte"
81 don't care if you would. What
did Cousin Reuben say?"
"Oh, he said he thought it was un-
lady-like, ill-bred, and all that sort of
thing. He said lots about it. I'll be
bound you will never whistle before him
again, Miss Lutte"
"I'll be bound 1 do" cried Lutte,
flushing holly. 81 don't care two figs
what he thinks. I'll begin whistling
the minute / see him, and never stop
till he goes away. There!"
"Will you whistle at meals, too?" in
quired Ben, charmed at having put his
sister in rage. How will you man
age about eating"
81 wish to goodness, grandpa" she
continued, not noticing Ben's reply,
you'd never taken him to board with
u.s."
| "Why, child, he had to board some
where; young man like him couldn't
keep house. OF course couldn't let my
nephew's son board anywhere else. /
did want him to live here without pay
ing any board" pursued grandpa, in his
slow, reflective way, "but he wouldn't
hear to it,"
"Pd rather have q Hottentot in the
house than a doctor. Somebody is al
ways calling him up in the middle of
the night and waking the whole house"
"Lute Farra you know that is fib,"
said Ben, impressively. "Cousin Reu-
ben has not been called out twice in the
night since he's been here. What if you
do get walked up? Can't you go to sleep
againT
az never could bear DOCTORS" said
Lutte, snappishly.
cit is the finest profession OH earth"
retorted Ben. "You don't know what
you do like"
81 like merchants"
"Heaven deliver me from a counter
hopper" said Ben, piously. "Before I'd
gain my living by skipping round store
with yardstick in my hand, Pd-Pd
dance the tight rope" Ben seemed to
think he was uttering heroic sentiment,
and put on his most virtuous look. 81
bet l know what you like merchants
for"
Lute's only response was to purse up
her lips and elevate her chin.
It's because Dick Spurs in a store.
What you can see to like in that little
whipper snapper is mystery to me.
His beard amt one-tenth as long as
Cousin Reuben's." Ben valued men &C
cording to the abundance of their
boards.
"Yonder comes Reuben, now," said
grandpa, looking up from his paper.
"And your everlasting Dick Spur
up my board here at once. II would be
more decent than spending half his time
here free gratis for nothing"
The two gentlemen came up to the
steps as the candid Benjamin finished his
remark. Cousin Reuben was tall and
reserved looking. Mr.. Spur was small
and laxative. Both were moderately
good-looking.
"Good evening, Miss Lutte; good
evening, Mr.. Farra," cried Mr. Spur, in
his sprightliest manner. "How are you,
Ben? How is your cold, Miss Lutie?'
ooh, my cold don't amount to any
thing" said Miss Lutte, smiling in his
face, and making room for him on the
seat beside her. You all make a noun
tain out of a molehill. You are deter
mined to have me an invalid"
cts because we love you so much,
said Mr.. Spur, in tender undertone,
and pulling his moustache with senti-
mental air. Mr.. Spur was much given
to tugging at his moustache, which was
weak and whitish-looking. Ben said he
pulled it to make it grow fast; but so far
his efforts had not been crowned with
success.
Lutie's only reply was another dam
gerous smile.
Cousin Reuben, who had seated him
self off at some distance, now looked up
and said, gravely:
You have very bad cold. You are
quite hoarse this evening. You must let
me mix you some medicine before you
go to bed"
"Thanks; no." returned Lutte, coolly.
/ prefer bad cold-to something
worse" oi
You needn't fear my giving you dis
agreeable medicine" he said, smiling.
Il wasn't alluding to any bad taste in
: your medicine; was thinking of the eff
fects of it; it might make me worse off
than am now," she said, looking studi-
ously away from him, and whistling
little under her breath.
He looked at her in surprise as he
caught the sting of her remark, and his
, dark face Redeemed; but he answered
quietly, "You will do as you please; /
J press my services on no one"
Grandpa had fallen into one of his
reveries, and had heard nothing that
passed. Mr.. Spur was too well bred to
show any surprise at this little passage of
arms; but Ben wasn't. He stared at
his sister for while in markedly as
tonished and indignant manner, and then
said, in good strong English, Lutte,
you're brute, and deserve a good whip
ping" With that young Master Farra
went his way in disgust.
"Ahem! it's a very delightful even
ing" observed Mr.. Spur, anxious to
change the subject, and saying the first
thing that popped into his head. "Do
you like the spring, Miss Lutie?"
do - rasnon1o1 Mieo utia toEipo