Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-07-03

cia, in the matter of hens, in that house.
t'They treat me with the silent contempt
I deserve" she said lightly. But sac
Ibribed Tom to help her manufacture asset
of coops, bribed him with promise that
Bessie should make him box Of. cookies.
to take away With him; for he had begun
his study of medicine, while Phil, who
thought the learned professions already
full, was looking nyain tor-something to
do in which to start himself in life.
"Poor fellow thought Marcia over and
over again, if he only could get some
thing to do, then the engagement could
be announced, and by-and-by they could
be married." 1t seemed as though She
herself would be easier when it was ali
over. But there was no prospect Of it,,
and Pills outlook was dark enough at
present. She meant to ask him, at some
favorable time, why he didn't 60 out to Col
orado, and, after he had made a. home
there, send for Bessie. She fancied that,
after all, the best thing for her would be
not to be obliged to witness their happi-
ness at last.
But when Marcia had emptied the bet
ter part of her hennery into the great
poultry show, she felt it necessary to go
and look after her interests there, and she
sold enough Of the common stock left at
home to pay the expenses of herself and|
Bessie in the city. Her mother burst in
to tears with the thought Of the vulgar;
pursuits Of her daughter; and they left
Emily first wiping her mothers eyes and
then making her an eggnogg from the
proceeds Of the vulgarity.
1t was fine thing, that show, as Mar
cia said, trusting Bessie could make out
what she said in the riot of the chanti-
cheers, each riyalling his unseen opponent.
"Just hear the rumpus those ROSTERS
keep up!'' she cried. And what with the
eackling of the geese, the quacking of
the ducks, the gobbling Of the turkeys,
the clatter Of the guinea-fowl, the cooling
Of the pigeons, and the screams Of the
peacocks, the rumpus mas that Of Pan
demonium itself. But, except fer the
unsightly coops it was rather beautiful
Pandemonium-th hugh Brahmas with
their fluff of snowy feathers like so many
arctic owls, the jet and shining Creve
ceurs, the silvcr-spangled Hamburgs
fine as silk-clad court ladies, the Cochlns
with the gloss Of dark green enamel on
the blackness Of their plumes, the superb
red Game, the crested, ruffed, and beard
ed Sultans, and the little Bantams more
important than the whole. Marcia felt
all the glory of connoisseur and the
wealth of a producer, as she moved
through the place, and recognized her
own, and listened to the clarion call about
her.
She found seat for Bessie at last, and
then went to see the secretary. "Phil
will be sure to be fere,' she said to her
self, $50 long as he knew Bess was COM
ing. He'll find her, and keep her from
being lonely" As she came back with
, radient face after a half hours interview,
she saw that her prophecy was fulfilled -
Phil was there sitting Bessie, their heads
close together, their backs toward her.
Meaning to be as merry as she could she
started to put her face close down be-
tween theirs in order to tell her news,
and so it came about that she heard Phil
saying, "Ah, il only had some sort of
business, so that could speak without
disgracing myself!''
*'Speak away, Phil,' answered Bessy,
putting Marcia in mind of Priscilla and
John Alden, in spite Of herself.
Then the little hen-wcmen drew back,
and waited half a minute before she
touched them ON the shoulders. "Come
with me, Phil,' she said; and led him
down to the lower corner of the hall, where,
the peacocks having rested from their
screaming, i: was tri1e less noisy than
any where else. "Iheard what you said,
PHIL" she contrived to say directly, "and
l have proposition to make to you.
'Sec here'-as he turned to her with
stare of utter amaZement in his handsome
eyes. "Look at this list Of premiums
I've taken twenty. And every one of
my birds are sold, some at ten and some
at fifteen dollars a pair, just as the secre
tary chose: What do you think Of that
for wealth." she cried, gayly. my re-
ceipts and my orders from this poultry
show will lie only little less than one
thousand dollars. Now, Phil-you'rc
listcning?-if you don't feel ashamed OF
it (and I'm sure you won't, if you really
want to marry dear Bessie), I propose to
sell out my hen business to you. You
can double it; you're man, and can do
twice as we'll as I could; and you can
have anyway, in spite of accidents, good
income of fifteen hundred or two thou
sand dollars a year, with everybody buy
ing your rare breeds and coming after
your choice eggs, you know. And you
can pay me in the course of your life, and
you can marry Bcss tomorrow"
Then there was silence a moment,
while she looked at the gorgeous illumi-
nation of the azure on the peacock's breast,
and feared that Phil would hear her
heart beating.
"Marcia,'' said he, presently, getting
hold Of her hand somehow, "you are GER
tainly the most ineffable little goose in
this hall. What in the world do you
suppose | want to marry Ress fnr2 It's
| Nth u,