The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-11-20
THE DAISY'S PROPHECY.


thief, doctor, lawyer-there Julia, my
fate is at last decided. Three times the
daisy has said am to marry a lawyer {;
so let me hear no more about Luke
Hartwell's well-stocked farm; or the
significance ofSquire Days glances into
our pew at church !" and Kate Morrison
looked up into her elder sisters face
and laughed merrily. Julia's annoyed
expression was very amusing to her.
"You are so foolish, Kate" said Mrs.
Bertram in q tone of vexation. mot a
day passes that you do not get some new
freak into your head; and you are as per-
sistent and stubborn in clinging to it as
as"
"A mule" said Kate. as her sister
hesitated for comparison. Don't BE-
afraid of hurting my feelings, Julia /;
you know | am hardened to seedlings.
and willing to confess that do cling to
an idea with tolerable firmness. But
always did believe in telling fortunes
by the June daisies, and l am morally
certain that I shall marry lawyer. ]
shall wait for him if am as gray as a
badger when he comes along" and
again Kate laughed. tossing her long
curIs with determined motion of her
small head.
II don't know where you ever OBJ
tanned such notions, Kate" said Julia,
whose fair brow was still drawn with
its vexed expression. ~ am sure
mother has taken the same pains il
your bringing up as she did in mine,
and tried to instill into your mind cor
rect ideas of woman's duty. And yet,
here you are twenty-three unmarried
and unsettled. Why, was engaged to
Charles when l was only nineteen and
married at twenty"
But then you had such n good offer,
Julia; There are not many men like
Charles"
The wife's face wore serene express
sion again. as her isister paid this
tribute to the manly excellence of the
absent husband.
But you seem so hard to suit, Kate"
she argued; 81 am sure Luke Hartwell
is very fine young man; do be a little
civil to him; and there's Squire Day,
who is as rich as a prince and owns the
finest span of horses in the county,"
1::wouldn't marry man for the sake
of his horses" said Kate, setting her
lips firmly together.
But you would learn to love him
for himself after time, Kate"
I'm afraid it would be very long
time, Julia. The old scarecrow wears
false teeth, red wig, and has six cross
red-headed, uninteresting children. /
know couldn't do my duty to them"
But suppose mother should die.
Kate? Luke Hartwell will have the
farm at once, and you will be left pen
nileSs."
u will teach the district school when
that happens, " said Kate, cheerily. "The
squire is one of the trustees, and he
hot q 4 Io
least bit pleasant to him."
flushed with anger. $50 your own
way. The doctor said last week that
mother was breaking up very fast in
deed, and you will feel sorry for your
obstinacy when you see Luke Hartwell
in possession of this place."
"Oh, my lawyer will come along be-
fore that evil day comes" said Kate.
1t is of no use to croak yourself hoarse,
Julia. The daisy has spoken, and
have faith in its prophecy. / felt sure l
was not doomed to be the wife of Luke
Hartwell, or the second Mrs. Day."
The sisters had now crossed the mea-
dow. where the lit e. daisy had been
ound by Kate, and were within the
sweet old garden of Bower Farm. Julia
went at once into the house, but Kate
stood under an old, gnarled apple tree,
and looked around her. Was this dear
old place with its wealth of fruit and
flowers to pass away from them, and be-
come the property of Luke Hartwell? II
seemed hard that at the mothers death
it should not become the property of beI
daughters. The cottage was half-smoth-
cred in creeping roses, white and red
sweet honeysuckle and passion flowers
Three old oak trees mounted guard il
front, and at the hack stretched out the
old orchard, in which Julia and Kate
had played in childhood. The commo.
dious barn. the airy stable and the grass
grown farmyard were all dear to Kate's
heart from long association with her life
The farm had belonged to Mr.. Andrew
Hartwell, an uncle of Luke's HI
had loved Mary Penrose, but she haC
given her heart and hand to Arthur
Morrison, who had led her sad life fol
twelve years and, dying, left her penni
less. Andrew Hartwell had not mar
ried. He had remained an old bachelor
for the sake of his early love, and wher
he found that she had been left forlorr
and poor, with two little daughters, The
younger only year old, he installed hel
at once on Bower Farm, and at his deati
left it to her for life; then it was to re
vert to Luke, Andrews brothers child
This decree was only Just; yet it seemed
z hard to Kate, who had lived here
twenty-five years and loved every stict
and stone on the place. She it was who
managed the dairy and poultry-yard