Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-11-21

anu InOIHCI OOullOl ldDly. MIs. AlOTIl-
sons days of activity were long
past. She had managed the farm
with great executive ability until rheu-
matism crippled and confined her to an
easy chair, and the farm had gone into
Kate's willing hands. Julia, who was
elder by nine years, had grown up and
married; but every summer saw her at
Bower Farm with her two children.
She found it both convenient and eco
nomical to pay her mother and sister a
long visit during the hot weather.
Kate's happy disposition made her a
general favorite in the neighborhood,
but in spite of much attention from the
sterner sex she was still single, which
Julia seemed to think disgrace to her
self and family. But Kate only laughed
at her arguments and snubbed Luke
Hartwell on every occasion, and was
deaf to the compliments of Squire Day,
who had singled her out as the one best
fitted to minister to the wants, and un-
dertake the education of his six auburn
headed olive branches. ~
The month of June was fast passing
away, and the roses were blooming more
luxuriantly than ever, and sending their
fragrance into the kitchen where Kate
was kneading bread, when Luke Hart
well came over the meadow with shamb-
ling gait, determined to try his fate, and
Twin or lose it ALL"
Kate's sleeves were rolled up to her
shoulders, and her arms were white with
flour, but she was not at all embarrassed
by Luke's appearance.
Good afternoon" she said, shaking
back the curls which were dropping over
her face, "willlyou stay out here, Luke,
or shall | call Julia to take you into the
parlorP It's none too cool out mere"
:" came to see you, Kate, and don't
mind the heat"
"Well, sit down and make yourself as
comfortable as you can. / am too busy
too talk, but | can listen well enough
But now Luke did not know how to
begin his tale of love. He had prepared
neat speech in his mind as he walked
over the meadow, but every vestige of
it had flown from his memory at the
first sight of Kate. He therefore twisted
his fingers backward and forward in an
awkward manner, moved his chair half
a dozen times, and coughed repeatedly
before he could summon courage to
speak.
"Kate,n he said at length, with kind
of choked gasp, I've been intending to
come over here for some time back"
" | believe you were here only yester-
day." replied Kate, coldly. "Oh, was
P" stammered Luke, "but I've come
for different purpose to-day"
You came to ask the address of that
man had to cut wheat for last year, |
believe"
" Yes, | wrote to him yesterday. But,
Kate, don't bluff me off so; I've come to
ask you to accept Bower Farm as your
own" and he blushed crimson as he
made what he thought neat speech.
" Very kind of you, Luke, Pm sure;
but it isn't yours yet, so l don't see how
| can accept it from YOU"
" see you won't understand me.
Kate; and I'd better be plain in my
speech. have had liking for you for
u good many years, and / believe I'd
make as good husband as you would
find in the county,"
Kate made no reply, and the droop-
ing curls concealed her laughing face.
Encouraged by her silence, Luke pro-
ceeded:
"You shall dress equal to any woman
round here, and I'll make you present
of that colt I'm breaking. You know |
amt poor, and you shall live as well as
anybody in these parts"
" IN sorry to disappoint you, Luke;
but | don't care to marry you. Please
don't begin to argue, for it would an
swer no purpose"
81 made sure you would have me,
Kate. But I'll wait, and try again after
a spell"
"No, it would be useless to try again" e"
interrupted Kate. "The fact is, Luke,
| am going to marry LAWYER" she
added, with pucker of her rosy lips at
Luke's unconcealed amazement at hear
ing the information.
"A lawyer" he exclaimed, "Well,
that does beat ALT And l never even
knew you were receiving 'tentions from
anybody but me and the squire. Is'pose
you wouldn't tell his name, KateP"
mo-" said Kate, You'll know it in
time"
Luke bade her "good afternoon and
went out, meeting Mrs. Bertram in the
garden.
81 took your advice" he said, stop
ping in the path, land asked her to
marry me; but she says she's going to
marry some lawyer" and without wait
ing for reply, walked rapidly away,
his heart sore with chagrin and disap-
pointment.
Julia went into the kitchen and
"spoke her mind" to Kate very freely.
To throw away q chance of keeping
Bower Farm in the family, was, in her
opinion, really criminal.
You are crazy, Kate. Haven't I
warned you over and over that you will
be left penniless, old and faded at
mothers deathp You will be an old
maid, no one will have you then, and
oh good heavens, what do you ex-
pect-"
81 expect my lawyer" coolly an
swered Kate, patting the smooth loaves
of bread in the pan.
"That is the craziest notion of all.
/ gave you credit for more common
sense, Kate, than to believe in such trash.
1t is really too ridiculous OF talk about. -
"Then don't talk about it." said Kate.
81 am not anxious to hear your elo g.
quent harane ues on my poor little
daisy's prophecy"
but you can't mean that you will
throw away good chances for the sake
of asilly notion"
i mean that I will wait for my law
YER" said Kate, still smiling.
How you cling to that idea! I've
no patience with you at all. If Luke
had been a lawyer, would you have
married himP Come, let's see how much
you really think of that idea"
" didn't say I'd have any lawyer
answered Kate. "Imean to choose my
lawyer. l pulled every leaf off the
daisy, and it left the last one lawyer
so lawyer it will be; and l mean to
wait for my lawyer until my lawyer
comes"
Horrors" cried Julia, "don't use
| that dntpcta h1n word auo;n o,,,