The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-06-13

ne leaned pcnsively on tne pig pen
chewing q straw. ut won't hinder
much, w know Of, and just now | may
ketch her unaware. Wa'al. anyhow
can call, and if don't conclude to take
her, will go on and see Jones cow, SO
IL won't be wasting time"
| Half an hour later Farmer Lazier and
his green cotton umbrella might have
been seen vending their way along the
road.
"I'm e'namost mind not to stop to-
day." murmured Mr.. Lazier, as he
caught sight of the white cottage with
its porch covered with morning glories.
al don't know as am afraid to go in,
| don't know as be, he paused, wiped
his face with the prodigal son.
While he was deciding the question a
burst of song foated out through the
open window. 1t was an oldfashioned
hymn; the words were homely, the
tune commonplace; but the soul of the
woman who sang seemed to fill and
overflow both song and words. I'm
consciously the listener drew nearer;
before he knew it he had passed up the
little walk bordered with verbenas and
Glove pinks, and reached the dazzling
row of milk pans set to dry on the
porch.
"I'll ketch her unaware" repeated he
with triumphant chuckle. But alas
for his precautions! His green cotton
umbrella slipped out of his hand, and
with q crash worthy of one of Jove's
thunderbolts, knocked down the whole
row of pans. il...
"Why, Mr.. Lazier, how do you doGi
said Miss Kiddle, coming to the door
to send away Mr.. Jones dog, as she
supposed, and looking somewhat sur
prised 10 find the intruder ofa different
order.
"Yes, it is an uncommon dry SPELL"
remarked the visitor abstractedly.
The kitchen had not suspicion of
dirt anywhere, the dinner dishes appear
ed to have been washed ages ago, the
stove shone like starof the first mag
nitude, and Miss Kiddle herself wore
the most immaculate of calicos and
white collars. She was plain, but her
face was full of character aud goodness,
which even Mr.. Lazier could not help
feeling, and his small soul seemed to
shrink as lie looked at her, It'll it almost
ratified within him.
"What charming weather we are hav-
ing" said the hostess.
eyes, good for punkins," admitted
our utilitarian friend.
GLOW is your mother now?" asked
) Miss kcturah, trying to keep the all
versation ball rolling.
"She means business, sure enough -
thought the bachelor, with internal con-
sternation.
"Slc arn't so Young as she once
were,' he answered aloud; after which
remarkable announcement he relapsed
into silence. He was surmising what
Mr.. Riddle was worth when he died,
. and calculating how much at an inter-
, est of seven per cent. it would amount
to by this time.
Miss Keturah attempted to insert an.
other conversation wedge. "Mr. La.
zier," she began, care you calculating
l-Mr. Lazier gave guilty start--"are
you calculating TO raise many melons
this year?'
"No," said the farmer, looking much
relieved. "Melons are going 10 be d
rather slim crop this year, so far as
E know" .t
al have few vines, but they haven't
done much" pursued Miss Kiddle. 81
find 1t troublesome to get man to dc
my planting when il ought to be done
they are all 80 driven right in planting
time"
"There," thought Mr.. Lazier," feel
, ing in his pocket for the prodigal son
"she means that for hint-women arr
SO suspicious"
81 have let out my land on shares this
j year." went on the unconscious Ketu
rah. "Mr. Jones has taken the garden
D and have all the vegetables can use. ,
Our wary friend thought that il wa
D high time for an explanation.
81 was just going by to look at Mr.
j Jones cow, and thought would stoj
: in spell and see you too, and guess
, must be getting along now"
j "It is lucky none of the neighbour
! happened to be going by" he though
v as he walked out OF Miss Keturah'
D dooryard, ignorant that at that vcr,
u instant Cornelius Jones, Jr., was sweep
Y ing the horizon with spy glass frou
+ his fathers barn window. "Well, it i
plain to be seen that she is already (,
e jump at the chance" soliloquized Mr.
Lazier. 81 believe she would hav
e made me proposal herself if / ha,
Is stayed there five minutes longer. IT.
l. lucky got away as did, for shoul,
S. hate to tell her it was on account of he
e. looks. But it won't do, she is to
plain favored. 1t is hard on her, tho
g. it is evident that her mind is set on INC
Howsomever, don't know as am be
S holden to make such sacrifice of N
20 feelings"
'g He reached this conclusion and Mi
"a Jones' barnyard at the same time. Th
W only visible occupant was q bantaI
ol rooster, which crowed valiantly at Nj
~ Lazier's approach, to whose ovel
oe wrongh imagination he seemed to b
as saying "Ke-tu-rah!" The farmer thre'
>, stick at him, but adroitly dodging
!, he reiterated, "Ke-tu-rahp -
er "Pll Keturah you'll" exclaimed tl
10 irate bachelor, seizing a milking stoo
Us But barnyards furnish footing as treacl
erous as the polished floors of palace
ne and Mr.. Lazier found himself on h
H. knees in an emerald colored pool, viii
rooster, perched upon the gate triuu
~ phantly proclaimed, 'sKe-tu-rah 20 r.
Is There was q sort of smothered expl
-, sion somewhere over head i'm the bar
he but Hezekiah was too busy with b
own which were not
!, pious as his atiitude-to heed snyihir
as else.
ua 81 swami he calculated, which p
u" culiar expression might have been su
, gested By his aquatic adventure. 1
az was Fastening from the scene of
misfortune, but as he turned the corne
ms ran plump into Mr.. Jones, who Q
,,r claimed, "Hello, Lazierl-come to 8
III her, ehp Mr.. Lazier's intellect, nev
he over-robust, was becoming decided
1 ss, confused. He stammered, "Well, T.
ii Z, just come from-that is, I've been
,a see
m "Ke-tu-rahl" answered the banta
al helping him ont. Mr.. Lazier turn
tbe very red, and looked first al the mil
md ing stool and then at the splashes
ons his pants. .....
"Co-boss, co-boss, co.boss;" call
her Mr.. Jones, opening the gate that turn