The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-08-19
odd 1 FLIRT WITH HERR"

AS II ne feared the very light OF DAY!
joel Benton, in Wids-.Atclke.
odd FLIRT WITH HER!"
was engaged to Margaret Sheppard,
and thoug ht myself the luckiest man
living. Margaret was so handsome that
no stranger ever saw her without ex-
pressing admiration; and one did not
weary of her face after years of famil-
iarity with it. She was well-bred, &C
complished, and a great heiress. had
reason to believe that she was very fond
of me. No man could be more entirely
content than was as l leaned back in
the palace car that bore me over the
country TO New Valladolid. where was
to preach for few Sundays.
The pulpit was vacant, and I was just
trying my wings. With my pecuniary
prospects l scarcely thought l should
care to accept call to New Valladolid,
but l had no objection to filling its pull
pit for few weeks, especially as Mar
garet had gone to Saratoga, and New
York was warm and stuffy and stupid.
Casual remembrances of elegant par
sonages built in the Queen Ann style;
of study, where the footballs were
softened by Persian rugs, and the doors
draped with portieres of velvet; chairs
and a desk carved richly as some old
confessional, fitted through my mind.
And l thought also of table spread
with silver and rare china, with lady
at its head who rcsembled queen.
And breathed a luxurious sigh as I
awakened from my day-dream to a
knowledge that the words "New Valla-
dolid'' were being shouted through the
car, and that the train was coming to a
standstill before little pine station.
l caught my travelling bag from the
catchall overhead, and hurried out of
the car. The porters had just dumped
four or five trunks on the platform.
Two old wagons stood in the road, one
driven by an old woman in sun-bonnet,
the other by red-haired boy, with
bare feet; and queer, knock-kneed
horse, attached to still queerer old
buggy, was tied to a post at little
distance. A young man. in very light
summer suit, and a city family bent on
rural happiness, were my companions
on the platform. The former put his
trunk into the first wagon, kissed the
old woman in the sun-bonnet, took the
reins and drove away. He was evil
IDENTIFY the son of the family come home
to spend his vacation. The rest of the
trunks and the city family, mother,
father. little boy, nurse-maid and baby,
were put into the wagon driven by the
boy.
Some one cried, "All aboardr' Con.
ductors leaned out over the platforms
and made mysterious signals to each
other with hands held sideways. The
cars ratified and clashed, the whistle
shrieked, and the train moved away.
l was left alone on the platform
alone but for the baggage-master, who
sat upon a log chewing straw.
In moment more this functionarv,
without looking at me, made a re-
mark:
Deacon Glover has come down for
the new dominic. He's over to the
store. Co1hin' back in a minute"
Thank you," said {
The baggage-master took no notice
of me, but having climbed upon stool
and made some changes in time reg
lister on the wall of the station. locked
the door, put the key in his pocket,
and sauntered away down the sandy
road.
l took his place upon the log and
waited. In few moments prim lit
tie old gentleman in linen duster ap.
peared upon the top of the hill, carrying
in one hand a lin can, in the other a tin
pail, and under either arm a brown pa
per parcel. knew at a glance that it
was Deacon Glover.
THAT Mr.. Gannet?'' he inquired
mildly, as he approached. II want to
know! hadn't any expectation OF
being kept so long, but, you see, it
saves the women folks trouble to fetch
things over when l drive down. Step
in, won't you? I'll get in after. I'll
Jest hang this can of Kerosene lie on be-
hind. Some dislikes the smell-maybe
you do. The molasses, and tea, and
coffee can go under the scat as we'll as
not. How's your health, sir, and how
do you like New Valladolid?'
answered that my health was good,
and that had not, as yet, seen much OF
Valladolid the New.
"No more you haven'f' said the old
gentleman. swell, you'll drive
through it now" And he shook the
reins and the old horse began to STUN.
BILE along. And on we drove past Ger.
tain rows of frame houses very much
like each other and with the same flow
ers in their front gardens, until, having
passed the church, we came to one
happily set about by old oak trees, be-
fore the gate of which he drew up.
A girl stood at the gate--a fair girl
in blue muslin dress and white
apron.
"Take the molasses, lilly, before il
gets upset." said the deacon. "This
is Mr.. Cannot that's to preach for us.
Mr.. Cannot, this is my daughter Tilly.''
We bowed and she vanished with the
parcels.
"What lovely little creaturer'
said to myself. "Nothing like Marga
ret. but so prettyr' And I found my
self thinking of her as I washed my
hands and brushed my hair in the blue
walled bedroom on the second floor
with white fringed counterpanes and
curtains and two black silhouettes ovel
the mantel-piece, on either side of the
china vases of roses.
There were only four of us at table
the deacon, his wife, q stout LADY, who
never said more than she could helm.
and lilly. She had spent the last
winter in New York, and we talked
about all she had seen. She was self
possessed without being forward, and
oh, SO pretty so pretty! Now, Marga-
ret was splendid and queenly, SO this
was mild praise that she could not have
objected to. only / said it very often.
preached in the church on the morrow
/ preached on the next Sunday. twas
settled that should spend the summe,
there. 1 wrote this to Margaret:
''Since you cannot be with me It does moi
matter where am-this stupid place a we'll q
any other. Address TO tho care OF Deacon
Hesekial Glover. shall board with him while
stay"
It was . pleasant summer, dsspitl