Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-03-18

the difficult sentence. w
" 1 think begin to understand" " said
Ghatley, in great surprise. "May lask
who it lisp"
"Its-its--down the roadp' answer
ed the Squire, choking considerably
over the words, and jerking his thumbs
over his shoulder in the direction Of the
widow Keene's.
''That's the way the wind blows, is
itP'' laughed Charley. /" I'm glad to
hear it. You couldn'J do better if you
hunted the world over" ..'
"Pm glad to hear you say so,N said
his father, much relieved. ~ felt sure
you'd like to have Lucy as-as a mem
Der Of the family"
~ haven the least objection to such
an arrangement" answered Charley,
with twinkle in his eyes.
"Thank the Lord that's over with, l."
said the Squire, drawing q long
breath, as Charley strolled off down
the path in the twilight. "That's a
sensible boy. wonder, now, that he
never took fancy to Lucy. / s'pose
folks Il say I'm an old fool, but | don't
care. She amt the first one that's mar
ried a man old enough to be her faith
err
While he sat there and thought the
matter over, Charley was telling Lucy
that his father had keener eyes than he
had given him credit for, and seemed
to understand perfectly well how mat
ters stood between them. What he
told her after that, is none of your busi-
ness, nor mine, though am quite sure
it had something TO do with Lucy's be-
ing zone of the family"
About four o'clock on Saturday after
noon, the Squire, in his best coat, and
with pail Of Strawberries on his arm,
knocked at Mrs. Keene's door.
"Geod afternoon" she said, open
ing the door to her visitor, He could
not help thinking that her face was
almost as fair as it had been twen-
ty-fye years ago, as she welcomed
him in.
"Here's some Strawberries" he
said, presenting his gatherings. ''Lucy
said the hens played mischief with
yours"
"I'm a thousand times obliged to
you," said the widow. " If I have any
thing that you'd like, 1 hope you'll say
So
The Squire wanted to say he'd like
her daughter, but concluded he wouldn't
just then. BY that timehe was in the
Who should he see there,
but Charley, holding worsted for Lucy
to wind, and seeming very much at
home.
ell didn't expect to see you here"
he stammered.
i" was fortunate enough to get an in
to tea, too,'' answered Charley.
q You kept it pretty sly; but l wasn't
to be cheated out of my share OF the
strawberry preserves" !"
Then Lucy and Charley tried hard to
look very demure, and failed, and
finally got to laughing. The Squire
felt his face growing uncomfortably
warm. #. M
"Just see what he brought us, f." said
the widow, displaying the berries. If
you'll hull some, Lucy, we'll have a
shortcake for tea, l remember you
used to be rather fond of shortcake, a
good many years ago." she said to the
Squire, and smiling till a dimple
showed itself in each cheek.
O. know what you're thinkin' Of, J"
responded he. THAT was little the
best shortcake ever came across,
and they both laughed over
the recollection Of some pleasant event
in by-gone years. Then Lucy and her
mother went to the kitchen, and the
Squire and his son were left together.
"I-I've spoken to her about being
one of the family, and she's wiling" i"
said Charley, with a little blush.
"WhatP' The Squire felt hot and
cold by turns. ell don't under
standr'
"You know what you said the other
night, when you told me you thought
of getting her mother for housekeep-
err explained Charley. ~ suppose
from that, that you understood Lucy
and intended to be married, some
time. We've talked it over and it's all
settlod.n
The'Squire was speechless, for the
space of a minute. What he thought
IN that length of time could not be con-
densed into q page of this paper. ~
hope You'll be happy" he managed to
say, very family, at last.
Just then the widow came in. "rve
got the cake baking" she said. " Lucy
said she'd hull the berries and set the
table, and sentm in to play lady. So
came"
Charley concluded he could hull
too, and slipped out into
5he kitchen. The Squire had made up
his mind again. If he couldn't have
Lucy he'd have her mother. Come to
think it allover, it was a great deal bet
5er that way. He wondered how he
could have been foolish enough to think
Of marrying q girl of twenty, and he
iftY.. Bidiculous! The widow talked
about this and that; but his mind
seemed to be wandering $50 much so,
5hat his replies were hardly appropri-
ate at times. " What's the use of
waitingP'' thought he. g 1t might as
we'll be settled now as any time. " A
happy thought came to him, as he cast
about for words to express his desire.
{ Hester" cried he, very suddenly, and
With the enerov of desperation, "YOu