St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1880-10-23

country home, laughing until the
tears ran down her rudy cheeks.
"Sueh comical young things"
she said as her husband entered the
house.
You are just as simple as they
be, Maria, and l wish to goodness
they were safe back in New York, :"
he replied, pettishly.
"Oh, dear me, sur? Ye forget
We was ever young yourself, Josiah.
Ii We couldn't laugh at little Rose
i'll that big bag dress and your big
boots you couldn't laugh at any
thing. And then Hattie. so tall and
grand Like in that old spotted gown,
Il foot toe short" and she began
giving way to mirth again at the
mere recollection.
'Laff away, Maria. The day of
Judgment is coming for all that,
and these trifiing things will al
have to be accounted for"
"Oh, go to pot with your day of
Judgment. You are the longest
faced Christian L ever saw. As for
me. l intend to enjoy this world
and get all the innocent pleasure l
can while / live, even if it's hun
dred years, anl when | die slsant
be any more afraid of the day of
Judgment than some other folks |
know on, as thinks long face /:
going to take them straight into
heaven"
With that parting shot she in
digaantly wiped her eyes with her
check apron and retu ned into the
great kitchen, preparing dainties for
the children of her brothers an | re-
menberlng the time when She,
Charley and Fred were of one
household-they 20 drift away to
great city, grow rich and marry far
above her station in life, while she
was left to plod il the old home
stead as the wife of Deacon Josiah
Stubbs.
Her heart was as warm and ten
der as when they were all children
under the same roof aud the annual
coming of the daughters # Charley
aud Fred to the old homestead, lad
become the JOY of her life, and
though her husband sighed and
groaned and was made miserable
by the laugbter-loxing set of mad
cap girls, he was obliged to remem-
Der that the place was once tue
home OF their fathers, and they were
50 be denied nothing III the power
of Aunt Maria to grant.
Meanwhile, the girls in their pic
turssque costumes went jolting
along the green tree shaded lane.
Never II jollier set of black
berriess !" exclaimed Sue, holding
up a pair of white-gloved hands.
Who would think these same ten
buttoned kids had mingled i'll grand
festivities at the opera bou e, and
actually been clasped by the ex-
quislte Theophilus Manly in the
German"
"And never a jollier dsxiing thar
good dear Amt Maria. Why, she's
not u day over SIXTEEN" laughed
May, adjusting her antiquated
''sha er."
BLESS your great beart," chimed
in Hattie, queen of the party, as she
spurred on old Nance to her best
efforts. But how she ever came
to marry that walking tombstone,
Josiah Stubbs, passeth my under
standing"
"Tuln to the left" interrupted
May, mimicing the nasal tones of
their uncle; "and keep up the road
a good bit till We come to Squire
Buttles' waterin' trough, and let
Nancy drink there; then turn to the
right inter sort o blind wood
road and you'll soon see the berry
patch"
FerbQt,m," laughed Rose "What
IL memory you have. cousin May.
But hope we shall not encounter
that nobby Squire Bnttles while
dame Nancy regales herself at the
trough"
"You haven't the least idea he
would recognize Aunt Maria's city
nieces in such rigs?" questioned
Sue
HE certainly would know the
horse"
well, for yoRr comfort, yonder
is the stately white mansion of the
Buttles family. and here is the
watering trough a good half mile
away; aud not sail in sight" said
Hattie, drawing rein.