St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1880-09-11
HOW COL. HAY GOT A WIFE
| am Kate.

NGuiUltS BStleI tlitti any ohC Suii
tell them for he. That stands to
nature. I'm not practical writer,
and don't know how to produce
what the fashionable authors call
grand en.etfects, but | believe
l can make you understand how it
was. And that is all that is neces-
sary.
Leeman had sprained his ankle,
that's my brother, and he conld not
go to town with the load of russet
apples that was already piled into
barrelsa nd stood waiting under the
big red shed.
Its too badl" said he. "Those
russet apples are worth deal at
this time of year, and we shall miss
the market to-day
Cant you ask Neighbor Hutton
to take them?' said my mother.
"Neighbor Hutton is deal too
sharp Il practitioner for me-" said
Leeman. Its hard thing to say
about q neighbor, but / can't trust
his honesty"
sAIr. Hall ?"
"Hall would be casting it up in
my face for the ntxt six months that
| had asked Il favor of him." said
Leeman. 'No, I'd rathe. lose the
apples than my independence. But
it Is too provoKing that | must needs
have slipped Oh that piece of orange
peel, how, of all times in the world.
l have been saving up these apples
all the winter with a special eye to
this particular market-day"
"Leeman," said l, IN 60"
"Nonsense.' - said Leeman.
''But why not?" said I. cold
Pomp is as gentle as kitten, and
L know every inch of the way"
But :here are the Red swamp
woods, that desolate stretch of three
miles, with never Il house on either
side of the way except the deserted
cabin where the old negro hanged
himself twenty years ago" argued
my mother.
"Who cares for the Red swamp
woods said /, valiantly. Il never
was afraid of frogs aud whip-poor-
wills, and [ am not going to begin
now. Lii, will you go out and help
me harness early in the morning,
and"
ooh, I wish l was going, too. Can't
I go, Kate?' cried Lii, my hoyden
young sister, with her blue eyes
glistening with delight at the idea
of anything unusual.
stuff cried [, imperiously. "Of
course you can't! Hasn't Pomp a
heavy load enough without your
ninety pounds of mischief loaded
on? Besides, You must stay at
home and take care of mother and
Leelnan, and finish the chlntz cur
tains for the big west chamber, for
Colonel Hay may come home at
I'LL liInc NV.
Colonel Hay was our city boarder
"a gentleman who had been recon-
mended by his physician to try the
fresh, pine-scented breezes of the
Shawaugeenta mountains, and
whom our rector had recommended
to the Icy Spring farm.
We were not rich, although
mother and Leeman had managed
the farm economical and well since
fathers death, and the weekly adj
dition to our income would be some
thing worth considering.
The idea of a city boarder was
very pleasant too, and ley Spring
farm was q very lovely spot, al
though we seldom allowed ourselves
to Lhink of that.
SO, after a little, l asked mother
and Leeman to consent, and the
next morning Lii and | were up long
before daybreak, harnessing old
Pomp and getting ready for the
days journey.
By the time the red. level light of
the rising sun touched old Pomp's
gray name with radiance, l was
driving through the Red swamp,
where the maple trees, from which
it took it's name, were all aglow
with crimson blossoms, and the
thrushes and robins called to one
another with fute-like notes.
Well, I managed splendidly. ]
knew where WAS going to when
| started. l soil the six barrels
to the man who kept the Park Hotel
for 81 apiece, and that's more than
Leeman himself anticipated.
BE careful you don't get robbed
now" said the man, as he watched