The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-12-16

Yoa srs ihs teFuseni 4 mg bie, Seth
SmuA. What undsr the sun, moon AID
stars are 700 forever roking alsout nay
Kitchen iof' znd ihe speaker. pleasant
faced serving voman, looked up irom ihs
pumpkin she vas sitting. with a. erpres-
sioa Of countsnRues which quite beliod The
severity q her words.
Yoa mean Miss carolius's hi.Rheu, said
Seth. with a grin. as be seated himself by
The Pima table. whieh lie had been hsArd
ts say Vas whittier and SIMMER than Deacon
Browns bald bead. and a considerable
more wholcsome-lookiDg
rather think you know. Huldah, Why
stick round in this ere wsy, be oontin'
iaesTr ard II yua seall ~ass we TO ten yoa
abe story over again. Tm p ready nov Is
five beeh any time these last twenty years.
oh, get out replied Huldah, making an
unnecessary racket with her sieve against
the side oi the milk pan. Throw an arm.
fni of wood into thai oven, II you want To
do something amt got no time TO listen
20 stories
Seth grinned again. and without stop.
lping to reply though his great mouth
was eloquent with words, which Huldah
might have seen. bad she looked al him,
we're only postponed arose and did as he
was bid Mechanically aud abssraetedly,
he threw piece after piece Of the dry, split
wood into the brick oven, until Huldah,
alarmed al the blaze which shot from its
month, thrust him quickly one side, and
with a long poker, separated the burning
mass.
Well, should like 10 know, Seth Smith,
she exclaimed, AS she finished, what YOU
thought you wor doing? Ask a man to
help you, and if he don't set the house
a-fre. faint his fault.
You're more scared than hurt, Huldah,
Seth replied, coolly What shall / do
now stir the pumpkin for you?
No, you won't do anything OF the sort,
. his companion answered. II there's one
thing hate above another. it's to have q
man iussin' about my cooking.
made my own pie last Thanksgiving,
said Seth with unintended pathos.
More shame for you, replied Huldah,
There wasn't anybody to blame but your
self il you did, for you knew that I'd a
come over and made EN- for You. All
wanted was an invitation.
Why, I've invited you 10 come and stay
hundreds Of times, said Seth, in the same
J pathetic manner.
Well, suppose you have, was the irritat-
ed response should like to know how
you think Miss Caroline would get along
without me? I've been in this kitchen a
good many years, Seth Smith, aud the
folks that I've served are oil gone now
'cept Miss Caroline. and wouldn't give
her the slip for hundred men, no, not for
q thousandl SO, you can put that in your
pipe and smoke it as quick as you're ~
mind to. Fs 2sFf&
That's the kind Of tobacco I've been
smoking ever since ] can remember, HUI
dah, said Seth, with a comical grin, but
in minor key for all that; butIve kinder
thought that mebbe what you wouldn do
for regiment, you might some time see
your way clear to do for the man you
know you love- Huldah, whenever you
may say and a#
Rake them Goals again, Seth broke in
Huldah, with ell-feigued interest in the
oven. AT this rate don't believe | shall
get any baking done to-day
tried lately. Seth began again, quite
ignoring the interruption, to try and put
down this feeling that there couldn't moth.
ing come on, but | might as well try to
make myself over into handsome man,
Huldah. AZ to stop thinking Of you
Well, there wor time Seth, said HUI.
dab, as she stirred the sugar and spice in
to tho golden pumpkin, and taking on a
more confidential tone, that wor willing
to own up was tempted.
When was that, Huldah? inquired Seth
with sigh, though his eyes we're dancing
with fun.
When you got home from the war and
bad to go on crutehes then for while,
cried Huldah Then it seemed to me it
wor my duty TO take care Of you; and re-
member well the day Id made up my
mind to say so. / was looking up the
road expecting 10 see you come hippity.
hopping down as you had been doing,
when lol and behold there You wor as fine
as fiddle, without any crutches at all,
and walking almost as spry as you do this
minute,
give 'em up before ] really ought to,
Hnldah, said Seth, because thought you
hated the sight Of EN-; aud now find
when il is too late, that they were my best
friends They're up IN the garret now,
and III get EN- ont il you say sol
Don't be fool said Huldah, With
snap. just wanted you TO get il into
that thick head Of yourn tha, if you had
needed me you'd have me in spite Of any.
body in the created world Stir ap them
Goals again.
Once more Seth did as he was told, and
as he raked the glowing embers, the door
opened. and Miss Caroline. the mistress Of
the great house aud sole helress of one Of
the richest estates in Massachusetts,
walked into the kitchen. She might have
been thirty and even more. but she looked
about twenty OF four with her fresh,
almos. childish complexion, light brown
hair, and beautiful gray eyea. with long.