The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-10-27

AAo young OOiupdniOA, =
them with a look of intense astonlsh'
ment.
Hiram began to grow red.
'Do you really mean TO say that
I've got something you'd rather have
than to have that squash 2" demanded
the old man, thinking that perhaps
his ears had deceived him.
Eyes, / do" said Hiram, shifting
uneasily from foot to foot
"Well, that beats Something that
you vally more than that squash !
What can it be /? Do you mean that
speckled rooster with the lame leg ?"
mo p
"Then you must mean that old yal-
Ter COW with the crumpled horn.
Well, my boy, / don't blame you for
taking shine to her, tor she's RELY
a tiptop animal. don't want to sell
her, and wouldn't sell her to any one
else; but seeing you've taken such a
liking to her, I don't know but what
I'd part with her to you, it we could
agree upon the price. Make me an
Offer"
at amt your COW that want,
Squire, it's your daughter" said Hi
ram, coming directly to the point.
MY daughter? What! Maggie ?"
Eyes, Maggie. I love her and
want her to be my wife. Can ! have
herr"
II can't spare Maggie, Hiram. She
be keerful, be keertul, you're step
ing on the vines-she helps me to
take care of the squash. She helps
me cover it up cold nights SO that the
frost won't nip it, and helps me keep
an eye out daytimes to see that no
cattle dom: break in and eat it up"
"But you're going 70 take it to the
tair in couple of weeks, and when
that is over you will, of course put it
in the cellar. You won't need Mag
gle then Can have her then ?"
Il shall need her through the win.
ter to make squash pies"
"Well, can have her in the
spring.
~ shall need her in the spring TO
help me plant squash seeds. That
will have the whoppnest seeds you
ever set eyes on, and from them next
season Pm going to raise squash as
much whoppiner than this as this is
whoppier than Deacon Sykes"
"Can have her ayear from now?"
81 shall need her,a year from now
I Just IS ssiuenn VI -
s.When can Y1aYe her?"
"Sometime, Hiram, sometime. But
don't be in a hurry. There's plenty
OF time. l can't spare Maggie yet
awhile"
Hiram felt that it wonld be useless
to press his suit further, and deter
mined to make Immediate tracks for
home. He bade the old man good
night, and refusing an invitation to
e.enter the house, took his departure.
"Confound the old tellowI" he soil,
loquized as he plodded along the
muddy road. "rd like to wiring his
old neck. He thinks more Of that
old squash than he does OF his daugh-
ter. l should think she would get
tired of hearing him talk SO much
about it. If I were iii her place ia
buy some Of that poison he was read
ing about to>night and sweeten his
coffee with it i vow | would
Didn't she look lovely tonight,
though? All, you may bet she did
Aud must wait million years for
her just to please her old donkey OF
a father? No, sir! She shall be mine
this very fall But how am | going
to get her ?-that's the question, l
must study up some plan"
He fell to thinking.
Presently he clapped his hands to-
gether and cried iubilanfly.:
~ have it Thatll bring him to
terms if anything will !! I'll dot this
very night How lucky it is that it's
so dark and rainy"
Early the next morning Hiram
went over to Squire Hapgood's. to
borrow a hoe, ignoring The fact that
he had no less than haK dozen OF
his own. He found the Squire in a
high state OF excitement. His squash
had been stolen!
Who had perpetrated the base
deed =? f.ta
The old man was confident that ii
was Deacon Sykes
"He has stolen it SO THAT his squash
can take the premium at the fair" nc
! explained.
"Well, perhaps you're right
Squire" said Hiram, sand then again
/ perhaps you're wrong. Itmay be he
| and IL nav no com nhndv else LIE