The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-08-21

be, she sMoo!hal her hair and went
! down stairs.
The parlor door stood halt open,
aad eha advanced "a far ~ the thresh.
| old. but no further. for to her Infinite
, Amusement she SAW. seated Ou the
sofa ia easy conversation With her
mother. the young man whom she
had left two hours previously by the
stone wall ia tho clover. tleld.
Katie. this is Mr.. Arle." said Mrs.
petWent; ''snd he has been 90 kind
as to offer to let US keep the farm ct
q small rent. Come and thank him. I"
But Katie did not stir 10 obedience
to her nOther's command. She gsz.
ed at Mr.. Arle 4 moment ~ u petri-
fed with anla2ement. and then turn.
ing, fed, slamming the door behiud
her. sr
"Forgiye her rudeness, Mr.. Arle. +"
mutmured the proper Hannah. "8he
10 only child, and does not know
how to bohave."
George Arle smiled. but said moth.
Ing, understanding better than Han.
! NAH Katie's strange conduct.
Katie was standing under the ap-
pie tree by the gate in the front gar.
den when George Arle came out Of
the house and she waited for him.
"Forglve me, she said, a. he came
close to her. II did not know. I
thought you were really"
"The squire's hired man." he 10.
terrupted. "Y0u zee that, az you
said, appearance are deceitful some.
times. / borrowed that old suit from
Bob Davis. and ! went to the hay.
field for a frolic: but I found It less
fun to toss hay than I had anticipa-
ted, 90 / went under that old tree to
lie down. / came yesterday TO the
squire's to spend a few days with
Bob"
"What must you have thought Of
me?" Katie faltered. II gave you
advice and said"
.That you hated Mr.. Arle. Oh. I
don't bear you any grudge. I am
very glad you did not know to whom
you were speaking, for, had you
known. I should not probably have
learned what my agent Vas about. !
did not even know that the mortgage
was due; or, IL he told me Of II, ! had
forgotten It. But it is all right now,
and there is no reason whatever that
you should marry the squire" With
. merry laugh.
Then he went away, and left Katie,
with q radient face and q very light
heart, standing by the gate.
When the squire came the next day
for his answer, he received It from
Katie herself, and It was very deci.
dedly In the negative.
Disappointed and chaRrined, the
elderly lover went home to pour the
story at his sorrows into the ears Of
tlla guest, George Arle. who sincere
" advised him to transfer his afec-
lions from the childish Katie to the
practical Hannah, who was IN every
way fitted to rule his house with
judgment and economy.
The sources thoughts were driven
into a new channel. and he was not
slow to see the soundnees OF the I'd.
Vice offered him.
The result was that three months
had scarcely elapsed before Hannah
was installed mistress Of the Davis
household, she hatlng no scruples on
the score Of her admirers advanced
years. FAX, .s-4 .syss. :
The three months had not proved
uueventful to Katie. who received
calls from George Arle Whenever he
could spare q day from his business
In tho city. Standing together one
evening In late October under the old
apple tree by tho gate, the young
man suddenly took 10 bits both the
small brown hands Of his blushing
companion. :.
Katie" he sald, trying to look
into the blue eyes which were per'
siatently averted, tell me, dearest,
do still hate Mir. Arle 2" -, ia e.,-
There Waa no answer. and George
raised With one hand the dimpled
chin until he could at last go Into
tho shy blue eyes. What answer 70
this question be read there, be could
best tell; but It must have been tho
Que he wanted, for soon after there
was q quiet wedding 10 the Village
church where Katie had Worshiped
since her childhood, and the blush.
ing girl became the vile OF him she
had once mistaken for tho sQulce's
hired man. She thought Il 4 blessed
mistake now. Len.
Before they left the village George
Arle placed In biz brides hands Q
deed Of the old farm. with tho 70.
mark: ...a .sl :. r....e !.
"Give it to your mother. Katie. II
viii be q gift which cannot fell 70 70
mind her pleasantly Of tho little girl
who persuaded the squire's hired
man to help her chase tho rooster,
and In 90 doing sealed her tate TOR
ever. That old gray rooster little
knew how be would help 10 to Q life
together by RAINING tato that clover
field -hless him."