River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-01-13

to get bonnet for Betsey, and | mean
/ to. Nov lest tell me If you would like
+ your mOthCr 10 wear one like this? Oh,
| beg your pardon, ma'am. | didn't
see" and he touched the sleeve Of her
black dress
'I-I-am sOrryl"
Tnc young girl brushed off Il tear
/ quickly as She said, II have no mother
now; but if you will trust me, sir, |
/ think this VIII suit"
/ She had food, hitherto, just out of
/ the range # John Dare's vision, and
! had not seen him at all. Something IN
the sound Of her voice attracted him,
perhaps, and when Uncle Abel called
Here. John Dare." he stepped hast
f ilv enough toward them. The girl
/ thrust the bonnet into Uncle Abels
/ hands and y ould have been out of sight
+ if her dress had not caught on one of
the branching stands and held her fast.
Amy and John Dare, with a hot
flush ON his face caught her hand and
so detained her amy Egbert, have |
found you at last?'
The girl's face grew white and red by
turns, and the words she spoke came
so low and broken that only John could
catch their meaning.
Uncle Abel pushed his spectacles up
on his forehead, still holding the hat in
his hand, licking open-mouthed from
one to the ether.
Il guess you must have knowed this
young woman afore, didn't your" he
said, hut John was too busy with eager
questions, and Amy was trembling and
I, L, +,,I l.,,ooi- In, ltr
and SO his question was unanswered.
Pretty Josie was dividing her attention
between Il new customer and the
| strange scene beside her. and between
anger and modification, she looked in
no need of help from rouge, as she
tossed her head and muttered various
uncourteous remarks in regard to that
Amy Egbert and her beau"
Uncle Abel held the hat while long
er quite patiently, but at last despaired
of the interview being ended, SO he
coughed and then said:
I'm take this bunnit Twenty dol
lars is good deal. Betsey's worth it,
amt She, John?'
John need not have stated SO, or
said very, which wasn't q sensible
answer ut all; but Uncle Abel laughed
a little to himself, and said softly, 'Oh,
boys will be boys and he was
obliged to tell Miss Egbert the direc-
ton over twice, too, and felt quite UNI
easy lest it should not arrive at his
hotel in time.
Outside the door John turned to
leave his uncle, and looked Us shy as
q As he said, Its all right, Uncle
Abel. You've found Il new bonnet,
and I've found an old friend.
Uncle Abel held his hand fast, and
looking moment without speaking, in
the young mans eyes, said: She's
mothcrless girl. John"
..Uncle Abel," and John turned an
grily away, OF would have done SO if
the OBTAINING hand had not held hi y
with grasp which sixty years had not
weakened Look here, my boy,
meant no offence. None of my blood
turn villains he added proudly;
"but YOU see she's young and purity and
forloln and may be if you see too
niue. of her, she might get to thinkin'
more of you than would be good for
her, md l. you amt in earnest | guess
it would break her heart. Shak
hands with your uncle, my boy, |
mean no harm: but | promised Liza
when she was on her dying bed that |
would allus try to give you good adj
vice. and the last words she spoke,
says she. Abel, watch over my
boy
My dear, kind uncle, thank you
indeed dO-fOr all your kindness, but
| cal not bear to think that you
should misiudge me. [ knew Amy
long ago, when her parents were both
living. and She had all that wealth
could give. | loved her then i'll
quiet way, but / was too poor to tell
her so. Then came reverses and
death, and in her poverty and pride the
girl hid herself from me until now.
She tried to earn her bread by her ac
complishn ents, but failed, and gladly
took this means to do so. Now, if can
win her for my wife, | shall bring Mrs.
John Dare to see you some fine day
this summer-may |, Uncle Abel"
So they parted and the passers-by
little dreamed of all that had been said.
.Wa'al, wa'all, if things don't turn
out queer soliloquized Uncle Abel,
homeward bound, with handbook
placed on the seat before him. ITO
think how near ] come to gettin' one
Of them gipsey's for Betsey. Why she
would have laughed a week about It.
And then 20 think that painted pictur
of a gal was making game ofme all that
while And the other one with her
gentle way. taking the trouble to tell a
stupid fellow like me what was the
right thing to buy. | guess she would
make our John good wife; and after
Betsey and me has passed away there
will be nee bit of property coming
to John, aad that will help him on"
How pleased Aunt Betsey was to be
sure, when the old man gave her the
new bonnet How fair and young she
looked in the fresh ribbons and soft
blonde around her facet And how she
laughed at the idea wearing zone of
them dish-covers ON her head"
Just when the country was its June
glory, John Dare brought his bride to
the farmhouse where he had spent so
many childish hours, and he led her to
all the old familiar spots, from the
i er in the brook to the grave by the
orchard But as long as a straw and
ribbon may endure to keep them both
in mind how John Dare found his wife,
they tell tue story of the time when
Uncle Abel bought Betsey's bonnet.