The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-08-10

UG0u QOWu lIOLA tuO CloJ ObS poSO ~ "
weeks, and had been making himself
quite plentiful about the squire's
walking, rowing and fishing with
Jenny almost every day, while he
was compelled to be at work in the
field. This was gall and NORWOOD
to poor Jacob, not because he minded
the work, but, inasmuch as his rival
was of clever address and polished
manner, he stood in great danger OF
being displaced in the affection OF
Jenny, by the facinating allurements
of the city top, and in consideration
of this impending calamity. Jacob
determined to press his suit upon the
very first opportunity.
Financially, Jake twas quite pre-
pared to enter into state of matri-
mony. His motto had always been,
work and win," and, in consequence
OF strictly adhering to this rule of
honesty, he had by diligence and in
dustry accumulated the sum of five
hundred dollars, earned by teaching
the village school winters and work
ing on the farm summers.
The possession Of this sum very
naturally elevated him in the opinion
of the country folks, who looked upon
him as capitalist, and of course he
was considered quite catch by the
matchmaking mammas of the dis
trict. >,o "a. .tt
Already he had begun to look
around in search of a suitable invest
mept Tor his money, and he decided
in favor Of little white cottage stu
ated in. the valley, over whose low,
matched roof the, woodbine and
morning glories grew in protusion.
This could be had tor the five hun
dred and the marriage portion which
Jenny would receive from her father,
would be sufficient to purchase a
small farm adjoining the cottage,
which would enable them TO com
mence life in quite comfortable cir
cumstances.
But, as has been before stated, the
great difficulty with Jacob was to
conquer his untoward bashfulness,
which he termed hereditary, and Sc
cure the wished>for promise in con,
sequence Of which falling he was
placed in quite a quandary.
"Whew, but it's hot !" and again
Jake threw down his hoe, ana com
menced hopping his face with the
red handkerchief.
II would give anything tor good
cool draught from the spring, and q
pocket tull of the squirrels best apples,
he soliloquized, glancing wisttully in
the direction of the orchard, bent
down with its load of ripe, red and
yellow fruit, land as the distance is
not far, believe I'll run over for a
few moments, anyhow" And with
this he started off, and having allayed
his thirst at the spring which dubbed
out below the orchard, he mounted
the fence and betook himself to the
tavorite family tree, whose huge
gnarled trunk supported leaty coro-
net of interlacing limbs and branches,
so dense as to preclude all possibility
of the SUMS rays penetrating through
them -..s
Into this delightful shade Jake
threw himself, and tor moment tor>
got his tolls and troubles. The sky
was SO light the grass SO green, the
luscious fruit and gay flowers SO fra.
grant that he could not help but feel
their benignant influence. The dull
dreaming of beetle and the hoarse
cawing of some crows in distant
cornfeld, mingled with the ripple Of
the water over the stones by the
roadside, lent enchantment to the
scene; and poor Jake could not help
but think how sweet lite must be to
those who have nothing to do but
while away their time in pleasant