Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-01-19
On the Veranda.

| ing OF ner country resort, lot tne sutD'
mer boarders lived there. The house
might have been a very pleasant one
when it vas opened but in the summer
time 1t was virtually closed, because o.
the flies. and heat. and dust, and sun
Mrs. Fries said. ln the morning the
bed in the boarders' room was NIGEL,
made-too nicely for a considerate per
son 10 disturb-the furniture all dus-
ted, and put back against the wall, an(
the furniture was solid mahogany; th,
blinds were shut, and indeed The WIN
dows too, and coming in OUT Of the sun
light one had to grope ones way al
over the hsuse. so Miss Helheringtor
went out upon the veranda immedatel'
after breakfast. and remained there, j
she remained near the honse at all, Ill
bedtime.
Just now it was delightful. She hat
Just left the breakfast table, but BY tht
little watch that hung from her Qrdlt
it was already nine o'clock. and the lit
tie watch kept excellent time. AL
through the meal there had been =
pleasant clickety music from the
neighboriDg neld. John had told Mis-:
IletherIngton the night before that he
would about reach the middle of the
field with his moving machine when
she left the breakfast table the mex
morning and sure enough there he vas
What Hercules was this young farmer
Fries and a haud-ome. stalwart fellow
and fine. frank, excellent nature, and
gentleman wiIhal. The Frieses had
always sent their sons to a sort of
college for few years, to polish them
up; then. if they chose to 20 on with a
profession, the money was found for It,.
In tact, sever Il Of Johns cousins we're
students OF divinity, of medicine, OF Law;
but John chose to be farmer, OF hi
own free-will, bis mother said. She
was aice. quaint, wholesome littl,
woman, whom Miss Hetherington liked
very much, and Mrs. Fries seemed to
return this affection, until John,
But that WAS a matter of course.
| Celia va sans Dire Miss Hetheriugton
ssid. aud felt sorry that these little
hobbies Of mother. always interfered
with their happiness. She felt sorry.
but not sufficiently SO TO let it interfere
with her own. She had begun by liking
Mrs. Fries better than her son. She
amused her. and interested her the
old lady had all that native ingenuity,
vigor. simplicity and honesty of ex
preston which the few years OF college
bad cured for John. But Of late MIS-
Fries bad been very busy. It wat
hayiug-timc. aud she weLt to bed early
Mrs. Fries did; not Miss Hetheringsor
who disliked going TO bed more thar
ANYTHING in the world, unless it Nigh
be getting cut OF he'd after she bad once
gone 10 it. As for John, he liked The
moon. But there he was, quite in the
middle OF The field, "a he bad sworn l6
be. The veranda laced the road, run
ming the whole length OF the house
Some fine old horse-chestnuts shaded
the lawn, which extended down doser
rods or 80 10 the road; then across the
fence was the field of hay where John
was moving.
Miss Hetherington put up her glass
Her sight was tolerably good by moor
or gas light, but deficient in the Earish
light of day. Without her glass J"hr
and the mower looked onei she couldn' 7
tell where John began and the mowe
ended. Miss Hetherington put mp hel
glass, and just then the verands made
pleasant picture. A few vines hat
been trimmed with due regard 10 ligh
and shade, but the most OF them hat
been left to their own sweet will, jus
az the farming had been lett to John
and there is always something delight
ful ia the attributes Of an uhfettere'
will. Humming. birds and bees, darn
Iing-needles and butterflies, and al
sorts of winged things darted in an
out of the blossoms. and a gorgeou
spider hung midway in magnincen
palace made in q single night. Tb
SPIDER wore black AID yellow, the fash
iopable colors, and 30 did Miss Hether
ngton, who was not only handsom
creature, but she had q great respec
for the accessories OF beanty. LII
spider paused IN the construction oi b'
!, ualace to look at her, and 80 did John
!. An at once the music Of the move
, |, ceased, aud lhe fne 6gure at the helm
c or whatever the governing power
\ called. took Of i.s " wide-brimtned strs'
hat and waved it ia the sweet summs
air aud Mise Hc'beringion. not 70 b
J outdone. took from her belt = it'll
,rife of lace and linen aud also wave
lat. Aud heaven knows how long IN
little pautomime might have gone on
Miss Hetberipglou, had mot heard Dc
hind her a peculiar cough; il was a
apologize coush--a cough that oegge
70 be excused isr insrudiog-and II cam
from Mrs. Fries, Who WAS also lookln
| at Miss He:heriDgton. bat nos hk