The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-12


was nothing but hired man, so whether
ugly or comely what mattered it to her !
Old Sol, an infamed ball of heat, glowed
upon them savagely, and the perspiration
stood in beaded drops upon their faces as
they toiled on Mr.. Denver's hired man
making no better progress with his row ol
potatoes than Garnet with hers. The gir
glanced at him contemptuOusly.
''You don't succeed any better than |
"a girl. You are the greenest hand al
digging potatoes ever saw. Mr.. Denver
will not keep you long l know.
perhaps not, he said, in nonchalant
way. Il am a green hand at it, acknow,
ledge, but guess l can learn after a while,
See, miss, if l have not done my work
we'll"
"Oh, n.y." she exclaimed, vexatiously,
show stupid-how very stupid you are,
You have not got the potatoes half out OF
the hill and those you have got out are
well nigh chopped to pieces by the hoe.
You WELD that instrument as if it was
your intention to mutilate, to destroy.
You need dig no more y --re-.
"Well, leaning contentedly againstthe
hoe handle, and wiping the perspiratiou
off his forehead with the daintest of white
handkerchiefs, from which emanated the
perfume of violets, ''what next shall do2
Issue your commands, Miss-Miss-."
"Embers, young man, and an especial
| friend of your master, Mr. Denver. Well,
as You do not manage the hoe adroit
enough TO be anything but detrimental to
auntie's potatoes, you may as well take the
half-bushel basket, gather them up aud
put them ia the bags. They are peach
blows, and are sure to bring an excellent
price in the market Mr.
aYou may call me Bob, be said with
a comical grimaee. "Mr. Denver calls me
that.
"WelI, Bob, to work. Don't lag, and
when noon comes you may share my lunch
with me under the apple tree.
Quite an inducement. A feeling Of lu-
dierousness came over him, and be fairly
shook with laughter. Was he laughing at
her? Garnet drew herself up proudly,
spark of fire in her big, dark eyes.
"W hat makes you laugh 50 immoder-
ately, Bob ? 1t is not polite Of you, and
| shall certainly report your ill-behavior to
Mr. Denver -
"Pray don't, Miss Embers, with an af-
feeted humility II couldn't help it; in
deed / couldn't If yOn had seen that
iIl-favored hop toad leap over that potato,
you laugh, too. 1t was so funny. The
toad was so small, whereas the potato had
grown to an enormous size-a regular
whopperl Lock Miss Embers, there
goes the fellow now under that struggling
vine
"Humpr was all the answer she voueh-
safcd him as she went on with her dig
giug, but she doubted the existence Of the
toad and believed he was making fun Of
her.
The minutes crept up, II O'Clock came,
aud Bob was waxing savsgely hungry.
As he emptied the fourth basket Of po,a-
toes, be said
at is noon, now, Miss EmbcTs, I'm
sure. See Old Sol is directly over US,
Come, LET US have our lunch under the
apple tree. I'm hungry as a eanaibal.
II, too, acknowledged Garnet "Get
that parcel yOnder, Bob, aud don't you
squeeze it, else you'll crush the cranberry
tarls in il Aunt Sarah made them, and
she is famous pastry cook.
Cranberry tsrts p his mouth beginn-
ing to water aYou bet III bold il light
-ly. / am especially fond Of them. Bat
what delieaeies does the luncheon contain,
Miss Embers, prepared BY your hands ?
Not any, Bob, with something that
sounded like sigh II am no better cook
than dressniaker. We have both missed
our vocation. / worked two years ia
Madame Browns establishment, eudeav-
oring to learn how TO cut and make dress
es, but failed ignomiDiously was therefore
sent home minus recommendation. So
Ii viii be with you, Bob. Although s
thoroughly good man, Mr.. Denver is
very exaeting one, and ifyour work to-day
is a specimen Of what you can do, he viii
not keep you in his service longer than
what is absolutely necessary, What up
hill work life is for the poor Daar me! |
wonder what am good for, anyhow"
'sGood to look az, he mattered, under
the breath, wishing that she would toss of
the sunbonnet that almost concealed her
face. Then aloud, "Good to digpOtatoes,
suppose.
At which both laughed heartily, aud
together they Wended their way TO the
apple tree, weighed down with golden
fruit, at whose foot they were to partake
of their lunch. A musical streamlet
threads its way over pebbly bed, wash
ing the roots Of the apple tree as it ran
merrily on. Here on the grass in sound
Of its babbling voice they seated them
selves and prepared to partake Of the re-
past which Garnet began to spread daiStily
out on a newspaper, first throwing of the
offending sunbonnet, which motion caused
the red-brown hair TO tumble about her
face, making picture at which Titan
would have rayed.
aBy jupiter" calculated Bob, ''she is
even prettier than | imagined. She is a
perfect witch"
He had dofFed his sombrero, aud his
picturesque, Moorish face, illumined by
darkly splendid eyes, Garnet thought the
handsomest 10 the world.
eIf he we're not hired mani she
mused, ''or even had ever so small an in
come, believe / could love him As it
is, it is simply ridiculous. l will sound
him to see if he is as intellectual as he
looks"
She did so, and they fell into converse
tion so agreeable to both that time passed
away unheeded. A mans voice aroused
them. 1t was Mr. Denyer's.
"Heigh-hop' he cried, in a hearty tone,
''having picnic on a small scale Plaguy
mean of Miss Garnet, not to extend an
invitation to your nearest neighbor. When
did you arrive y
"Last night, And Mr.. Denver" as
they shook hands, l took the liberty of
soliciting help from your hired man in
digging few bushels of potatoes to take
to market.
"Ha, ha, ha !" The good mans laugh
rang out loud and clear. "Did you really
take him for hired man ? Why, this is
my guest, Mr. Lincoln-the gentleman
who owns the mortgage on your aunt's
place. He, to use an expression in vogue,
is fairly rolling inriches. Ha, ha, ha, ha /!
my hired man Miss Embers, Mr.. Lin