The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-03-11

r
day, leaving my maid to pack my ward
robe and follow. And determined that
this summer | would try pastures entire
ly new. Aunte had often told me of
the pleasant, old-fashioned farmhouse
which she discovered years ago, and |
coaxed mamma-promising to take Char
ley, our youngest, who is the 'worrit' of
her life, with me-to let me spend three
of my four out of the-city months here.
And, Lottc, | have never been as happy
before, and am firmly convinced that
here | have found the kind of life that
would suit me best. was born to love
cows and chickens, to make butter, to
build pyramids of cabbages."
"You! laughed her friend. 81 think
| see you in the dairy, in neat cambria
dress, with sleeves rolled up to the el
bows, stamping the pats Of butter with
monogram-for that's as near MS you'd
ever come to churning and in the hen
merry scattering corn to the chickens from
dainty white apron, curiously shap-
ed rustic hat meanwhile shading your
rose-and-crcam complexion from the sun.
You bourn to love cows and chckens!-
You who have rcigned a city bell for
four long years."
"And for three been the most ready
to abdicate. BY the by"--with assum-
ed carelessness- shave you seen the
young farmer, the only child of our host
and hostess p
"Certainly not;' and Miss Mayel CLAN
ces at her watch. 81 only arrived two
hours ago, and have seen no one but
you and your aunt. But can see him
IN my minds eyc--tall, ungainly, and
speaks through his nose; eats with his
fork; says 'llows and stares at you as
though you were being from another
i sphere"
"Your minds eye needs an eye glass,
Miss Mayell. It's vision is weak. Tall,
broad shouldered and calmly, if l may
use the word as mean it, | saw him
tossing hay today, and he looked like
an Apollo who had exchanged his Tyre
for pitchiork, ,and profted bo the change
And his table manners are as exquisite
as your own, Miss Mayell; and he has a
deep, full voice, and does not say How
Jet alone stared at me. | have an idea
that he regards girls of our ilk with a
quiet scorn, ana thinks of us, he thinks
of us at all, as hot-house flowers not tc
be compared with the daisies growing
wild in the meadows.
GLOW long have you been here
Isabel?"
six weeks
"Quite long enough, think. YOU'D
better 90 away. You are regarding
this young farmer, who never looks al
you-I don't believe that, however
too sentimentally. You might come tc
believe that'you had fallen in.love will
him"
"And if | did, what harm could result
from that? He'll never come to bcliev,
he has fallen in love with me- lie is S,
different from the soft voiced, perfume(
darlings by whom | have been suwoun
ded all my life that, to use your owl
words, with different application,
stare at him as though he were a bein!
from another sphere. The young farm
er reads, Lotte, and reads books which
though printed in our native | anguago
would be Greek to you and me; and HI
numbers the poets among his friends.
peeped into his room one day, and saw
them all, in blue and gold on his book
shelf. He is an honest, manly fellow
with no false pride about him. was
idiot enough to fancy that he might b.
the least bit confused when | saw him a
work in his red shirt, and coarse yer,
broad brimmed straw hat, but he salute,
me as calmly as though he had been al
rayed in the finest garments. And hi
name is Nathaniel-not as pretty a
Claud, but it means the gift of God
The gift of God, indeed his old mothe
says he has been to her, and so will h
be to the woman he marries. And tha
woman must be bee, and not butter
fly Lottie"-with sudden tierceness-
"if ever you tell, I'll kill you"
"My dear when l do, you may. Isabe
| begin to suspect that you are really il
love with Nathaniel-another of you
old passions-aud that beneath your but
terty wings turks the spirit of a bee
And ] may live to see you helping tn
pitchfork Apollo toss the hay, build obe
lisks and pyramids of cabbages, cop
celebrated sculptors in beets, and hea
turnips in limitation of classic oil
ruins.
Il fear not, Miss Mayell. For thong
| would be proud to share in each an
every one of those occupations, as 500
would | expect that compact mass o
greens to suddenly trcmble to its bas
and then topple over, separating on
huge body into hundred or more head
as dream that Nathaniel Lee would eve
care for me.
The pyramid trembled to its base an
its apex tumbled to the ground. I'll
girls rose quickly from their throne o
sods, an vi h little shrieks fled to n sal
distance, then turned to look again.
toppled over its many heads rolling
every direction, and in the place it ha
occupied stood the young farmer.
II bless your brother for building
p pyramid to-day, Miss Estman," he sal,
: ''though he did unload one of the ma
ket wagons all ready for market for Il
purpose. And bless the happy chanC
that kept me from the orchard, and ser
= me here to fall asleep behind tito wake
at the sound of your voice. Spell-bouu
| remained concealed half believing tn.
! ! was still dreaming, to prove the falsit
! of the old proyerb, Listners never he,
any good of themselves. But can l.
t dare hope that grains of earnest mi
| gled with your jest, and that the pats
= butter in our dairy may some day !
D stamped with our monogram? Stan
c my friend, Miss Mayell, and you sha
not be forgotten when we make the be-
e statues and the turnip ruins"
< "Well, pom my world" exclaimed Mi
a Mayell, with frank glance of admir-
| ton at the handsome young fellow, an
a smile that threatened to become a laug
. in another moment.
And "Of all things !" exclaimed Mi
+ Estman lovely blush mantling her fa,
, and then youth and fun conquered a
4 three, and they laughed until the far
4 yard resounded, and Lion, the watc
\ | dor oap,a hn,n1;,,. yo,,,,,1 Al