The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-19
ON THE vERANDA.


ing of her country resort, for the sum-
mer boarders lived there. The house
might have been q very pleasant one
when it was opened, but in the summer
time it was virtually closed, because of
the flies, and heat, and dust, and sun,
Mrs. Fries said. In the morning the
bed in the boarders' room was nicely
made-too nicely for considerate per.
son to disturb--the furniture all busted
and put back against the wall, and the
furniture was solid mahogany; the
blinds we're shut, and indeed the win
dows too, and coming in out of the sun
light one had to grope ones way all over
the house. So Miss Hetherington went
out on the veranda Immediately after
breakfast and remained there, if she re-
manned near the house ct all, till bed
time.
Just now it was delightful. She had
inst left the breakfast table, but by the
little watch that hung from her girdle it
was already nine o'clock, and the little
watch kept excellent time. All through
the meal there had been pleasant
clickety music from the neighboring
field. John had told Miss Hetherington
the night before that he would about
reach the middle of the field with his
moving machine when she left the
breakfast table the next morning, and
sure enough, there he was. What
Hercules was this young farmer Fries!
and handsome, stalwart fellow, and q
fine, frank, excellent nature, and q gen.
tleman withal. The Frieses had always
sent their sons to sort of college for q
few years to polish them up; then, if
they chose to 60 on with profession the
money was found for it. In fact, several
of Johns cousins were students of divinity
of medicine, of law; but John chose to
be farmer of his own free will, his
mother said She was nice, quaint,
wholesome little woman, whom Miss
Hetherington liked very much, and
Mrs. Fries seemed to return this
affection, until John
But that was matter of course. "Ce-
lava sans Dire Miss Hetherington said,
and felt sorry that these little hobbies
OF mothers always interfered with their
happiness. She felt sorry, but not suf-
ficiently 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, sim.
plicity and honesty of expression which
the few years at college had cured for
John. But of late Mrs. Fries had been
very busy. It was haying time and she
went to bed early. Mrs. Fries did; not
Miss Hetherington, who disliked going
to bed more than anything in the world
unless it might be getting out of bed
after she had once got to it. As for
John, he liked the moon. But there he
was, quite IN the middle of the field, as
he had sworn to be. The veranda faced
the road, running the whole length of
the house. Some fine old horse-chest-
nuts shaded the lawn, which extended
down dozen rods or 80 to 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 moon or
gas light, but deficient in the garrish
light Of day. Without her glass, John
and the mower looked one; she couldn't
tell where John began and the mower
ended. Miss Hetherington put up her
glass, and Just then the veranda made q
pleasant picture. A few vines had been
trimmed with due regard to light and
shade, but the most of them had been
left to their own sweet will, just as the
farming had been left to John, and there
is always something so delightful in the
attributes of an unfettered will. Hum
ming birds and bees, darning- needles
and butterflies, and all sorts of winged
things, darted in and out Of the bios
SONS, and gorgeous spider hung mid
way in a magnificent palace made in one
night. The spider wore black and yell
low, the fashionable colors, and so did
Miss Hetherington, who was not only q
handsome creature, but che had a great
respect for the accessories Of beauty.
The spider stopped in the construction
Of his. palace to look at her, and so did
John.
All at once the music of the mower
ceased, and the fine figure at the helm,
or whatever the governing power of o
mower is called, took of its wide
brimmed straw hat and waved it in the
sweet summer air; and Miss Hethering.
ton, not to be outdone, took from her
belt little triAe Of laee and linen, and
also waved it, And heaven knows how
long this little pantomime might have
go on If Miss Hetherington had not
heard behind her q peculiar cough; it
was an apologetic cough--a cough that
begged to be excused for intruding-
and it came from Mrs. Fries, who was
also looking ct Miss Hetherington, but
not like Jonn, or the spider, or the
many well-known ways of looking at o