River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-06-02

lunch with me under the apple tree.
Quite an inducement. A feeling of
righteousness came over him, and he
fairly shook with laughter. Was he
laughing at her? Garnet drew herself
up proudly, a spark of fire in her big
dark eyes.
"What makes you laugh so immoder-
ately, Bob? 1t is not polite of you, and
| shall certainly your ill-behavior
to Mr.. Denver"
"Pray don't Miss Embers," with an
affected humility. II couldn't help it.
Indeed | couldn't If you had seen that
i'll favored hop-toad leapover that po-
tato, you'd laugh, too. 1t was so funny.
The toad was so small, whereas the
potato has grow to an enormous size
"a regular whopper! Lcok! Miss EN-
bers, there goes the fellow now under
that struggling vine"
Hump was all the answer she
vouchafed him as she went on with her
digging, but she doubted the existence
of the toad and believed he was making
sport of her.
The minutes crept up, II o'clock
came, and Bob was waxing savagely
hungry. As he emptied the fourth
basket of potatoes, he said:
at is noon now, Miss Embers, I'm
sure. Seel Old Sol is directly over
us. Come, let's have our lunch under
the apple tree. I'm hungry as a canni-
bal"
II too" acknowledged Garnet sect
that parcel yonder, Bob, and don't
squeeze ii, else you'll crush the cram
berry tarts in it, Aunt Sarah made
them, and she's famous pastry cook
Cranberry tartsr' his mouth begin
ming to water. "You bet I'll hold it
lightly, | am especially fond of them
But what delicacies does the luncheon
contain, Miss Embers, prepared by your
hands,"
''Not any, Bob" with something that
sounded like a sigh. II am no better
cook than dressmaker We have both
missed our vocation. worked two
years in Madam BIZ WINS establishment
endeavoring to learn how to cut and
make dresses, but failed ANONYMOUSLY;
was therefore sent home minus a recon-
mendation. So it will be with you,
Bob. Although thoroughly good man,
! Mr. Denver is very exacting one, and
| if your work to-day is specimen of
what you can do he will not keep you
in his service any longer than what Is
absolutely necessary. What uphill
work life is for the poor! Dear me! l
wonder what am good for, anyway"
Good to look at" he muttered, un-
der his breath, wishing that she would
toss off the sunbonnet that almost con-
cealed her face Then aloud, Good to
! dig potatoes, | suppose"
At which both laughed heartily, and
together they wended their way to the
apple tree, weighed down with golden
fruit, at whose foot they were to par
take of their lunch. A musical stream
let threaded its way over a pebbly bed,
washing the roots of the apple tree as
it ran merrily on. Here, on the grass,
in sound of its babbling voice, they
seated themselves and prepared to par
take of the repast, which Garnet spread
daintily out on a newspaper, first
throwing off the offending sun-bonnet,
which motion caused the red-brown
hair to tumble about her face, making
a picture at which Titan would have
raved
"By Jupiter p calculated Bob, "she
is even prettier than imagined. She
is perfect witch"
He had dotted his sombrero, and his
/ picturesque, Moorish face, illumined
by darkly splendid eyes, Garnet thought
the handsomest in the world.
"If he were not hired man." she
unused, cor even had ever so small an
income, believe | could love him. AS
it is, the idea is simply ridiculous. L
| 10 &c hr1 . oil
lectual as he looks"
She did so, and they fell into con-
versation so agreeable to both that time
passed by UNDECIDED. A mans voice
aroused them 1t was Mr.. Denver's.
"Heigho !" he cried, in a hearty tone,
"having a picnic on small scale
Plaguy mean of you, Miss Garnet, not
to extend an invitation to your nearest
neighbor. When did you arrive ?"
Last night. And, Mr.. Denver" as
they shook hands, 81 took the liberty
of soliciting help from your hired man
in digging a few bushels Of potatoes to
take to market"
cha, ha, ha p The good mans laugh
rang out loud and clear. ''Did you
really take Bob 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 ex-
preston in vogue, is fairly rolling in
riches. Ha ha ha my hired man
Miss Embers, Mr.. Lincoln.
lie strolled away, and the two were
! left alone. No reply the fair face
was buried low in her hands, and Gar
net felt as if she could never meet his
| ooo.,, che m lyo
such an egregious blunder. Well, no
apology would be admissible now, and
she must brave it out as well as pos
sible
Garnet" and now the hands were
removed from the flushed face and
held in his warm clasp, "listen to me.
You have made mistake, and the
only way you can rectify 1t is to accept
me as your friend. viii you?"
And plucky little Garnet, with co
! quetish glance from under her jet-black
lashes, said
II will That is" with pretty nesi-
tation to her voice, ''if you take me
and auntie's potatoes to market with
Mr. Denver's horse. | wish to pur-
| chase some groceries"
1t is needless to say that he did as
she desired, and late in November,
when the air was chill and keen, and
the flakes of snow eddied to the ground
and covered it with mantle of white,
Robert Lincoln presented Mrs. barley
with deed of the place and took Gar
net away with him to his city home,
where as his wife, she reigns quite roy
ally; and he always blesses the day
when he dug potatoes with Aer, and
she took him for "Mr. Denvers hired
man"
! lie Greek Brigands.