The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-02-24


ing, and that in the afternoon, and the
other in the evening, and at last 1 fed
from the old familiar throng precipi-
lately one rainy day. leaving my msid
to pack my wardrobe and follow. And
I determined that this summer would
try pastures entirely new. Auntie had
often told me of the pleasant, old-fash-
Toned farmhouse which she discovered
years ago. and I coaxed mamma
promising to take Charley, our young
est, who is the 'worrit' of her life, with
me--to let me spend three of my four
out-ot-the-cit months here. And, Lot
tie. l have never been as happy before.
and am firmly convinced that here l
have found the kind of life that would
suit me best l was born to love cows
and chickens, to make butter, to build
pyramids of cabbages.''
Your laughed her friend. II
think | see you in the dairy, in neat
cambria dress, with sleeves rolled to
the elbows, stamping the pats of butter
with your monogram-for that's as
near as you'd ever come to churning;
and in the hennery. scattering corn to
the chickens from dainty white apron,
curiously shaped rustic hat mean
while shading your rose-and-cream COM
plexion from the sun. You born to
love cows and chickens!-you who have
reigned city belle for four long years?'
"And for three been most ready to
abdicate. By-the-bye''-with assumed
carelessness have you seen the young
farmer, the only child of our host and
hOstess?"
Certainly not;" and Miss Mayell
glances at her watch. II only arrived
two hours ago, and have seen no one
but you and your aunt. But can see
him in my minds eye'-tall, ungainly,
and speaks through his nose; eats with
his knife; says 'How?' and stares at
yoa as though you were being from
"Your minds eye needs an eyeglass,
Miss Mayell. Its vision is weak. Tall.
broad-shouldered. and calmly, if I may
use the word as mean it. saw him
tossing hay to-day, and he looked like
an Apollo who had exchanged his Tyre
for pitchfork. and profted by the
change. And his table manners are as
exquisite as your own, Miss Mayell; and
he has deep, full voice, and does not
say How? and has scarcely looked.
let alone stared at me. I have an
idea that he regards girls of our ilk with
q quiet scorn, and thinks of us, if he
thinks OF us at all, as hot-house flowers,
not to be compared with the daisies
growing wild in the meadows"
"How long have you been here. 1sa-
"Six weeks"
"Quite long enough, think. You'd
better 60 away. You are regarding
this young farmer, who never looks at
you'll don't believe that, however
too sentlmentally. You might come to
believe that you had fallen in love with
him.
"And if did, what harm could re-
suit from that? He'll never come to
believe he has fallen in love with me.
He is so different from the soft-voiced,
perfumed darlings by whom have been
surrounded all my life, to use your own
words, with a different application. 1
stare at him as though he were being
from another sphere. The young farm
er reads, Lottie, andre books which,
though printed in cur native language,
would be Greek to you and me; and he
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. l was
idiot enough to fancy that he might be
the least bit confused when first saw
him at WORK in his red shirt. and coarse
very broad brimmed straw hat, but he
saluted me as calmly as though he had
been arrayed in the finest garments.
And his name is Nathaniel-nota as pref
ty as Claude, but it means the gilt of
God The gift of God, indeed, his old
mother says he has been to her, and so
And that woman must be a bee. not q
butterfly. Lottie' sudden fierce
ness-"if ever you tell, I'll kill YOU"
my dear, when l do. you may. Isa-
bel. begin to suspect that you are
really in love with acknowledgements
of your odd passions-and that beneath
your butterfly wings turks the spirit of
the bee. And may live to see you
helping the pltchfork Apollo toss the
hay, build obelisks and pyramids of
cabbages, copy celebrated sculptures in
bects, and heap turnips in imitation of
classic old ruins"
Il fear me not, Miss Mayell. For
though | would be proud to share in
each and every one of those occupa-
tions, as soon would expect that com.
pact mass of green to suddenly tremble
to its base and then topple over, sepa-
rating one huge body into q hundred
or more heads, as dream that Nathaniel
Leigh would ever care for me.''
The pyramid trembled to its base,
and its apex tumbled to the ground.
The girls rose quickly from their throne
of sods, and with little shrieks fed to
a safe distance, then turned to look
again. 1t toppled over, its many heads
rolling in every direction, and in the
place it had occupied stood the young
farmer.
Il bless your brother for building q
pyramid to-day, Miss Eastman" he
said, ''though he did unload one of the
market wagons all ready for the pur-
pose. And I bless the happy chance
that kept me from the orchard. and
sent me here to fall asleep behind it, to
waken at the sound Of your voice.
Spell-bound remained concealed, half
believing that / was still dreaming, to
prove the falsity of the old proverb,
Listeners never hear any good of
themselves But can dare I hope
that grains Of earnest mingled with
your jest. and that the pats of butter in
our dairy may some day be stamped
with our monogram? Stand my friend,
Miss Navel, and you shall not be for.
gotten when we make the beet statues
and the turnip ruins"
"Well. pom my wordr' exclaimed
Miss Mayell. with frank glance of adj
miration at the handsome young fell
low, and smile that threatened to be-
come laugh in another moment.
And "of all things!'' said Miss East
man. lovely blush mantling her face;
and then youth and fun conquered ali
three, and they laughed until the farm
yard resounded. and Lion. the watch
dog, came bounding toward them, ask
ing with loud bow-wows what was the
matter.