The Republican journal., 1882-10-12

as she handed up her wicket basket to
the broad shouldered, brown young farm
| er who brought into CrabsbOrO each
morning the village supplies Of fresh
! fruit and vegetables.
"Yes, miss all right" was the brisk
reply, as he executed the order with
much alacrity; and better crooknecks
YOU never cooked, III bet a cabbage. |
knew you'd be wanting crooknecks
Saturday, and | picked out the three
sweetest could find and saved 'em par
ticularly for you. And the pearmains
4 could have sold every last one away back
here; but thinking you might want some,
| wouldn't let 'em 90 for love nor money
Miss Balsamapple grew very rosy and
smiled a sparkling little smile away back
in the shadow of her provokingly deep
sunbonnet; and the roses under its crimp-
ed trillS grew very deep, indeed, as upon
lifting her basket down she discovered
a great bunch Of yellow and white and
purple chrysanthemums nestled amid the
crooknecks and pearmalns.
"Nou'ye dropped your flowers into my
basket, sir said Miss Bella, innocently,
Scooping them out and holding them up
before him.
The young farmer looked guilty Of hay
ing committed highway robbery at the
very least.
II they--l Just kind of pitched
them in for good measure he stammer-
ed IL wanted to get rid of em; there 5
an everlasting lot at home. DO keep EN-
please"
He gave the lines tvitch and ratified
off without waiting for her 10 reply.
50 Miss Bella finding herself left in the
lurch with the flowers on hcr hands,
carried them into the house to the dis
gust of Miss Aurora Balsamapple a tall,
skim milk blonde in blue calico wrap
per, who had witnessed the proceedings
from the window, and vas much scandal
lied thereby.
'I'm shocked at YOU, Bella, She re-
marked i'll a tone Of personal injury,
'tor keeping them a minute =
II couldn't help it" answered Bella,
unless | had SHE'D them at his back ;
and then they would only have fallen
in the mud"
no killing matter if they did said
Miss Aurora; ''and you better take my
advice and fling them out there now"
II won't.' said Bella, fatty and Miss
Aurora, being well acquainted with her
sisters characteristics, shrugged her
shoulders and said no more, but re
venged herself by being 50 eXasperating-
" sulkv that Bella, after few Intellectual
efforts to establish harmony, found it
necessary for the sake of her nerves to
make an errand to neighbor's.
Miss Aurora, taking deeper and more
deadly vengeance for this by declining
to cook any dinner in BelIa's absence,
was lunching on pickles and cold behring's
in the kitchen when her sister popped
in, in much excitement, with her bonnet
cape floating wildly in the ar like pink
banner.
"What do you reckon. sis ?" cried the
young lady, gracefully. ole was there
and Mrs. White introduced us. He's a
friend Of the family, and his name S
Robin Russell and Mrs. White says a
better or steadier or good tempereder
young man never lived. He's got a
farm and Il lovely orchard, and is really
intelligent, and Mrs White thinks lots of
him, and says
IF you'll Just have the goodness, .
interrupted Miss Aurora, impressively
emphasizing her words with herring,
ITO explain what under the sun you're
talking about, | would be extremely en-
lghtened and much obliged.'
"Why, he him." said Bella, "that
sells the crooknecks and things, and
gave me the flowers"
"The huckster :" shrieked Miss Aurora,
dropping picked onion to clasp her
| hands tragically.
Gle ART a huckster And | don't
care if he is,' asserted Bella, with
astonishing logic, "he's nice"
"Oh, Bella Bella - murmured Aurora.
"that the pride of the Balsamapples
should have fallen SO low as ths!'
"8other the pride of the BalsamappIesn y
cried Bella, stamping her foot. 'Who
are the Balsamapples that they should
and smart as they are Selling crook
necks amt SIM The Balsamappes
! haven't got any sense, and ! won't be a
| Balsamapple minute longer than
can help Now -
"And, oh, what will Cousin Amasy
say when he comes to Crabshoro," con
tinued Aurora, despairingly, "and one OF
| his relations losing her head about man
that peddles crooknecks These rich
old fellows are always 50 ultra -fastidious
It'll spoil all my cha ances"
Aurora flung her herring into a corner
| and burst into tears.
"Dear sakes Don't cry, honey !" said
| Bella, who was soft hearted, with all hel
faults. 1t won't matter pin, Cousin
| Amasa is too distant relation to build
hopes on, if we wanted to. He's got lots
| Of kinstolks nearer than we are-nephews
heard of. Not likely he'd leave us any
thing, anyway
bella Balsamapple, are you Ounce 2
asked Aurora, sharply. "Who expects a
forty second cousin to leave them any
thing on that account? Cousin Amasa
hasn't any wife. Now do you under
stand ?"
"Oh," said Bella, with jump, "that's
the game, is it? But how do you know
you'll like him, Ro? You never saw HIM
"rm mighty certain to like his bank
account" answered Aurora; and that is
| the point just now. And | could help yOu
to good settlement, too, if you wouldn't
encourage this"
II WILL" cried Bella, before her sister
could pronounce the Objectionable chuck
ster." ~ don't want any settlement Fvt
liked him ever since we first bought
things Of him, and know he likes me
And now that we've been introduced he's
coming to see me and he's a gentleman
and | wouldn't treat him mean for all the
cousin Amases that could be raked up
if they were SO rich that they couldn't
walk straight"
In evidence to the platform she haG
| chosen Bella appeared the following week