The Northern Pacific farmer., 1882-10-19

maker'6 hands lcr ta1o necessary aitera-
tions, when the dreadful event occurred
with which the narrative obens.
.'Glory," said do you keep watch for
Miss Lyddy when she returns. Say
nothing about what has happened unless
she misses the gown from the grass. In
that case tell her that I thought it was
and you don't know whore I have put
it. Ian going out now, but If she asks
where, tell her you don't know"
Glory was faithful, and had, besides,
the natural craft of her race, and knew
that she was to be trusted. Asfor me,
swiftly donned my bonnet and net out to
find Maj. Hawthorne. It was bright
June evening, and my walk through the
meadow and grove that skirted Haw-
thornedean would have been delightful
one if I had borne . mind more at ease.
The major was gentleman by birth, but
he had lived out his fifty bachelor years,
in gay and careless way that had seemed
to set the gentler part OF creation at de-
fiance. In the lifetime Of his parents
Hawthornedean had been q beautiful es-
tate. It still retained many marks of
wealthy and cultivated ownership, but it
was sadly run down, as the home of q
bachelor is apt to be. The grove, which
had once been the pride Of the place,
was grown up to bush now, and the sore
under my feet as walked through it.
At one point, coming suddenly around a
thick clump of underground, heard q
chorus of tiny snOrtS, and the scamper.
ing of numberless hoofs, and knew that
l had invaded haunt of the majors last
agricultural freak, the very brood of
Berkshire pigs that were the source Of
all my borrowed woes. Away they
scampered, their shouts we'll raised in
air, and each, with curl in his tail that
seemed too ornamental to be wholly the
product of nature aud to justify the vii
lage rumor that tho majors own man put
those tails in curl papers every night.
They had the air Of spoiled children.
every one, and were evidently tho majors
pets. But that didn't matter, they bad
ruined Miss Leddy's wedding gown. to say
% WHICH do % not % 6elonT ~ % this story. y. Ind !
was determined to have satisfaction 0u
of their owner.
found the major on his piazza. with
an after dinner look upon his handsome
good humored face. He rose to gree
me with an air of old school politeness
dashed with faint wonder that I, q wo
man, should have the hardihood to sp
proach place so little frequented by wo
men.
"Good evening, Miss Grace, l am hap
py to see you. In what can I have tht
honor to serve you"
He had read in my face and knew tha
had como on mission.
maj. Hawthorne" said, paying NJ
attention to his offer of chair, II have
come on very painful errand."
"Sit down, madam" said the major
politely. Il can not possibly permit 9
lady to stand on my piazza. 1 ought
perhaps, to ask you to walk in, but it il
rather stutfy inside this evening"
"No, l will, sit here if you please
10 tell the truth, indoors, as seen through
the windows, had not the most invitin,
look: and was glad to compromise.
"You have no doubt theard"-plungint
in medias res, that Lydia Ludkins il
about to be married."
"Married! Miss Lydia! No! Hadn't
heard word of ," said the major, il
genuine amazement. "Who is the for
tunate man, pray?"
'The Rev. Nehemiah Appleblocm, a
missionary to the Micronesian Islands.
and find wife,"
II know him." said the major. "Sau
him down at the station-a long, lean
lank individual-just fit for his vocation
no temptation whatever to cannibale.
But what the deuce is he going to d.
with Miss Lydia? What vii! Balaam't
Corners do without herr"
Baaam's Corners must do the best II
can," said-I fear q little sharply-fo,
my mind was still in most aggressive
state toward the major.
''Thev are to be married next week
and"
"What will become of the 'ancestors?''
interpolated the maj jor, in " hom sur
prise seemed to have gotten the better
of habitual politeness.
"Oh, she has made arrangements with
Mr.. Crow about that"
"Just like her. Dear, faithful girl"
The major had all his life loved all the
sex-not one-and was not to be be.
guiled by this show of feeling.
"She had set her heart upon :,eine
married in her grandmothers wedding
"Old Mrs. Capt. Simon? l remember
her we'll. A mighty fine woman. She
never would have gone to the ends OF
the earth with g missionary. Its the
craziest scheme ever heard of"
began to fear I should neverg get to
1T was,put out on the grass to bleach,
being a little yellow with ago. It was a
lovely embroidered India muslin that
the Id captain brought home from In
"How we'll remember him in my
boyhood! A jolly old soul! A grand
daughter Of his go off to the Cannibal
Islands to be eaten up by savages! 1won't
have it!'
"Her heart is set upon going," con-
tinued. '"The wedding gown was put out
to bleach, and this very afternoon those
Berkshire pigs of yours-they are nui-
sance to the whole neighborhood, major
-trampled and rooted it to pieces, so
that it is utterly ruined"
Little black rascalsl'' said the major,
with chuckle behind her necxcloth.
"And have come. without his knowl-
edge, to tell you of it, because I was sure
that, under the circumstances, gentle
man of your breeding would feel in
honor bound to make some reparation
to Miss LYDIA"
The mayor mused and looked at his
boot for a moment In silence.
Miss Grace" he said ut length. II
thank you for the service you have rem
dered me in this matter. Will you have
the goodness to say to Miss Ludkins,
with my compliments that shall do
myself the honor to wait upon her tomor-
row at 10 o'clock, to adjust this unfortu-
nate matter? beg in the meantime
that she wl.l herself as little solicitude as
possible, for though l can not restore
the ancient and venerated dry goods,
will do the best that is possible under the
| circumstances to make the loss good"
He bowed over my hand, and the aud.
ience was evidently concluded. Was I
satisfied, No, indeed! What woman
would not have felt wronged to be left
at the end eff a mission of disinterested
benevolence in such state of doubt and
uncertainty as this? But was Obliged
to go home, nevertheless, and wait a.
patiently as I could for the stroke of ten
next morning.
Glory had been in hearing when the
message had been delivered to Miss Ly,
dia, and she, too, WAS on the watch. Al
last she scudded in from the hedge, he,
ivories al aglisten, and her eyes wide
| E.nn