The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-06-10


you, mister. to take it for granted
you'd be asked 70 stay" said she.
II thought, madam"
Pm talking now" said the
widow sharhly. ITO begin right
straight at the beginning, we don't
know anything about you. You msy
be bank burglar, or a counterfeiter
for all we know.
"My references"
"Yss, know, and them very refer
ences is most likely forged But Pm
Wiling to be reaSonable. How old are
your"
And Mr.. Payne, secre ly wondering
if this was the way they managed
things in Maine, answered meekly
1.-TWO and thirtyW
g"Ever been married before ?" sharp
ly questioned the widow.
Certainly not, madam! [ am q
single man ~ answered Mr.. Payne.
with Unstable spark of indignation
in his manner.
amy business ?" went on his cate
chisf.
"None, madam"
well, / like that - said the widow,
with a scornful sniff. Like your i'm
pudence, to come here and own to
such disgrace as that! EXCEPT to
live on me, hey ?"
Madam ~ gasped Payne.
How dye suppose you are going to
keep my Naomi, even if l allowed you
to m AIRY her? which / shan't do, and
don't you to think it! She don't
care for you anyway. When she
heard you was coming she made up
her mind to stop off at Catley's Dam
to get rid of the sight of you. There.
SoJust pick up your traps and go back
agin in the way you come! You won't
never be son-in-law of mineu
But while Widow Buck was volubly
uttering these last glib sentences, a
faint light began to dawn on Mr..
Payne's semi obscured brain.
81 think, Mrs. Buck" said he,
"that you must be laboring under a
misapprehenii on. My name is Per-
cival Payne. / am from Boston. |
was recommended here as an eligible
boarding place, by Mr.. Wardin, of is
Peppermint Place"
Mrs. Buck nearly dro ped her lamp
in er CONSERVATION.
We'll, | never!" said she, instantly
filnging the door wide open. "Please
to walk in, sir. III send the hoy out
after your trunks and things in half a
min ute. | beg your pardon, Pm sure,
for nistaking you for Peleg briggs,
from Lowell, as was coming here after
my daughter Naomi She works in
the Lowell mill, Naomi does. To
think how ever I could have made
such blunder. Do walk in, sir!"
And Mr.. Payne was promptly intro
ducCd to a delightfully."- little "interior'
Of reed carpet, round table spread fer
tea, shaded lamplight, and a fire of
logs, burning on an open hearth, to
keep out the damp of the summer
evening.
After ten O'Clock, when the wearied
traveller was in bed, in a pretty little
room, where there was an eight-day
clock in cherry-wood case, and a
carpet made of woven rags he heard
the opening and shutting of doors be-
low, the clear sound ofa familiar voice
the voice of his black eyed travel.
ing companion.
"Well, mother did he come ?'' she
asked.
"Peleg didn't come, but young
gentleman from the city came. And
don't you believe, / took him for
Peleg, and I peppered away at him
well" a
"Oh, mother, what will he think ?'
cried the softer young voice.
81 asked his pardon" said the old
lady, land he took it a / Ms joke. ~
And when Peleg briggs himself, the
next day, put in an appearance he was
summarily dismissed. While Mr..
Percival Payne and the fair Naomi
were sitting by trout-pool in the
cool woods below; for Naomi knew
all about the haunts and hooks of the
neighborheod, and handled a fishing
pole most skillfully.
Mr.. Payne liked Mailzie Ford, and
stayed there all summer. And as
there were sey eral boarders in the old
stone house, Miss Naomi concluded
MT TO return to factory life, but to stay
and help with the homework and
when autumn came she was engaged.
to Mr. Percival Payne. m
1.-THE sweetest wild flower in the
northern woods" he wrote to his
friend Warden.
Warden went up to Mailzie Ford
He was introduced to Miss Naomi. He
agreed with his friend.
"She's a little jewel" said he.