The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-08-05
FARMER BROWNS SUMNER BUT.
#H d.. t.5 TER.

.. H5f TER
.'Stan' steady, Bess. You're the boss
COW, you know, and if you should tip
this pail of yellow milk over, Miss Dolly
wouldn't like it. Dolly's got to make
the butter this summer, and you and |
must do all we can to help her. Guess
she thinks you know just about as much
as l do. But I'd like to kiss her once,
anyhow; wouldn't you, Bess?"
So spoke George Sterling, Farmer
Browns hired man, to his particular
confdant, the handsome Attorney COW,
whom he had named "Queen Bess."
Ding! dong! went the breakfast-bell,
swung by Dolly's plump, strong arm,
and the young farmer turned his cows
into the pasture, one by one, "Brindle,
Ebony, Speckle and Bess," and then
carried the trimming pals into the large,
cool milk-room.
you're a good mixer, George" and
Dolly smiled up at him as she looked at
the clean, rich milk. II believe, with
you to help me, can make some nice
butter this summer" ..
1t made pretty picture in the morn
ing sunshine. The large, old-fashioned
red farmhouse, with windows and doors
invitingly open, flowers and tall trees
frightening and identifying the yard
and garden. There were lilac bushes
and hollyhocks, pinks, peoples, mari
COLDS and sunfowers, fine old New En-
gland varieties. Inside the house every
thing looked comfortable. The kitchen
was large and airy, having two outside
doors opposite each other and both open
ing on to wide, clean-swept piazzas
The floors were painted spruce yellow
and were smooth and clean. An old
fashioned light-stand stood near win
dow and on the white spread which
covered it was a basket of stockings,
with balls of mending-yarn, and brass
candlestick, with an inch or two of
candle in its socket. A low kitchen
chair with rockers stood near, and the
last weekly newspaper hung over its
back.
The breakfast-table would have APP
peared inviting to any one in health and
good temper, A fairly clean, white
cloth, spun and woven by the grand
mother of the family; small pitcher of
cream for the coffee; sweet, yellow but
ter and fresh rolls; light dougnuts, fried
brown; potatoes, eggs, some kind of
stewed fruit, and pitcher of fresh milk,
for any who wished it.
Did they have napkins and silver
forks? Not exactly. That is, they didn't
have the forks. Aunt Sally made such
fuss that, with al Dolly's other burdens
she did not think it best to /" stand the
ct,,.,,,h xyh,nl, would hoxrn
her head had she used every day the
sacred company silver forks. Dolly was
a brave girl, and did not yield when it
was wrong to yield; but persisted in do
ing as she ought and endured whatever
came. She had been away for two years,
attending an excellent school, and the
duty of clearly and in some sense
beautiful living had been strongly i'm
pressed upon her bright young mind.
Her mother had died, and now the main
responsibility of the housekeeping rested
upon the daughter eighteen-year-old
shoulders. Dolly many things as
Aunt Sally directed in the matter of
napkins she was hr She felt it both a
duty and pleasure Nv accustom her lit
tie brother and the young farmers whom
her father hired to refined ways of liv-
ing. She herself was pleasant to look
at, as she sat at the head of the table
Cher father wished her to sit in her moth
er's place., pouring the clear coffee into
pretty cups, clean linen collar at her
throat and her hair nicely brushed. A
passing observer would have thought it
apleasant group gathered around the
table that summer morning--farmer
Brown opposite his daughter, Aunt Sally
and Dolly's young brother at one side,
and George Sterling, the hired man, at
the other 80 ........f
Father, I'm going to put down my
$50 you see it's an important day in my
life.n 7tr'ui u'at. :
Eyes, my dear, and hope you'll gain
the day and put down good tub; but |
suspect after George has churned and
washed the butter, the credit Il be good
deal due to him if it good.'' IT
eyes, indeed, father; but I'm going
to work Just as hard as George does, and
Dolly Browns butter will be the most
famous butter in the country, you
naughty father,''
You'd better wait till fall before you
brag about your butter" interposed
Aunt Sally. eff the buyers won't pay
Dothin' for it, you won't feel so fine, !
guess
"Well, L shall try hard to have i
good" returned Dolly; "and I'm no
going to bother myself all summer by
fearing that the buyers won't pay any
thing for it,"
"No, don't fret yourself. guess if
didn't skim the milk. you'd find you
butter'd be pretty mess. 1t makes I
sight o. difference how milk's skttm
The rest amt nothin' in comparison