The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-08-10
.BESS..

other rooms; for even Black Aunt Peg
had torsaken it, and was out in the back
yard. ~hangins.out the Muudass~a g
Has ~SeverybodyE eNapo rsass d. d., ~sade'
nanded Mr. Bay berry, srimly address.
ing space.
Receiving no reply, he banged open
set another door, (which swung back
against precarious and shakv shelf,
thus upsetting the equilibrium OF n brass
candlestick, a flat iron and three tin cans,
and they went humping down on the
hoor together.
Bess WAS in the pantry, washing I'd
the shelves with hot soApslds; for Bess
was Il busy little body, and insisted Oh
pera1uinga eertain part fths house
hold 'duties every day ''@>~ : - :
She was standing on Il cheese box dur
ing the present performance for Bess
was 80 short she could not reach the Sec
ond Shetland She had big table cloth
pinned over her dress, and her silky
hair twisted tight upon the top Of her
head and pinned with three great hair,
pins, that bristled up and looked like
three pair OF budding hons
She heard the rapid footsteps ontslde
and smiled ; u \
That's Uncle John" said she, "and
he wants somebody likely. But can t
70 just yet Men always want some
Thing or somebody
And she went on calmly remo> ing Il
row Of jelly glasses. every one dark and
rich with its luscious contents; Then
she was startled by the humping.
Dear me- said Bess, dropping the
wing with which she had been brushing
the shelf. II suppose if some one don't
go, he won't scruple to tumble the house
over; and where Aunt julie is the man
in the moon couldn't tell"
She jumped utt The cheese box, care
fully holding up tue table. doth to avoid
stepping on il, and up~l.cI the pantry
door. Aunt ,)ule had also appea,s:d. in
loose green N!appt-i, nom which 4
piece Of torn ruttilhg two yards i'll length,
Was dragging Oh the floor, " 18th All old
magazine, minus its covers, III her hand
dear NE, John - heean Aunt julie.
looking in ured
And dear ue" Interrupted Mr. Ea>
berry, If this house had legs, it might
run away twenty times over and nu one
both Of You li>ten' I've .ut some
abolninable news .1ule vv,ll
late lamented's cousin that tall
electioneering widow wants to come
down here and board all s,nnlnrr, Mith
tier daughter, dean lsa,'ni-,,'| who mtnls
estly wishes to- give her 'nlnle ret,s
lovers the slip, and rustiratc at 'dtr:.
Meadowlanus. There's llo end Of clear 5
IN her letter, and L string Of coInph,
lnents that are all in her eye, III VIZ ger
my biggest squash
Mr.. :Bayberrv'S sister SIT. down, look
lng helpless and lAu,,rnt'1l; but black
eyed Bcss, whose ideas and opinions
one could never tolpsee, favored the
ta,lse OF her kinSM pllltl, though they
had made a point If ignoring her com
pletely.
DO let them collie, l:nce ,John''' s,id
she. Il always did Nant to ,ee my
stylish cousin aWfuily,'
ging his broad shoulders, '":if y,.,1 want
to cook, and iron and slave for wv fine
city relations, that don't take the trouble
TO remember Your rNistancr, go ahead,
Write to 'enl to COME, by all means; bllt
don't expect me to tend to 'em, and hold
their yarn, and turn their music while
they squeal sentimental songs int, my
ears
"Goodnes<, Uncle John" INTERRUPTED
Bess; mo one would SUPPOSE. how warm
~ you praised Doctor Dar-'s last ser
mon on charity to hear you take on"
Hold your tongue, Miss Inperti-
nencem answered Mr. Bavberrv, as he
stalked away
But there was a flush on Iris cLeck
and perhaps his conscience echoed Bess'
reproof For Mr.. Bayberrys words and
manners occasionally expressed more
harshness than was in his heart, and
owing to his rather irascible temper, few
dared take the liberty to lecture him.
Bess (whO was not his niece at all, but
only the niece Of his late brother in law
was one of the few; and though she
sometimes stood half in awe Of him her
self, there was conscientious straight
forWardness about her which led her to
speak her mind whenever she consi,l-
cred it her duty TO do so.
Perhaps she might, advantage
Cultivated a rather less ABRUPT
manner, and so have favor in more eyes.
But, nevertheless, it so happened that
Mr.. John Bayberry, who was rather
peculiar himself, never took real ofense
at her words, and occasionally profted
by them. And this perhaps was at least
partly because she had way Of popping
out her little sermons In a. concise, ep-
igrammatic manner, and never 'harped"
ON one subject.
! week later found the large parlor
at MeadOWlands grared by the presence
of two stylshly alrayed ladies, just from
the city, and indulginp i'll Il series Of
rapturous exclamation> over the charm
Of rural scenes, t. the establishment Of
Aunt julie, who saw nothing to gush
ABOUT IN fields and vines, ami was secret
ly wondering if the grease spot in the
side-breadth Of her overskirt was very
nonceable.e4s - @, -. 81 80 II
"And here's .Bess, yuur little. country
cousin. = said Mi. sBaberry, drawing her
forward from the shadow Of the window
curtains, from which she had been ad
mir!ng Miss Leonie
Dear men' drawleu the elegant Mrs.
Horton. as she gazed down an I'M
measurable distance at the girl, for Mrs.
Horton was very tall, and Of u lofty car
riage withal, ''this is Bess, is it7 We
didn't dream of finding you here. ~ ="
why should We querried Miss Lee
onie, langlidly sitting back against the
rich-colored sofa cushions. "She isn't
any relation Of yours, Is She, Mr. Bay
berry,"
"Not at ALL returned Mr. bayberry,
a tritle stitflv; but she''is quite as welcome
at Meadowlands aa if she were; espe-
cially as her blood relations choose to ig-
,lore her existence" - 49, il
- Mrs HoIton 1tinshed5 ~ ~little; y Mise
j.eonie bit her lip, and Bess SHOOK her
curly head at Uncle John On the sly
That same evening. Bess was sitting
on the back -door step, peeliny velvety.
crimson, rare-ripe peaches for supper,
when Ashley Gray came along THE clo-
ver-edged path leaaing from the stiIe
down in the orchard, which he, as very
intimate friend Of the family, whose
home adjoined Meadowlands, found it
convenient now and then to make use
of. "Go round to the parlorand% seestbe
ladies" said Bess, az she laid the last;
peach, glowing and pink-hearted, in the
kixh cut-g}ass dish :. :, - r ssss
, NJ don't want to SEE city folks" said
the young man. .>'rs- - -s4.<z.s e.
"But you must go this time" All
swered Bess, "for 1 must go in
promised to set the table for Aunt
Peg"
10 he went. and il somehow hannaue1