The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-07-24
WINNING A WIFE

"Go down and pick few quarts of
blackberries, HuIda, child, and don't
sit doubled up over that book any lon-
GER" said Mrs. Holt, as she dumped
down u basket of linen she had lust
brought in from the bleaching patch
fresh, fair, fragrant linen, with the
odor OF neW-mown hay permeating
through every fold of it.
llulda lifted up her golden brown
head and gazed at her aunt with great,
soft, appealing eyes.
"Oh! aunty, it's the Two Orphans, ,
and I do want to know whether they
ever find each other again. You know
Louise is blind, and"
"There, that'n do. bet they found
each other all right in the end. You
know if they did it right off there
wouldn't be any story. Take your
basket and get enough berries for sup
per. You know Joe Travers and
Aleck Hunt are helping your uncle
with the hay, and hungry enough they
will be. Go along"
So the "Two Orphans' had to be
laid aside, and 1Iulda, somewhat reluc-
tantly, took her way to the blackber-
ries. They grew at the foot OF the
meadow by a running stream, and
they were tempting, luscious and plen-
tlful. uulda's thought were with
blind Louise, while her fingers were
busy with the berries, and she scarcely
let her eyes wander from the basket.
She was fair to look upon, this or
phan niece of the old New England
farmer. Tall and slender, with gold
United, bronze hair, brown eyes, and
sun kissed, soft, smooth cheeks, with q
n TIn,, l.,ol,
were particularly long and curying,
and she had a way Of looking out from
under them that had great effect upon
the young men she met at "meeCin''
and singing school. Not that she tried
to fasci,latn them hut OHIO could not
help doing it, any more thaa rose can
help smelling sweet. Iulda was not
quite seventeen. Her father had been
teacher of music, her mother a sister
Of Silas Hope. They both died young
and poor, SO Hulda came to the Hope
homestead when she was a shy girl of
eleven, slender but not ungraceful,
looking, with her wistful eyes, like a
young fawn. Her uncle welcomed her
with open arms, and his wife, though
chlldlesS herself, was a woman who had
heart big enough to have place for
all the friendlcss little ones that came
III her way.
1Iulda was happy-t thoroughly happy
and content. The fresh air, new milk
and early hours soon built up her
slight form. Though she remained
sim, she filled out with the rountlness
or beauty. Her warm cheeks glowed
with sunset flush, and her lips were
IKE coral. Hulda'S dress was a simple
dark-blue- print, and her head was COW
cred by that well-nigh obsolete form of
ugliness, a sun-DOm.ct. Still the waves
OF golden hair showed on the smooth
young brow, and the blackberry gatD'1
erer formed a pretty picture. ,sM
Not unobserved, either, for or>saoSa r>sd
the brook under the shadeIH somio %
dropping willows, a tall ma'/,ii gray
shooting dress lay watcbfsSv svauGo,i,o nea. ,,
said Wndt Se t6 nims91iy 4 study 9@hat' Garg%e-
rite'' y 800, -,
The man ke,s> very still and in all
probability Uftla would never have been
conscious OF his presence if another
party bd not appeared on the scene.
The ..eWcOmer was stout man about
fo,cy years Of age, with a long, black
beard, large soft hat and brown velvet
coat.
''Hullo. Morley! What luck2" he ex-
claimed. The sound of the voice star
tied the girl, but healthy, careless OK
iStence had endoWned her with strong |
nerves, and her surprise was not alarm. |
She gaZed at thestrangers with calm in-
terest. for they were unlike the men
she saw in her daily life.
''Poor luck, Carlton / fear trout are
too sensible to take much notice Of my
unsophisticated efforts to attract their
attention."
"Possibly SO. Well, have whipped
the stream also with more skill than
success. Let us adjourn"
Hulda had returned to the berries,
but her cheeks were flushed and her
young heart throbbcd, for she felt Nor
ley's eyes fixed on her face.
"What pretty girlP' said Carleton,
in an undertOne.
eyes; an unusual style Of beauty. I
never saw anything lovelier than the
mixture tints OH her face. No common
pink and white blonde beauty, but the
ripe tones Of the old Italian masters. {"
The basket was full now, and the
girl was turning away, when Morley
rose to, ,his feet and addressed her gently
and respectfully.
''Can you tell me where can buy
some milk or cider-anything cool to
drink?n
eyes. If you go up to the middle of
the meadows you will find bridge.
I'll wait here for you, and that red
house is where my uncle lives. Aunty
will give, you some milk; we haven't
any cider"
"Thank YOU"
She stood waiting for them, basket
in hand, while Morley gathered up his
fishing tackle and sought the bridge,
followed by his friend.
Hulda was shy, but she replied to
the questions addressed to her by Nor.
ley with self possession. He was sur.