The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-11-14

nv this back to her, and l think 1
shall just speak little of my mind.
I'm really kin to John Pringle, you
know, second cousin to his fathers
first wife, so it's my place to speak
to her.
'Of course, it's your place
And your duty
Mrs. Pringle had committed griev-
Gus sins in the eyes of the farming
community in which she had ap-
peared as bride about three years
before.
In the first place she was in a
measure held accountable for John
Pringle's sin in turning his back on
the country lasses who waited on
the glance of his handsome eyes, to
bow before a maiden in whose supe-
rior refinement he rejoiced with 10y
al and proud appreciation, she nev-
er for moment considering that it
placed her in any way above his
sterling qualities of mind and heart.
She had brought her own ways with
her to the farm, and her ways were
so different from the ways which
had been handed down from genera
ton to generation of farmers wives,
as to keep up a constant small agita.
ton among them, of which she, be-
ing absorbed in her own pursuits,
was provokingly unaware.
She had brought trusty servant
to assist in the work of the house,
which, the farm being a dairy farm,
with a good deal of work for women,
was acquiesced in by those who so
kindly concerned themselves in her
business, although 1t was soon whis-
pered that Mrs. Pringle left things
too much to her, in order to pay at
tention to drawing, which every
body knows ought to be left alone
as soon as a girl is done school. The
disturbance which had been caused
by unnecessary repairs and adorn-
ments of the old house, because
what was good enough for Johns
mother ought to be good enough for
Johns wife, increased, as the sewing
was turned over to hired hands, and
arose to position of excitement when
a little girl was taken into the family
to assist in the care of the bfby.
Though I'm free to confess, as l
don't want to do an injustice to a
living soul said Maria Jane, that
she hardly ever lets that baby out
of her sight. But, | take it, wo-
man as has to be everlastingly fool
ing over hits OF paper and dauby
paints, amt no cali to be a wife and
mother
4 come to bring this to you, Mis-
Pringle, s'posin' it to be your'n, said
the worthy spiDster as she was shown
into the room of the posy bed car
pet. where she found its mistress
seated at desk, apparently absorb
ed in a few flowers which stood in
glass of water.
oh, / thank you very much, Miss
Brewster. 1t is one of set OF little
wild flower drawings. the wind blew
it awav from me and Sarah couldn't
find it.
1t was fully two hours after break
fast, and the pretty room was still
in all the disorder of the previous
evening. Mrs. Pringle might have
noticed the comprehensive glance
with which Miss Brewster took in
this fact, for she said with a little
smile:
You've caught me little too
soon. Miss Brewster. John brought
me those lovely little spring beau
ties Just after breakfast, and they
fade so soon that | left things go
while sketched them
In Miss Brewster's opinion this |
was treating the sacred obligations
of thrifty housewifery entirely too
lightly.
Most of folks | know, Mis- Prin-
GLE she said stiffly, thinks duty
ought to be attended to afore friv-
olities. Now, John Pringle's moth
err
yes. | know said John Pringle's
mothers daughter in law. quite un-
abashed, only you see a room can
be swept one time Just as well as
another, but these flowers would not
wait.
Miss Brewster was Indignantly !
casting about for some expression
which could delicately conAey her
idea of the shittlessne.s of such a
principle, when an interruption oc-
Cured in the person of John Prin-
gle coming up the walk outside.
Hal ha ha ! my lady said the |
visitor to herself i wonder what
hell think uf such doings this time
O. day, when his mother'd had her
was out and "a she rejoiced in
seeing that Mrs. Pringle did have
the grace TO look a little confused.
%, John, dear she said, Il would
not have left my room untidy, if
had known you were coming, but it
has taken me ever since to draw
these
Good morning, Miss Brewster
said John. Never mind the room,
Janet, business before pleasure, you
know, eh, Miss Brewster ? Look
here, Janet, came all the way back
home to bring you these
Business before pleasure, indeed.
Miss Brewster was speechless as the
two bent over a few anemones he
held in his big hand. She had no
intention of including John in the
setting down she had come to give
his wife, but she now felt nerved by
the sight of such fool nonsense to
say her say to both.
They're as natural as life, amt
they Miss Brewster p he said show
ing her the tiny drawing with great
pride.
i suppose so, said the lady stiff
lv, but seems to me, John Pringle,
not to say its any concern of mine, l
know, but most of us neighbors has
our opinion, I'm only meanin' it in
all kindness, you know, that is, well,
Miss Maria Jane found her own and
her neighbor's opinion more difficult
L L.