The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-01-03

of the bonnet.
=" say, there? - persisted Mr.
Larkspur.
Still no response from the bonnet
Ena," desperately. " speak-say
something. can't you, if its only to
scoldw
4 No effect whatever on the bonnet,
! A wagon came rumbling up the
lane.
"I'll not STAY here like fool no
longerln vowed Mr.. Larkspur. Good.
| bye, Miss Ro-and It's for good !"
With one glance at the bonnet,
which he thought nodded slightly,
he hurried away.
Ell she wants TO stay mad now,
she kin stay mad" he declared" I've
did all | kin"
You amt got nary grain ofsper-
rit, Rowena Davis p asserted Mrs.
Levi Davis, d stumpy little woman
with a freckled face and a shrill
voice. why don't you take Cap
tain Skaggs and be dole with it,
hey ?"
well" said Miss Rowena, delib-
erately, 4" don't for severl reasons,
one bein' that he ain t asked me-
"Shueks y said Mrs. Levi, vigor-
ou,ly plunging her darniDg needle
into a gray yarn sock belonging TO
her liege. You know hits only a
queshun of time-might as well
make up your mind; you know you
like him"
Yes" admitted Rowena with a
little sigh, . like him well enough,
hut"
Il believe you're pinin' for that
owdacious Lsrkspur," observed her
sister-in- law, sharply. . knowed
it-I saved you hadn't no sperrit |!
Won't do you no good noway. He
won't never come round Ef he
wanted to make up, why didn't he
make up when ne he'd a chance? ?"
Miss Rowena turned to the win
dow with scarlet cheeks. Why did
he not, indeed ?"
He jest showed, a Sunday, he
didn't keer cent whether he seen
you or not.
The color deepened in Rowena's
cheeks. Notwithstanding her sister
in laws assertion, she did have spir-
it-too much when it got the better
of her principle and heart, as it
would now and then and Mrs. Levi
was purposely taking the surest
course to excite it to a high pitch.
You're Just a fixin' to be an old
maid all your life" continued the
little woman. "The captain amt
agoin' to stick to you always, neither,
if YOU don't let him think You'll hev
him. He'll marry Jinny Tueket vet
if vou amt keerful. She's willing
enough. | reckon Larkspur must
be goin' to see that gal that's stay.
ing at Deacon Cottonwood's. that's
why he went home with Mrs Cotton
wood from church. Any how, he
couldn't help seem how you waited
for him, and as long as he didn't try
TO make it up then, when do YOU
reckon he will? Never! That's what
say, and you'll be left Captain
Skaggs, he thinks heap of you now,
but ef-"
Oh" cried Rowena desperately.
g do stop, Sophy! If Captain Skaggs
should ask me to marry him before
Mr. Larkspur speaks to me"
Would you hev him ?" asked
Mrs. Davis, eagerly.
II almost believe | would"
Rowena.
Goose if you didn't" said Mrs.
Levi, tersely.
Mr.. Larkspur stood beside his
meadow bars, sentimeDtally out OF
temper. Miss Rowena's snubs of
the day before had filled him with
anger and sorrow. He frowned and
sighed alternately. Raising his eyes
to the chocolate drop cottage beyond
the lane, he saw Miss Rowena among
the hollyhocks in the back yard
feeding her chickens, with blue
veil tied over her head and he knew
Just how the little flax-brown waves
Of her hair rippled up under lis rim
in their own sweet odd fashion, until
her face seemed set in blue and gold I
frame.
The next moment he scoWled |
The swinging form of Captain Skaggs /
was coming rapidly up the lane.
he did not appear 20 see Miss Row
ena his eyes were fixed on the
black kberry patch and he was making |
toward it. Mr. Larkspurs |
eyes involuntarily followed, and /
then he gave sudden jump and !
rubbed them. and then he climbed /
upon a bar to scrutinize the berry /
patch more closely.
There WAS Miss Rowena's pink I
bonnet still, the cape fiuttering III /
the morning air there was her lin
en sacque, and beside her the tin /
bucket rejecting the sun in gleam-
ng white ring from its edge-all
ust as it bad been yesterday.
He looked across at the figure
among the holly hooks. That was
Miss kuwena, beyond doubt. A
sudden impulse, and an equally sud
len spring, sent Mr.. Larkspur over
he bars and across the lane, and up
he 4-oclock bordered walk through
Miss Rowena's yard.
Ii was Rowena among the holly
rocks her gentle, wondering brown
.,es were turned directly toward
iI.n, while the rose color erept into
he face in the blue and gold
rame
Ena.h cried Mr. Larkspur, il
wasn't you in the blaekberries yes
erday that snubbed and sulked at
ne, was it ?'
Rowena turned her eyes toward
he pink bonnet, for whose benefit
Iaptain Skages appeared TO be IN
much eloqueuce ofspeech
nd gesture, while the provoking
hing nodded aud drooped as it bad
when Mr.. Larkspur talked to it,
urned them back to Mr.. Larkspur,
md ripple of laughter startled the
ices in the hollyhocks.
It's only my bonnet and sacqu-,"
n !