Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-02

| AT tue mos. Cuhe2Td -ot time, | RENE II
ber.' retorted Miss Dolly. sauciIy, re-
covering herself and going on gathering
catnip.
"You Used 10 say kept good time.
only too much Of it," pursued Mr.. Wig
gin. with sudden inspiration; bat |
tell you what. Dolly. time never did
| drag with me more than II does these
| days"
ITS dull season" said Miss Dolly,
with ezasp@rating simplicity. Il sup
pose the grasshoppers have eaten most
Of Your wheat, haven't thew. "a it'll
hardly paw for reaping:"
just 50, assented Mr.. Wiggin. dis
comfi:ed
He had not Travelled FIVE miles in the
hea. 10 discuss the state o. tae crops.
- Walk III and 1T down. won't vow
said Dolly. With reluctant hospitality
Her apron was crammed 70 it, 1tmos.
capacity. She devoutly wished II had
been larger.
Well. yes. don't care if DO" an
sTered Nr. WIcgin. after hyp c.itica,
show Of hesjtancy. 81 had a little basi-
ness further on AT the BLACKSMITH. No
harry, tholgh, a. know and he turned
to let down the bar, for Miss Dolly. who
meanwhile slipped through the fence.
catnIp and all. Bless INV heart, |
don't SEE but Won are as smart as You
ever was" said he, admirlnply. rs he
pGiied along III her wake. Still YOU
must be getting along in years Dolly, as
vel! As mo Vtfense, hoDe-and | was
wondering whether or no II wasn't lone
some for you, living here, woman.
So"
oh. | never WAS one Of the lonesome
kind" responded Miss Dolly. briskly,
seating her guest IN the patchwork
cushioned rocking chair; land. for
that matter. hardly a day passes With
out some Of James's folks running in"
Yes, know: but if YOU was to change
your situation. wouldn't you enjoy life
better, think
Miss Dolly-fdgetsd at the green paper
curtains and intimated that her happi-
ness would be complete If the grass
hoppers would stop feeding on her gar
den sauce.
That's Just it" continued Mr.. Wig
gin, eagerly; Won do sem ~ need q
man To look out for your farming inter
ests. now, don't you. Dolly: man that
will be ready and willing to do for you
and make sou coInfortal
Il don't know" sud Dolly. dryly.
The year father died did have Silas
Potter. and be is the most faithful crei,-
ture living: but what with tho extra
Cooking and washing | had to do for
him. my work WIS about double, and,
when mud time came, | WAS glad to
send him off and hire by the day. |
have made mp my mind that men folks
around the house cost more than they
come TO.
Il guess We don't understand one an
other" said Mr.. Wiggin, slightly discon-
certed at this unflatterinn view Of his
sex. II wasn't speaking Of hiring help.
Dolly. Naturally you would get tired of
that. It's worrying TO a woman. But
If you was 10 have a companion, now
one that conld give you a good home,
with wood and water under cover"
"Shoo, sboo" cried Miss Dolly, flying
ont after an inquirinG chicken on the
doorstep.
Mr.. Wiggin drew his red handkerchief
from his hat 10 wipe his glowing face.
Certainly he had not felt the heat SO
bad through haylng.
"HOw'5 your health, nowadays 2"
asked Miss Dolly, frisking back with a
look of resolute Inconsistencies.
very conference.-the good.
don't know where YOU will find man
with a tougher constitution than have
got"
"Ah!" and Dolly blushed like o sumac
in October.
"Yes, I'm WELL" pursued Mr.. Wiggin.
land I'm tolcrable we'll
to. do, with nothing TO hinder my mar
rying again, provided lean see woman
to my mind"
There's the deacon's widow" sug-
gested Dolly, otliciously; she's pious,
&c pnomical-"
shes left with means enough to carry
her through handsomely" interrupted
MIR. WIggin. quickly. Now I'd rather
have a wife 10 provide for-one that
needed home. In fact, Dolly, | have
my eye on a little woman want this
very minute.
He had both eyes on her for that mat
ter. aud Miss Dolly was forced to recog-
nize the situation, whether she accepted
it or not.
"rve managed to sweeten my tea SO
far, David, without calling upon my
she chirruped, stopping to
lay straigh, the braided mat, land |
might as well keep on. don't feel it a
tax as some folks would. But there's
Martha Dunning, she's having hard
time To get along. Why don't you take
her, David? Sued appreciate such a
nice home as yours
1T would seem AZ if most any woman
might" said Mr.. Wiggin, i'll an injured
tore: "all finished off complete, painted
outside and in
"She'd be delighted with tim sure
of it," broke III Miss Dolly, with an air
of conviction. AS she darted into the
kitchen to lift the boiling kettle from
the crane.
But you don't mean that you won't
marry me, Dolly pleaded Mr.. Wiggin,
following her to the door. ~
have been doting on seeing you at the
head of things at my house."
Martha is a good manager" said
Miss Dolly, coolly. David needn't
think he can buy me with new set Of
buildings" she added, mentally, snap
ping dowa the lid of the pug -nosed tea
pot. Il never did have the name of be-
ing cropping"
~ Tell YOU, Dolly, won't have Mar
tina. doa't like her turn cried Mr.
Wiggin, testify balancing himself on
the threshold. yet not daring to step
over it.
Miss Dolly gave her undivided atten-
ton To wip,n9 the hearth.
You know you WAS always the wo-
man OF my choice. Dolly" pursued Mr..
Wig2iu. rs tenderly rs he could, con
sistently with the distance between
them. And when We were both
young
"Pshaww snapped Dolly. scorching
her brush, that's beyond the memory
of man."
Mr.. Virgins position was becoming
painfel. Miss Dolly was not to be won
by the attractions of wealth and posi-
ton. nor even nv tender illusions to the
past. He would appeal to her kindness
Of heart.
Il used TO believe Won had some feel
ing. Dolly" said he, TREMENDOUSLY: "but
you don't seem to have any for me.
Here am, left all alone in the world:
children all paired of. 'thouts Matilda,
and she'll 20 before the snow flies; house
esnp;y--"
~ suppose you can have a home with
any of your boys and welcome" put in