The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-11
HOW SHEWAS WON.
AleXiai''

|
| Alexiap'
The widow Sharply hurried out to tht
little summer kitchen, and hastily
pinned bow Of scarlet ribbon at thu
throat Of her dark morning. dress, ant
smoothed tho crinkly, jet-black hair
that waved above her high forehead.
"Alexial" she cried sharply to &
girl with bare, dimpled arms and gold
streaked hair. ''go down to the sullel
and bring up that yallow pitcher full
o. cider, all git plate @ them crulls
you fried yesterday.
''Be in jitfy, too, fur I want 'enl
right away"
"All right, aunt Phemic."
AleXia flew down the cellar, and
hastily brimmed the yellOw pitcher
with the foamy liquid; then seizing q
blue-rimmed plate, she piled it high
with the crisp, brown epu]lers-rings,
diamonds, and plump, tempting look
ing hearts.
els it Daddy Crabree, aunt Phemic?''
she asked innocently, as she handed
the plate to her aunt.
the widow scornfully.
- J.
crulls on old Daddy Crabtree?
cts Squire Lillinbridge, that's who
tits, an you see that you mind that
curlant jelly on the cook-stove, an
keep out o sight with your frowsy
hair an that old slouch of a dress"
esquire Lillibridge!
"I'l keep out of sight, " sighed Alex
ia, as she turned away with the shadow
of tears in her downcast blue eyes.
"But I would like to know what
makes him so cold and distant to me
now, when he used to be so pleasant
and kind"
"Taste another crull, squire, dew!
atrhfXdIe gd %n mnaeI lyxt Rnt fnp apJ a
O1rsrln' 'em to you.
"What's the use, aunt she said, sof
givin' away ylttles to folks that don't
need 'emp
81 wouldn't be a-throwin' away
crulls an cider like that on anybody
she declared.
"But, lal Pm only too glad to hev
somethin' l kin offer to visitors, espec-
tally when they are partikler friends.
''I believe in friendship, an allus
hev am allus will"
And she donned her most hospitable
smile, thereby deepening the track of
the "crow's feet'' around the sharp
black eyes.
"Wont you iiey another taste Of the
cider, squire?
"Well, eff you must 60, wont hen
der you.
"But do came ag'n an stay to teal
'It's d real charity to lie to hev
something to cook fur once an awhile.
Now, / shall expect YOU"
The widow smiled complacently as
she watched her visitor out of sight.
eyes," she muttered to herself, otis
a comin' all right now.
"I think he did banker lectle mite
after Alexla fur awhile, but I've sot
that all right"
And she smiled to herself, much as q
cat might who was all ready to spling
upon al unwary mouse.
s'The squire's mighty well-to-do
man." She continued, rocking back
wards and forwards in the chair her
visitor had just vacated-"a mighty
well-to-do man, an not q chick or a
child to hinder him, no matter what he
does.
SAN the Lil!ibridge farm--why it's
the biggest an the best kept Of any
farm hereabOut.
'"rhe calves on his back pasture
would be forchin by themselves,
without a-countin' tho mcdder lots,
an the apple-orchard, an hop-ield, an
the big barn, plump full of clover hay,
am the biggest ears of corn that ever
growed in q bottom field,
"Besides, the squire's q powerful
goodl0okin' man,ap' of t'WAn't fun
that old-maid sister Of his ! sh'd iev
nothin to complain Of.
"But 'twon't make no great differ
ence, fur whent / git him / kin sool
make the house too hot to hold any
other woman. shill set Alexia adrift
too, fur that matter, but 1 won't give
her hint till the time comes.
"rhere's the apples to gether, an tho
picklin, an sich.
"After that she kin look out fur her
self.
81 amt got no call to keep her."
And pretty Alexia, unconscious OF
the fate in store for her, stood looking
out Of the kitchen window at tho grea
fields and meadows Of the Lillibridgs
farm, and thinking what happy MAJ
the squire must be, to claim such pos
sessions for his own.
In the meantime, Squire Lillibridgt
had his own thoughts, as he walked
slowly homeward under the green tree
which borderd the grassy lane.
eyes Mrs. Sharply is nne-lookint
woman," he muttered, thpughtfully
pulling the end Of his brown nous
tache.
''And If was only certain she wa
as true and good-tempered rs she ap
pears, to be, I'd marry her tomorrow
If she was willing.
GAS for little Alexia, it is a grea
pity she has such a shrewish tempe
Ind urcharitable disposition.
And the Squire sighed, as he though
Of the blue eyes and gold streaked hair
and concluded the old proverb must b.
rue, Gall was not gold that glittered.