The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-12-13
Mis- Han ous Reading,
THE FULFORDS.

81 and al 8 So =, =
Could the whole Fulford family be. boiled
down into one quadruped, and that quadruped
~ hunter, it would undoubtedly prove what 10
known to Nimrods % s'rueher." r@
The Fulfords are all alike in . good many
things They are none of them in the least
clever; but in that they resemble the immense
= majority Of their neighnors. Still have won
q dered and wondered how it is that With really
such rabbit like braius they do not make utter
shipwrecks of their lives have partially
succeeded in solving the mystery. S..
First, their stupidity does not lie IN the
Y direction Of not knowing how to take care of
their money, of which they possess good deal
Distressed friends, flash speculators, and, in
deed, the whole crew of s'bleeders," as the
slang term has II, might appeal to them eter-
nallyin vain. They have no heart and no am
bition.
Secondly, although the world is quite aware
what small fry, Intellectually, the Fulfords
are, yet practically, and perhaps on that &C
acts as if it could more easily spare better
family. You see they are living compliment
to every one else-the foil or background
against. which superior people, and the still
larger class Of those who fancy themselves su-
Those who envy them their good looks and
means-neither of which, by the bye, are very
tremendous-owe them no gruJge for these
because consoled by their mental shortcomings
and general lack Of social weight
Thirdly, they take their life easily to q de-
gree marvellous 10 deOple who are not phloso-
piers. 1T is due to their dgestlons, Won
derful constitutions add 80 FORTH" says the
world; and no doubt that has much to do with
When say they take life easily, mean as
to its troubles, cares and defeats; for, as be-
gan by announcing, whenever anything has to
be done, from journey to a wedding, they are
instantly al fuss and furry.
The eldest daughter is married. She mar
ried, in her first season, middle aged n. p.
with lots of money, and has now two children
the Fuleords are all prolific.
But Millicent has hung fire most distressin2ly
and her third season is now drawing to close.
Hitherto no one has minded much, but now the
family have just woke up TO the fact that Win
ny and Flo, the two next girls, who happen to
be twins, are quite seventeen, and will there
fore have to be presented next season.
The sort of way they all play with their cards
on the table is q wonder to behold. II son. Of
whom, like the daughters, there are many, gets
plucked for an exam--aud they almost always
do get plucked-the whole family publish the
l. fact IN all directions, and seem never to feel
the modification of such an occurrence in the
pleasure Of impartng 80 interesting piece Of
news.
III the present instance, about Mi]ly, they all
announce the fact wherever they go, aud almost
of their hands, on account Of the next two who
are sprouting up
They find consolation, I suppose, in airing
their grievance, aud, perhaps, also in the
words OF sympathy which they evoke Per-
haps, too, they are in hopes of useful sueges-
no moro hold their tongue about a shoe that,
pinches than 90 many babies. What they want
they must claInor for, whether that is the right
way to get it Or nc. Still it is surprising how
- 6oho fTSnf In
Fulfords
But though the family have no hearts, in the
higher sense Of the word, they are not only
fairly afectioDate, one to another, but are
quite as capable OF falling in love as other
people. And this is what happened to Mill
cent couple of years ago. and hence, prob
ably, why she has ''hung fire" SO. as people
express it
You see Mtne's attachment was not one
where there was any immediate prospect of
4 marriage. Allan Cameron was o very nice
young Scotchman, and looked very ''braw'' in
his kilt at the Caedorian bali, where Mly
first met him. But we'll shaped knees and
wide chest though solid enough in their way,
is, in civilized society. TWAS true he had other
recommendations which, though more cal
culated to please the father of girl, had still
not the irrefragable claims of q landed estate
requested to be put to commercial pursuits
and to have his younger sons portion devoted
to getting him start in great merchants
counting house in Bristol
He had learned French and German in his
spare hours; had won the confidence of his
employers Ivy his industry and punctuality,
and now, at e-and- twenty, lad already
been sent twice to China and Japan by the
firm, and was in as promising q position
to become one day partner aud die very
noble yet not fashionable walk of life Still,
for the moment his income was only 400
year, nor could he and MiIlicent, when they
had come to the stage Of discussing possibili-
to higher figure. She, like all the Fufords.
was to have 100000; but that. as the lovers
we'll knew, was q reason altogether against
dreaming of asking papa's consent instead Of
hoping for it
They were easy going people, Papa and
Mamma Fulford; quite incapable of strong
demonstrations of anger or indignation. They
knew all about the Cameron-Mi]ly Irritation:
eyes, and was devoid Of the fimsiest attempt
1t concealment; but they supposed all young
people firted more or less, and if they thought
any further about it, they were rather sorry
love fever so badly, and were quite distressed
that it could never be.
"You know you'll break that young mans
hearty said old Fulford, pathetically, to bis
child one day he happened to have nothing
sNonsense, papa. I'm sure shan't"
'slrs nonsense, Of course, but he may keep
serious suitors away"
''And why shouldn't he be serious suitor?"
ventured Milly, blushing:
twopence. To be sure, It cuts two ways.
wooers."
10, ;;'ob, papa, what sh'mel Pm sure if poor
'Thats good again. Poor Allan is good"
"And suppose choose to marry him?" eaid
the Young lady. flaring up and stamping very
pretty 4tyy foot ,o.u :, ..;, A.. ,ona ,.t,or IN
pertubably, II shouldn't give you one far
thing"
And the girl hadn't the slightest doubt that
he meant what he said
short time after the above little confab. the
waking up as to the clearing the road for the
t twins came and shook the house Of Fulford like
- an earthquake.
"What are you about, mother2" asked
James, the second son. He evidently thought
mother was q sort of husband hunting
hound, and sure to bring down her quarry If
properly urged to it
''Weli, my dearest Jim, what can I do? ]
take her everywhere. I've told her lvs ridicu-
lous her not going off,"
"Absurd."
'And it makes people laugh at me!'
Then Howard, the eldest hope of the Full
fords, lounged in.
"Eh, talking of M1lly? Oh, yes, you know.
I eav dash it all, mother, something must be
done!" and he puffed away at q cigarette he
was consuming, as he thought even that form
of energy might do good to the cause they had
on hand.
':Thats what say" said Jim.
IF, instead of droning on something must
be DONE you would kindly inform US from the
depth of your wisdom what that something
is" began poor Mrs. Fulford, growing shriu
= and angry.
a. "Weli. listen here. MATER" quoth Howard,
soothingly. sTm not man Of ideas, myself,
but when hear one. dropped by another fell
low, If think it's worth anything, I've sense
enough to pick it up Now, Bangs was saying
the other day"
Lord Bangs is the planet to whom Howard
does moon, always, in fact, keeping his face
toward him. as our moon does to rs. unless
she happens to have another face on the otner
side, but I can't enter into that
The Fulfords are all tosdies, but honest
ones, who scorn to conceal the fact from any
one.
swell, Bangs was saying that all the sue
cessful man. hunters now"
1.-THE what?" ohorused his mother and Jim.
"Well, match hunters or man-hunters; it's
all the same. He says you may 60 on hunting
tho species forever and do no good. Where
was Il? wish you wouldn't stop me for .
word Oh, know. Bangs says that all tho
successful sportswomen single out the particu-
lar head Of game they mean to stalk, and then
deliberately hunt him down. &C.,.
''By Jove! rare ideal" cried Jim, who al
- L.. l-kt j.