The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-10-15
Keturah Riddles Courtship.
lConcLnded from ] 50 aeeek.l :.


Concluded from 50 ,ceek.)
"Cow ?-oh no! meant-that is, 1
must have been thinking of something
else,'' Numbered Mr. Lazier, looking
uneasily at the bantam which
Never fitting. never fitting.
Still was sitting, still was sitting,
Just above
the barn-yard gate.
''Now, sir, you know what she is
worth. She is worth more than the
value OF the money, you can see your
self. You can't do any better than to
take her. OF course it don't make any
difference to me, but if you know good
chance when you see it, if you know
what's for your own interest, you will
take her, and she'll never disappoint
YOU"
eff she want so humbly," murmur-
ed Mr.. Lazier, absently, for, by this time
his eyes were with his heart, and that
was far away"
"Hey! what are you talking about %
asked Jones.
"Ke-tu-rah!'' cried voice overhead,
in imitation OF the bantam. '.Ke7tu-rah
Kiddlen'
There was. no possibility OF mistake
I. this time, it was Keturah Kiddle and
nothing else, and it certainly was not
the bantam The shipwrecked adven-
turers in the enchanted Island OF Pros
pero were not more diStraught by the
strange noises of that isle than was Mr.
Lazier by this aerial voice. He dashed
wildly out of the barn-yard, with Mr..
Jones's dog Tower in hot pursuit.
"Hezekiah," said Mrs. Lazier, at sup
per, "I'd as lieves you'd 90 down to the
corners and get me some molasses and
Goldfish tonight"
"Wa'al,' . said Mr.. Lazier, and half
an hour later his green chariot and one
eyed horse drew up before that institu-
ton known as "the store" The chronic
group of loungers which were forming a
sort of fence around Cornelius Jones,
Jun, could not have drawn on more
flnereal countenanceS when Mr.. LaZier
entered if he had been sarcOphagus;
and the silence was unbroken until he
asked for his molasses.
Young Jones sauntered carelessly up
to keg of butter which stood upon the
counter.
OK. X Whose butter is this ~ he
asked.
THAT butter,'' said the store-keeper,
coughing, twas made by Miss Riddle"
''kiddle? What the one that lives
on tine cross roads, over our way" in
quired Cornelius gravely.
Mr. Lazier began to regard a string of
button-molds with deep interest.
''Well, now" resumed Cornelius, 81
heard some body say that she got more
for her butter than any body else in
town, and her cows are not Attorney,
either. By-the-way," addressing the
audience in general way, they do say
Miss Riddles father left her about two
thousand dollars. Ii | was q marrying
man, now, l don't know but what I'd
try my luck. Don't know but what |
shall as it is. / want a wife that is
smart enough 10 support me, and ketu
rah could make handsome living if she
was tied up in meal-bag. When was
moving our west lot used to 20 By her
house every morning about five O'Clock,
and ] declare if she wasn't out wedding
in the garden, with all her milking pans
drying believe she makes her bed
before she gets up, and washes her dish
es before breakfast"
Mr.. Lazier never thought u the cod
fish till he was halfway home AZ the
horse turned into the d0or-yard and
stopped in front Of the dilapidated barn,
his masters meditations came 10 a sud-
den end, and he exclaimed, i've got
it' Scrambling out OF the buggy,
without stopping to unharness, he rushed
toward the barn, umbrella in hand. III
it falls over toward the calves stable
I'll do it, he said, placing the greer
cotton oracle tip downward upon the
floor. He let 60 of it with trembling
/ hand. 1t toppled over and fell with q
n decisive thud upon the very threshold Of
N the calves stable.
y "I'm a-going down 10 the store to.
\ night to get your Goldfish, marm," said