The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-10-08

returned Mrs. SelchOW. "Keturrah has
a great deal of sound good sense, and
her butter took the prize at the cattle
show last fall. /"
Well, here she goes-number FOUR
seluctantly admitted Mr.. Lazier. "I'm
great mind I'll go and see her-if it
want for her bein' so prodigious plain
featured. Well, I'm greatly obliged to
| you Sister Selchow, and III oas much
for you some time, = said the bachelor.
with an innocence which upset Sister
Selchow's gravity, and with it the pan
OF skinR-milk which she was emptying
into pigs pail. The unconscious author
OF the mishap was already ambling
| peacefully through the Selchow garden,
bright with phlox and popies, with a
rear-guard of melons and cucumbers.
"Hezekiah Lazier!" said his mother,
a few hours later, 81 do declar' fort. if
you amt a-growin' def I've bowed
the horn e'ena' most timess enough to
bring down the walls o. Jericho, and
here We be out behind the house all the
while ~
"Sho, now protested her son, 81
concluded you forgot to blow the horn.
| was a-calculatin' whether or no twas
best to buy another cow" he added, in
an explanatory tone.
Il don't see but we shall have to, if
you keep on at this rate; here you be
a-helpin' yourself to butter again when
you've got three pieces on your plate
Already remarked the old lady.
I've great Mindful go and see
her this afternoon-the COW, | mean, y
hastily added Hezekiah, putting salt in
his tea.
Its right on the road to Jones's,"
unused the same individual, after dinner,
as he unused pensively over the pig-pen
chewing straw. ''ft wouldn't hinder
much, as / know of, and jest now may
| ketch her unaware. Wa'al, anyhow, /
can call, and if / don't conclude to take
her, I'll 60 and see Jones's COW, so
'twon't be wasting time"
Half an hour later farmer Lazier and
his green cotton umbrella might have
been seen vending their way along the
road.
''I'm e'ena most a mind not to stop
to-day" murmured Mr.. Lazier, as he
caught sight of the white cottage with
its porch covered with morning-glories
81 don't know as I'm afraid to go in--I
don't know as be, }" he pursued, wiping
his face with the Prodigal Son.
While he was deciding this question
burst of song foated through the open
window. 1t was an old fashioned hymn;
the words were homely, the tune was
commonplace; but the soul of the wo-
man who sang seemed to fill and over
flow both song and words. Unconscious
ly the listener drew nearer; before he
knew it he had passed up the little walk
| bordered by verbenas and clove-pinks,
and reached the dazzling row OF milk
pans set to dry upon the porch.
.f ''l'n EQtch her nnawarpS.' ren0atpd
the bachelor, with triumphant chuckle.
| But alas for his precautions ! his green
| cotton umbrella slid out of his hand, and
with crash worthy of one of Jove's
thunder-bolts, knocked down the whole
row of pans.
"Why, Mr.. Lazier, how do you do?''
said Miss Riddle, coming to the door to
send away Mr.. Jones's dog, as she sup
posed, and looking somewhat surprised
to find the intruder of different order.
Yes, it is an uncommonly dry SPELL"
remarked the visitor, absently.
The kitchen had not suspicion of
dirt anywhere, the dinner dishes APP
peared to have been washed ages ago,
the stove shone like star of the first
magnitude, and Miss Riddle herself
wore the most immaculate of calicoes
and white collars. She was plain, but
Her Idc6 WAS lull VI ClldTdCb0T anu SOOU-
ness, which even Mr.. Lazier could not
to shrink, as he locked at her, till it al
most ratified within him.
"What charming weather we are hav-
ing" said the hostess.
"Yes-good for punkins," admitted
our utilitarian friend.
"How is your mother, now," asked
Miss Keturah, trying to keep the con-
versational ball rolling.
"She means business, sure enough,
thought the bachelor, with internal con-
sternation.
'She amt so young as she once
WERE" he answered aloud; after which
remarkable announcement he relapsed
into silence He was surmising what
Mr.. Riddle was worth when he died,
and calculating how much, at an interest
of seven per cent, it would amount to
by this time.
Miss Keturah attempted to insert an
other conversational wedge. Mr.. La
zier," she began, care you calculating"
MIR. Lazier gave a guilty start-"are
you calculating to raise many melons
this year,"
"No,' said the farmer, looking much
relieved. Melons are going to be
rather slim crop this year, so far as |
know"
az have few vines, but they havn't
done much" pursued Miss Riddle. II
find it troublesome to get man to do
my planting when it ought to be done,
they are all so driven right in planting
time.'
"There p thought Mr.. Lazier, feeling
in his pocket for the Prodigal Son; "she
means that for hint-women are so
suspicious"
GIVE let my land out on shares this
year." went on the unconscious Ketu-
rah. "NIr. Jones has taken the garden,