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

be.p' he said in his sharp falSetto, a min
ute later.
."Yes," said Mrs. selchow, looking
up from the milk she was skimming.
tfMalk in, Brother .Lazier"
Brother Lazier walked in. He was
small, dry man, so stiff in the joints that
he progressed by a series of Jerks sug-
gestive of Mrs. farley. He had dusty
complexion, miniature desert of Saba
"a on the top of his head, surrounded
by clumps of sandy hair, and his very
voice seemed to have dried up and
cracked.
lie sat down upon pile of empty but
ter tirkins, with preoccupied air, but
immediately rising, crossed the room.
alternately taking few steps and then
stopping short, like robin. At last he
remarked: Uncommon dry spell we
are having"
Mrs. Selchow assented cordially; and
this subject being disposed of, silence
ensued during which Mr.. Lazier and his
green cotton umbrella continued to
mount guard.
Flows your mother ?" inquired Mrs.
Selchow, making skirmish toward con-
versation.
"Marm's considerable poorly. l ex-
pect," replied her son; ''and that's
l.
meant ter say" Here Brother Lazier
grasped his umbrella convulsively, and
paused. "She amt so young as she
once were," he resumed, "and it's hard
on her to take the heft of the work.
Another pause, during which our brother
wiped his brow with pictorial handker-
chief illustrating scenes in the life of the
Prodigal Son.
eyes, said Mrs. Selchowy~ foreseeing
what was coming, and anxious to help
her visitor out-"Yes, you need some
body there that can take right hold and
go ahead. Your mother is getting on in
years, as you say, and the place needs
younger woman to see after it.
"That, now, was just what l was
a-coming to-" responded Mr.. LaZier,
much gratifed. "I've been a-thinking,
this some time, whether or no Scripter
want about right, and I've come a-pur-
pose to ask you if so be you'd be so good
as to pick out some likely girl for me.
You see, a young man like me feels kin
der diffodent round amongst the girls"
he added, stroking his hay-colored
goatee, which was plentifully streaked
with gray. "Not but what there'd be
plenty Of 'em that would Jump at the
chance he resumed, glibly-for, the
bars once down, Mr.. Lazier felt perfectly
at ease-"but, you see, there are so
many can't make up my mind, and
want you to sorter tell 'em over, soft |
can chalk EN- off. You see, sister Sell
chow, / want a master hand to work.
She must be able to hetchel round; can t
have no poor weakly Greater. But, Ithen,
you see, the smart kind are apt to be
topping. | can't have that. She mustn't
be trying to usurp authority nor moth
ing; I'm particular about that. She
must be obliging-be willing to help
about the chores, and thall save my
keeping boy. She must be ekernom-
ical, and know how to live on plain Wit
ties, and not be wanting a new caliker
every little while. l want she should
be able to make fust rate butter and
cheese. Mother is falling off little on
butter; didn't get as much by ten cents
as I'd orter for that last box. And if she
has few hundred in the bank, it would
come handy, for, you know our place has
a mortgage. Now, you see, y he added,
81 amt particular; but these ere few
things DO insist upon"
"H'm," said Mrs. Selchow, watching
the milk as it dropped through the skim
mer. Perhaps widow Voss would suit
you"
"Number one," said the bachelor, in
business-like voice, producing lump
of chalk, with which he proceeded to
make mark ON the dairy floor. Now
let's see, he went on, assuming a judi
cial air, "Widder Voss is as spry as
cricket-good-tem too; but then
never took much stock in widders, and
I'm a little skittish of 'em. They are
always THROWN of it in your face how
that you amt a-doin' so we'll by 'em as
their first husband did. guess we'll
crowd her OUT" and he stopped to draw
line across the mark which represent
ed the unfortunate widow.
Miranda Brown" suggested the
mention.
"Mirandy is a good girl; she'd make
a fust-rate OF wife; but there's her
father, being took down with paralysis
so, he's liable to live for years. That
spiles her," and another cross decided
the destiny of Miranda.
"Jane Tucker prompted the indefa-
tigable Mrs. Selchow.
Number three" asserted the prospec-
tive lover. Jane is almost too ready.
l mistrust she's been a-lookin' out for
this chance for some time; she's asked
after marm's rheumatism twice now
within a week, and / make no doubt
she's all prepared to step in. / won't
have a woman that don't wait to be
asked,' said Mr.. Lazier, decidedly, as
he cancelled James hopes.
"Well, now, there's Kitturah Riddle"
exclaimed Mrs. Selchow, running her
finger round the edge of the pan to loos-
en- the cream. tShe's as good as gold,
and neat as pin. There amt better
housekeeper in town, and she can sing
like lark, and hasn't any membranes
either"
''And they do say she has pretty
little sum in the bank, too; "but then
she is uncommon humbly," objected