Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1884-04-17

tance in those days--and our interest
began to flag after mother came in
from the kitchen, and the conversion
was continued about old ncighbors of
whose existence we had been ignorant.
Wo betook ourselves to the kitchen,
when mother soon followed.
Presently, while Joe was caring for
his team father came in, and all un-
mindful ofsthe adagc about "littlc
pitchers" sad, with an air of one who
must be circ,mspect lest his risibili-
ties would bktray him, MA, what do
you suppose Joe has come for?"
I'm spsf>I don't know" replied
mother, composedly stirring another
handful of meal into the boiling mush
which was to be the piece dc resistance
of our evening meal.
''lic has como for q wife,
"a wife! ] did not know he was ac-
quainted around here"
He isn't. He wants mo to recon-
mend him to some girl who is strong.
able and willing to work, knows how
to run house anl (hcsitating little
as he saw the contemptuous curve of
my mothers nose and mouth) and I've
spoken about Jane"
"Squirc Blackw exclaimed mother.
emphasizing her words still further
by dash of the pudding sticl; which
sent the mush flying all over the
stove.
Jane was q farmers daughter who
worked tor us summers and went
home winters to help do up the spin
ming, weaving and the like.
A mutually satisfactory arrange
mcnt. as James services wcrc moro
needed at home in winter than the
summer, and mother thereby saved
the board and wages OF girl daring
the winter when the work was not so
heavy. Moreover, mother often said
that Jane put tho work ahead 50 when
she was there that she could not keep
her busy the year round.
ALI, help was help in those days.
But TO return to our kitchen. Father
had changed his position, getting n
little out Of the way Of another charge
from the mush pot, whore the beating
was going on vigorously.
After II pausc no began a,yain.
"Vell, m,t Jane is not bound to
marry Joe unless she wants to. But
perhaps she'll never get another
chance rs good. You know yourself
that any Of Aunt Annals boys is bound
to make good man and Il smart one"
"Nonc too smart if ho thinks to get
Il wife this way snapped the mother.
Let him try, ma, if he wants to;
let him try. Ii won't hurt him to
have the conccit taken out Of him."
No reply, but the mush was stirred
rs never mush before. Another
pause.
You know. ma. Jane has been
keeping company with that trihing
Dan Marcy"
"Why doesn't he marry n girl who
knows him If he wants to get mar
ricd?" sourly inquired mother; but
the pudding stick relaxed its vigor
slightly pnd father vcnturcd little
nearer the speaker.
"He says the girls up there are all
squaws, and down by his mothers
they have too high notions
"Wcll, it's Il heathenish, Frenehified
way of co1llting wife" replied moth
or, ''and if he were to conc about mo
that way, if l were Jane, I'd empty Il
bucket of water over him"
"Maybc she will, maybe she will
chucklcd father, who would probably
have enjoyed that termination of the
affair as well as any.
But, ma, you know Jane is terribly
homely, and --"
What father would have said was
cut short by the entrance of Joe bear
ing n jar and package.
"Mothcr sent these to You with her
compliments. Mrs. Black
Mother, who knew the flavor Of
Aunt Anna's cheese and honey of old,
was somewhat Modified by these pres
ents, but she remained rather sull,y
all the evening; even when Joe filed
her wood box, piling the sticks as
evenly as lath in Il bundle, filed the
water-pails, cut the kindlins and dld
the milking, bringing tho pail in as
clean. she condcscendcd to tell him,
as she would herself or but she
checked herself and did not say "or
Jane"
She would be no party to that in
iquity.
He nearly won her when he repeat
ed his text promptly and correctly and
knclt reverently at prayers, and she
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