The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-07-25
THE SQUIRB'S MISTAKE.

Squire Dudley was ID his garden,
pulling weeds in his patch Of tame
strawberries, on the morning when he
took a fancy sor Ruth Lees pretty face.
She came down the road, looking fresh
as 3 new blown rose in her plain calico
dress and straw hat. Her brown hair,
cut quite short, blew all about her face
in little ringlets and her blue eyes and
bright CHI, ks made her as pretty a pic
ture as n often secs. Squire Dudley
saw her just as she came opposite the
strawberry patch, and called out
Good morning!" in his, CHEEKY way.
"Oh, good morningi" she answered.
You almost scared me, Squire Dudley.
I didn't see you until you spoke"
pleasant morning. isn't it said the
Squire, coming up to the fen ce. Ruth
had halted in the road.
TITS beautiful weather." answered
Ruth. II told mother it was too pleas
ant to stay in doors, and started off on
a visit"
care your strawberries ripe yetg"
said the Squire, wondering that he new
er had noticed what a fresh, charming
face Widow Lees daughter had before.
"Our strawberries? ?" laughed Ruth,
we haven't got one. Our old rooster
got in one day, about q week ago, and
picked all he could eat, and then coa3ed
the hens in, and between them they
ruined our strawberry CROP"
"Too bad!" exclaimed the sympathetic
squire.
"Haye some of these, Ruth. They're
just ripe enough to be good"
He picked some great clusters of ripe
berries and handed them over the fence
to her.
"Thank you," said Ruth, smiling
"How good they are. Mother was
making great calculations on her straw
berry jam. She was terribly vexed
when she found out what the hens had
done"
1--WE got lots to spare" said the
squire. I'll send some over to your
mother"
"She'd be much obliged to you," said
Ruth; !" if you nave more than you want. !"
"Plenty of them" answered the
squire. Plenty of them. Can have
them Just as we'll MS not"
81 must be going" said Ruth. GOOD
morning"
Good morning." returned the
Squire, looking after her as she went
down the road. II declare there amt
a prettier girl in town than Ruth Lee.
/ wonder none of the young fellows
haven't got her away from the widow.
If I was young now"
Squire Dudley stopped suddenly. An
idea had flashed across his brain.
II am now fifty" he said at last, after
thinking quite busily for some minutes.
II am fifty" but L don't look it. I
don't see why 1 shouldn't try my luck
after all. Girls as young as Ruth mar
ry men older than ! am. I'm sure she'd
make any man good wife. Her moth
er is IL If the finest women in the
state, and she's brought her daughter
up to know how to work and be saving
and prudent. And we need q house
keeper. Mrs. Brown she's old and
fussy and crooked, and this way of liv-
ing isn't half living. I do believe I'll
marry her if she'll have me. May be
Charley will say it is foolish, but I can't
help that"
The squire fell to wedding out his
strawberries again diligently, and kept
thinking about Ruth all the while. Long
before dinner was ready he had fully
made up his mind to propose marriage
to Ruth, and bring her home a e
housekeeper and mistress to the great
house whose mistress had been dead
for ten years or more; provided, o.
course, that Ruth didn't say no. and the
squire thought there wasn't much dan.
ger of that. though why he should be Sc
sure, I can't say.
Don't you think we mead a house
keeper?".he said to his son Charles
that afternoon rs they sat on the veran'
dab. The squire evidently saw som
new feature in the landscape, for he
kept his face turned from Charley az ht
spoke.
"A housekeeper?" asked Charley
eve have got one. What do we want
OF more l should like to know"
Eyes, 1 know" assented the squire
turning red in the face, and beginning
to get q little uneasy; but Mrs. Brown
is not such q woman as we need. She
does not take such an interest in thu
work 'as-as q woman who-who hat
more interest in it,"
After which extremely logical argu
ment the Squire got more tidgety than
yer.
II understand that" answered Char.
ley. IF she had a personal interest il
the place and in being prudent, AM
keeping things up, she'd do better thar
she does now. Now she gets her pa,
for her work, and that's all she care.
for. It's all We can expect of her"
Just So" said the Squire, gladt to Sc,
Charley agreed with him SO far. CIV
been thinking this morning that tn,
best thing that I can do would be t.
get some one who would take a persona
interest in matters. don't see as 20,
intend to get married, and if you won't
I don't know but I'd better"
The Squire breathed easier. Til
worst part was over with.
"You get married ?" exclaimed Char
ley, in intense surprise. "Why, 1 didn'
know that you eyer thought of it,"
"And l haven't till this morning" ex
claimed the Squire. II got to thinkin.
about it this morning, and the more