The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-07-16

with her new tinery, and set out
onhet journey.
Asthe weeks passed on, Hazel
and Auntc Comfort enjoyed them.
selyesin their new home, in spite
ofthe evil representations.
And indeed, though the dissatis.
fed kinfalk still shook their heads
over Hazel aud her doings, they
were very we'll pleased todrive out
tothe farm on summer afternoons,
and their Gil offipe black heart
cherries, OFdrink tea from Hazel's
flowered,ehina tea,cup; or to spend
the day, and dine on fried chicken,
green peas new potatoes and other
early vegetables, raised by the in
dustry Of Hazel and Aunt Comfort,
with q little help from Cousin
John andShishired hand Mike.
Married? No; nor ] don't ney.
er expect to be-" solemnly asserted
Mr.. Nicholas Bycroft, as he fasten.
ed the hasp Of his trunk, and took
downhis breech.loading rife to see
that ii was in order.
For Mr.. Nicholas was making
final preparations for his journey
to Texas, where he was going into
stock,rais!ng on a cattle ranch Of
several hundred acres.
"Get married, indeed" he con-
tinued, muttering to himself. =
"There amt no more'n one girl in
a hundred I'd have, an like as not
that one wouldn't have me. If
there was a girl, now, that
thought Of anything beside a.curl-
ing her hair and dressing herself
up in silks and furbelows, an had
any idee Of what a home ought to
be, l. dun know but l might
But, pshawl if there is any SIGH
girls, I've never come across 'em
an never expect to. I'll be an old
bachelor and live by myself, like
Uncle Tom"
= x y Y x
"Bless me, Hazel" cried Aunt
Comfort, one bright summer morn
ing, "here's your Cousin John an
Arvilly a,comin' out in the spring
wagon, an a man with 'em. Who
kin it be? 'Taint the minister, /
know, fur he's more grizzled look
in an haint got a p'inted mus.
tache like this one"
1t was baking.day, and Hazel
was in the kitchen, her sleeves
rolled up, and her cheeks flushed
to q bright damask red.
u hope The best table.cloth is
clean, whoever it is" she returned,
peeping into the oven at a pan Of
cherry.tarts, that were almost
swimming in their own crimson
juice.
The stranger with the "p'inted
mustache" proved to be Mr.. Mich.
olas Bycroft, who has stopped on
his journey to spend week with
his cousin Arvilla, John Mulford's
wife.
Mr.. Bycroft's visit to the Cherry
farm was by no means his last one;
and for some reason or other, his
weeks visit stretched to a month,
and the month had almost doubled
itself, aud still he fingered at his
cousins near Dripping Springs.
One summer night he stood with
Hazel on the latticed porch at
Cherry Cottage, the soft moon.
beams differing down through the
scarlet bean-vines overhead.
"There amt another woman in
the world 1 ever wanted to marry,
Hazel only you'll" whispered Niche
las, earnestly. ~ want a wife that
can help me to make a home and
to enjoy it after it is made. Think
ofmy big ranch, outin Texas, now.
| shall live there a lonely old bach.
elor all my days, unless you go
with me. Say, Hazel, will you gOR"
And so, much to the delight Of
Cousin Johns folks, and the sur.
prise of other relations, the wealthy
cattle.rancher carried Hazel of, to
be mistress Of his Texas home.
Aunt Comfort was left in pOss.
ession Of Cherry farm, rent free,
for the rest Of her days; and here,
Melzena Mulford was glad to seek
an asylum when she returned from
the seashore, with only a remnant
other legacy left, and with no
prospects Of marriage settlements
on hand.- Helen Whitney Clark.
ATOO willing Young Man.