The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-12-05

tCi Nuo dilldLtO ttt ilVi dtC,
coming from such stock. He welcom-
ed her courteously, but shyly.. She re-
piled with rare aifability, and that en-
tire absence of mock-modesty which
was already feature i'm her'character.
To be sure, she was little more than
fifteen, though she was full grown, and
looked nearer twenty.
BARLEY began to feel his way with
Colonel Clifford about the farm. lie
told him he was pretty successful in
agriculture, thanks To the assistance of
an experienced friend, and then he said,
half carelessly,. "By-the-bye. they tell
me. you have one to let. Is that SOP"
walter" said Colonel Clifford, "have
you farm to let?"
'NOt at present, sir; but one will be
vacant i'm a month, unless the present
tenant consents to pay thirty per cent.
more than he has done"
Might | see that farm, Mr.. Waltery'
asked BARLEY.
Certainly" said Walter; 81 shall be
happy to show You over it." Then he
turned to Mary. Il am afraid it would
be no compliment to you. Ladies are
not interested in farms
"Oh, but lam, since papa is, and Mr..
Hope: and then on O,uAarm there are SO
many dear little young things; little
calves, little lambs, and little pigS Lit
tie pigs are ducks-reIy little ones, |
mean; and there is nearly always Il
young colt about, that eats out of my
hand. Not like a farm? The ideal"
Then / will show you all over ours,
you and Your papa" said Walter, warm
ly. lie then asked Mr.. BARLEY where
he was to be found; and when Mr.. Bart
leytOld him mt the "Dun Cow" he look
ed at Mary and said, "Oh!"
Mary understood in a moment, and
laughed and said: I'VE are very COM
Portable, assure YOU. We have the
parlor all to ourselves, and there are
samplers hung up, and OH such funny
pictures, and the landlady is beginning
to spoil me already
Nobody can spoil you, Mary" said
Mr.. Bartl' ".
"You ought to know, papa, for YOU
have been trying good many years"
Not very many, Miss BARLEY" said
Colonel Clifford, graciously: Then he
calling her miss when she is my own
niece. and, now Think Of it, she can't
be half as old as she looks. | remem-
Der the day she was born. My dear,you
are an impostOr."
BARLEY changed color at this chance
shaft. But Colonel Clifford explained:
you pass for twenty, and you can't
be more than-Let me see"
IL am fifteen and four months" said
Mary, "and | do take people in-cruelly."
well" said Colonel Clifford, you see
you can't take me in. 1 knOwyour date.
So come and give your old ruflian of an
uncle kiss"
"That will,' cried Mary, and flew at
Colonel Clifford, and flung both arms
round his neck and kissed him. "Oh!
papa" said she, Il have got an uncle
now. A hero, too; and me that is SO
fond of heroes! Only this is my first
out of books"
MARY, my dear" said BARLEY, "you
are too impetuOus. Please excuse her,
Colonel Clifford. Now, my dear, shake
hands with your cousin, for we must be
going"
Mary complied; but not ut all impetu-
Ously. She lowered her long lashes, and
put out her hand timidly, and said,
"GOOd-by, Cousin Walter"
He held her hand a moment, and that
made her color directly. "YOu will come
over the farm. Can you ride? Have
you your habit?"
mo, cousin; but never mind that. l
can put on a long skirt"
a skirt! But, after all, it does not
matter straw what you wear"
Next day, punctual to the minute,
Walter drove up to the door in an open
carriage drawn by two fast steppers.
He found Mr.. BARLEY alone, and why?
because, at sight of Walter, Mary, for
the first time in her life, had flown up
stairs to look at herself in the glass be-
fore facing the visitor, and to smooth her
Ia;, rot IN M
ing, as usual, the power of beauty, and
ovcrrating utilities. BARLEY took this
opportunity, and said to young Clifford:
81 owe you an apology, and most
earnest one. Can you ever forgive me~
Walter changed color. Even this
humble allusiOn to so great an insult
was wormwood to him. lie bit lis lip
and Said
"No man can do more than say he is
sorry. will try to forget it, sir"
THAT is as much as | can expect"
said BARLEY, humbly "But if you only
knew the art. the cunning, the apparent
evidence, with which that villain Monck-
ton deluded me-"
THAT can believe"
And permit me one observation be-
fore we drop this unhappy subject for
ever. If you had done me the honor
10 come 10 me as waiter CLIFFORD, why,
then, strong and misleading as the evil
dence was, should have said, Appear
ances are deceitful, but no Clifford was
ever dislOyal.'"
This artful speech conquered Walter
Clifford. He blushed, and bowed lit
tie haughtily at the compliment to the
Cliffords. But his sense Of justice was
aroused.
"You are right" said he. Unjust try
and see both sides. If man sails UNI
der false colors, he mustn't howl if he
is mistaken for pirate. Let us dis
miss the subject forever. am Walter
Clifford nOw-at your service"
At that moment Mary BARLEY came
in beaming with youth and beauty, and
illumined the room. The cousins shook
hands, and Walters eyes glowed with
admiration.
After few words of greeting he
handed Mary into the drag Her father
followed, and he was about to drive off,
when Mary cried out, ooh, forgot my
skirt if l am to ride"
The skirt was brought down, and the
horses, that were beginning to fret,
dashed off. A smart little groom rode
behind, and on reaching the farm they
found another with two saddle horses,