The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-01-17

ulaUeQ DY neT ODStTNdblOu was Ohh
doubt, for the suddenness with which
Nathan turned that way and the plump,
square meeting of eye to eye that followed
| were all too quickly done for the exercise
| of any of The arts of concealment of which
| Mistress Keziah was as fully possessed as
any of her mates. The color ran up her neck
| to her cheeks like the flash of red tint on
cloud at sunset She dropped her eyes in
| the confused manner that no art can SIM
ulate, and made greater betrayal of her
| awakened consciousness by gently re-
| proving her little sister, who sat beside
| her, and who showed some Indignation at
| the unmerited censure But all this was
| for an instant only. In a moment the maid
| demurely lifted her eyes, fixed them on the
| clergyman, and slowly swayed her fan OF
| white turkeys feathers.
Little more of that sermon heard Nathan
Foster. Though from his youth up he had
often seen Keziah's eyes, and had admired
them, too, and though he had kissed her at
the huskings and danced with her at the
| house raisingS, and ridden in the great box
sleigh with her on moonlight and crisp
winter nights, yet now he seemed to see
her for the first time.
| Revelation came to Nathan with such
| suddenness that he seemed almost stunned.
SISTER" said Nathan week later, as
they sat on his porch looking at the sun
that was setting far away over the Hud-
| son, 81 am going to take wife"
| Sister Nancy dropped her Bible into her
| lap forgot to mark the texts of the days
| sermons, and fastened her wondering eyes
| on her brother.
ut will not make any difference with
you, Nancy" he said. "You will live with
us just the same as now. She viii be f fslel
| to have you"
"Nathan, don't trife about serious mat
| ters."
"Indeed, L speak truth. 1 shall bring a
| wife here, peradventure, when the harvest
is over"
"Who-who is she, Nathan?" .
"Mistress Keziah Husted.''
81 surely did not know that your atten-
lions to her had been made, Nathan"
Nor have they"
''But-why, this is strange, Nathan"
you don't object:"
81! All, Nathan, not /. You must wed
some day. But it is so sudden, and YOU
have seemed always to have thought more
of the farm and harvests than of gentler
matters.'
yet, sister, 1 have given this matter
much consideration. 1t has been in my
mind all the week, and now l am deter
mined"
"All the week only? Surely you have not
seen Keziah this week"
No, not till this morning, since the last
Lords day"
You did not speak to her this morning?"
No, for had not opportunity"
How then, Nathan, can you speak of
bringing her here your bride? You have
not even wooed her"
There is no need of that. | will WOO her
after | have her promise"
Nathan" continued tie sister, after
some moments of silence, ''if mistake not,
your pride misleads you. Dost think that
a maid like Keziah can be had for the ask
ing? No, no. You little know a country
maids SPIRIT
"What, sister, do you think, when | offer
her my hand, she would decline to take it,"
"If she did not, at such short notice, a
sorry wife she'd make you"
Nancy" he said, mot a maid in all this
country would refuse me if | asked"
IF you won her, none would; but such a
maid asis fit to be your wife, Nathan, must
be won before she can be had. You can
not get worthy spouse as you would get
your cattle, by bargain.'
Yet | do know that Mistress Keziah
thinks well of me''
Then give her the happiness of a WOO
ing"
Nathan said no more, but when the sun
went down he arrayed himself in man
ner betitting his purpose, and set out with
heart strong with confidence. Not long
was his good horse in making the distance
to the home of the fair Keziah, for, though
Nathan'S farm was in the New York col
boundary line in Connecticut, yet their
fields adjoined, and their houses were not
more than a mile apart.
Keziah, from her upper window, saw the
weIl-favored young man fasten his horse
to the great stone hitching-post, and,
though it was dusk, she perceived that
Nathan's dress was that which he donned
only on important occasions. What Won
der, then, that she surmised his meaning,
and, to give a slight hint of encourage
ment, bedecked herself with such simple
tinery as the maids of that day possessed"
Ills fine weather, Nathan" she said as
she entered the best room, where Nathan
sat, chatting with her father and her sister.
Aye; so fine that | bethought myself
that twas long since paid you a friendly
visit"
"Indeed it is. But you are very busy
now"
"And have need to be-" said Farmer
Hustled. "The crops will be fine this year,
and, Nathan, you will harvest more hay
and corn than ever"
ga fair amount, neighbor, 1 trow. The
weather favors you, too, MISTRESS" and
Nathan made this first step with an admir-
ing glance, and his eyes fell upon the fair
neck of the girl, and her pink bloom, and
her low, broad forehead, the whiteness of
it, and her other graces, so that he Won
dered that he had not needed them long
before, while he said to himself: "To-night
she will pledge her troth to me-"
Now, the maids intention was keen
enough not to mislead her, and though she
was demure, and sometimes coy, yet her
innocent cunning, stimulated by Nathan's
blunt admiration, led her to display to the
full her charms of speech and manner
SM showed him some of the family
treasures, but when he drew too near she
skillfully placed tantalizing distance be-
tween them. When, too, Nathan, In lower
tones than was his custom, began to speak
to her, hoping that she would take advan-
tage of her fathers sleepy nodding to re-
turn such token of confidence in kind, the
artful maid took some innocent occasion to
awaken her father. Sincerely did Nathan
wish that the farmer might betale himself
to his bed, but the hints that he made of
such wish fell on unheeding ears.
At length, in despair, Nathan seized the
family Bible, and, opening TO the register
wherein were recorded the births, mar
riage and deaths, he placed his finger on
the blank lines on the marriage page, and
said, "My name and yours will soon be
written here"
Then when he looked at her he saw she
smiled but so unused was he to young
woman's way that he knew not whether it
was the smile of assent or of simple amuse-
ment.
sit shall be- he said again.
Perhaps" she answered; "who knows?
Are you such a prophet as to predict this:"
she added, archly.
SO he went away that night without