Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-07
NOT so EASILY WON.

when I've only to ask, ana the little lady's
mine Pm immensely taken with her, but
Pve hung off about
The dip Of advancing oars drowned the
rest Of the sentence, hut Miss Daisy Camp
bell in her hammock behind the elders had
heard enough to destroy her peace. Fear
fnl of betraying her presence 10y the move
ment of finger the girl lay rigid as mar
bIe, watching with strained eyes two fra
grant bIue wrealhs Of smoke gliding past
her retreat, till through an opening in the
bsshes farther up the brook she caught a
ieeting glimpse Of q birch canoe beneath
the smoke, and Of the smokers, two gay
smburned youths with guns and fishing
rods. Tom Raymond sat il the stern, tai,
handsome Tom, who hsd but now boosted
Of hi- easy conquest Of herself In that
moment Of wounded pride and fierce indir-
nation, Miss Daisy though. that she could
have cheerluIiy seen aim drown.
ooh, she's a daisy" hummed jack Ne
Keen and a the hooking tenor sGl0te her
ear the quiyering listener thought she
could have seen Jack drown too-thc
saucy idle tell-taIe Why need lie pro-
claim TO the birds of the air and fishes Of
the water that the lady in question, Toms
little lady TO lie had for the asking, WIS no
other than herself. Mrs. Blunt, city niece,
little Daisy Campbell? How indicate,
outrageous
And vet the song hurt her far less than
Toms words IF Tom, Tom Raymond,
could speak so lightly Of her, why might
not Jack sing what he pleased, and all
Oakland LISTEN So that was the way Tom
was in the habit Of talking about her! She
had heard before that Young men By them
selves were excessively free in discussing
their lady friends, and now she had proof
OF the fact. Unmanuerly, detestable Great
ures, especially Tom.
80 Eve only to ask, and the little ladv's
mine those were his very words" moaned
hapless little Daisy, hiding her hot face
among the hammock cushions in an agony
Of humiliation. She had always felt that
if Tom had fault it was self-conceit, but
she wouldn't have believed he could be so
conceitcd as this. What had she said or
done to warrant his b0astful assertion? She
would challenge aunt Abby, she would
challenge Toms sister. 10 say that she had
ever been silly with Tom. If there had
been any Stiffness, it had not been on
her side, unless-truthtui Daisy WINGED at
the recollectiOn-unleSs perhaps she
did let Tom hold her hand an instant longer
than necessary the day he helped her over
the fence, and she wished shehad not elung
to him in the thunderstorm. But at Is
WHIST girl likes to be prude? Though for
that matter had she not more than once
during their summer acquaintances nubbed
Tom for trying to make love to her? Still,
he'd only to ask, and the little lady was his.
That was his version Of the story, and he
had gloated over it to Jack. Daisy lifted
her tousled brown head defantly and sat
bolt-upright.
." I won't be crushed-I will not " she
cried aloud, dashing her tears right and
left. "Tll go to Pinafore tonight lust as
if I'd overheard nothing, and if ne chooses
~ ask for the little lady, why, he may.
She's sure of her own mind at last She'll
have her answer ready"
Springing from her hammock Miss Daisy
walked with martial tread through the gar
den into the kitchen to help Aunt Abby
shell! the peas for dinner.
- You must have been lying in the sun,
child" said that lady glancinc up from the
pan in her lap. Its bad for your eyes
and bad for your complexion. l don't be-
ieve that's a good place for the ham
mock"
It's horrid place" responded Daisy,
falling savagely to work. I'm going to
ask Abraham TO hang il where ii was be-
fore"
Abram was the intermittent help Of the
Blunt establishment, who carried on the
farm and came night and morning to milk
the cow. From the day she became Wis
itor in the household he had been Miss
Daisy's willing slave, and now that Mr..
Blunt was temporarily absent, the honest
servitor took it upon himself to look in at
odd hours to see if Miss Blunt and that
posv-lttle face of hern needed doing for
Maybe fresh buttermilk Will help that
unburn," pursued Mrs. Blunt, still misin-
terprcling the cause of Miss Daisy's hight
ened color I'D try it. You'll hate to 90
to the falls as red as a hollyhock.'
Despite her chagrin, Miss Daisy smiled
ut the misuse Of prououns, knowing per-
fcc;Iy we'll that If she were 10 look like
fright her aunt would regret it more than
she. For sensible woman, without undue
personal vanity, it must be admitted Mrs.
OF the beauty Of her stylish niece from the
CITY.
" hate to leave You clone 50 late in the
evening, auntie.' said Daisy, throwing
handful of empty pods at jhe chickens by
nervous about the traap that called this
morning
Nonsense, ny dear; Tn not one Of the
nervous sort. always stay by myself
nights when veur uncle Coes 10 his lodge
meetings. II get tired and Sleepy lock
the doors and GO To bed. When | lie on
NV good ear 7 can't hear sound, Won
know, ami your uncle can come in without
waking me-
Rat how does he get in ~
"0h. he takes kew. we have two for
the front door There's the extra one over
the clock You'd better have it tonight;
then. If don't feel ike getting mp for Won,
won't You won't be likely 70 ret home
before IL
BY twilight Miss Daisy's turbulent Grim
son had suftened into sea-sheil pink Aunt
Abby Aattorcd herself that she had never
seen the child handsomer than when, in
almy draperies, She Goatcd down the pi-
ana steps TO Tom BlymonFs waiting
phaeton.
The infatuated boy looks as if he was
beholding an angel from heaven" unused
the pleased lady, who dearly loved Tom
But she said, prosaically; ado drive care
fully Tom Daisy, did YOU take the key ~
Yes auntie; It's in my pocket"
Pocket? can they put pockets in sea-
foam p laughed Tom, tucking the linen
lap-robe about the young lady's hillowy
founces. feel myself quite inadequate
to the care of this fluffy elegance, Mrs.
Blunt, l do assure you
But it's his; he has only to ask and its
all his" thought Miss Daisy, scornfully, as
she babe her aunt gay good-hy.