The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-01-15

of the farm and harvests than OF gentler
matters"
yet, sister, 1 lave 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"
-sYou did not speak to her this morning."
mo, for 1 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. l Will woo her
after | have her PROMISE"
Nathan continued the 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 I 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 1 asked"
''If you won her, none would; but such a
maid as is fit to be your wife, Nathan, must
be won before she can be had. You can
not get a worthy spouse as you would get
your cattle, by a bargain"
"Yet 1 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 a man
ner befitting his purpose, and set out with
a 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
ony, INT that of KeZiah's father over the
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
w~ell-favored young man fasten his horse
to the great stone h~itching-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
finery as the maids of that day possessed"
"'Tis line weather, Nathan" she said, as
she entered the best room, where Nathan
sat, chatting with her father and her sister.
"Aye; so fine that l bethoug ht myself
that twas long since l paid you a friendly
visit"
"Indeed it is. But you are very busy
now"
"And lave 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, I 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 10 display to the
full her charms of speech and nne
She showed him some of the family
treasures, but when he drew too near she
skillfully placed a 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 betake 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 a young
woman's way hat he knew not whether it
was the smile of assent or of simple amuse-
ment.
1T 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
knew she had a lover, the young farmer
was conscious that he had not yet a prom
Use.
The days passed until the leaves turned
red and brown, and the apples were gath
cred, and the corn husked, and the fat
beeves and swine selected for slaughter. In
all this time Nathan had indeed wooed the
mistress of his heart, and many a time had
he urged her to accept his hand. Yet,
though he doubted not that he should pos
Sess her, he had opportunity to learn by
experience that a maid worth possessing
deserves the pains and patience of winning
In the late fall Nathan Foster was sud.
denly called upon to make a journey to the
South. Estates of some value that had
been the property of kin of his mother
were devised to him. His mother, who was
born in England, was found and married ii
Virginia by his father and taken thence tx
the Westchester home.
On the evening before his departure Ma.
than said to the girl: "Keziah, l did hope
before this to have welded you, but YOU
would not perceive my meaning and give
me opportunity. 1 may be absent some
weeks, but whenI return / shall claim YOU
for | know you have given me your heart.
She gave him her hand and suffered hin
to press it, but she said "When YOU com,
back, Nathan, then l will give you ans
wer."
She thought to test his co~nstancy by alb
sence.
Months passed before Nathan returned
The laws delay detained him. While h,
was away came the roll of musketry a
Lexington that was heard around tn,
world.
Nor more sturdy patriot lived than Far
mer Hustled. He was on fire, and, though
in that vicinity there were many of his ole
friends who were loyal TO King George
the farmer carried his zeal SO far as to ceas
to speak, except with contempt, to thos,
who did not espouse the cause of the colo
MES. Of his means and his time he CAV
literally, and later on served himself in til
field.
One day he said to his daughter: IKE.
Ziah, my child, you are a comely woman
and will soon, it may be, be sought in mar
riage. Promise your father that YOU vii
never wed a Tory. 1t would break IN,
heart were you to be separated from you
family by a marriage with one not a patri
OF, and there are many w~el-favored younI
men heareabouts OF such dispositions"
KeZiah said %promptly: Il promise YOU
father, that l will we'd no Tory"
The maid had given that promise withou
cost, for she said demurely to herself
Am | not to wed some day Nathan Foster
and is he not a patriot"
When Nathan returned there was the aw
full presage of war, and he determine
speedily to claim Keziah, that he Nigh
give her protection, and because he kne,
not what the coming war might develo
for himself.
LET us be welded in two weeks fror
this day" he said to her on the evening c
his return, and she placed her land in hi
and smiled upon him.
'Nathan," she said a few minutes later
} 81 did give u promise to my father tina
was not hare to make. He is a warm pat
riot, as l am too, and he asked me not t
Z wed a Tory. How easy it came for me t
give the promise when | surmised a littl
/ that you would claim me. Why, what
the matter, Nathan:"
She saw that his face had grown set an
hard as she was speaking.
, You promised our frther that yo