The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-01-15
The SWAMP ANGEL.

intended visit, get much needed rest,
do some hunting and fishing and come
back to town strong and brown, and
ready for any amount of business. He
was engaged in an office in the city at
Q nice salary, but his work kept him too
closely confined, and so he decided on
this trip, which was to last three months
any way.
A description of him, as he is some
what identified with this story, will not
be amiss. He is proportional
young man of about twenty-eight years;
is good looking, with full dark eye, a
heavy dark mustache shading his mouth,
. well-cut chin betokening firmness.
His general appearance is typical OF the
many live young business men to be
found in our cities. This was his first
visit to his uncle, Nathan Smith, so the
country was strange to him. He was
supplied with shooting apparatus,
fishing rods, etc. When he got off the
train at country station, he found his
cousins Jarvis and Lizzie waiting for
him. The three were soon driving
homeward, rapidly getting acquainted
with each other. The distance to drive
was ten miles. After having driven
some miles on the road they came up
with and passed a one-horse buggy con-
tanning two women, one an elderly and
one quite young lady. The elder OF
them kept on in the road, turning
neither to the right nor to the left, nor
looking at our friends as they drove
past. The younger lady seemed not so
indifferent. though she bestowed on
them only one quick look, then turned
her face away. In that one momentary
look, however, she met Harry Smiths
eye, and q quick blush came over her
face. He noticed in that short scrutiny
that she had q wonderfully pretty face,
but that her clothing looked shabby and
altogether out of date; yet her beauti-
full face attracted him, and he eagerly
inquired who she was
81 believe her name is Scranton"
said Jarvis. "Tbey live down in the
Okaw bottom. The old party is the
Swamp Angel"
"Tbe what?" queried Harry Smith.
~The Swamp Angel" repeated Jar
Wis.
"What on earth is she called that
for?" said Harry.
because she is so angelic said
Jarvis.
well, think the younger one looks
more angelic" said Harry.
L will tell you how she got the
name,' said Lizzie. She is such a
cross old thing, won't associate with
any one, nor ever has any visitors, and
has just as little to do with other people
as she can. SO the boys dubbed her
the Swamp Angel. She lives in the
low lands along the Okaw River, on a
farm that is nearly surrounded by
swampy land"
"Well, is she single womanp does
she live al alone? and if so, who is the
young LADY," asked Harry.
"What lot of questions all in a
breath exclaimed Lizzie. Give me
time enough and 1 will try to answer
them. see though" she continued,
.banteringly, that You are more inter
.ested in the young lady than the old"
admit it," said Harry. Nov, go
on; 1 am dying with curiosity
81 thought only women were pos
eessed of dying curiosity, said LIZZIE.
We will say men are too, for the
present, and to avoid discussing the
subject" said Harry. $50 proceed,
fair cousin, and answer my questions.
@ She claims to be widow, and, ex-
scepting her niece, lives all alone and
has for several years. She came from
the East somewhere; she inherited the
farm from crusty old bachelor who
improved it. He was queer genius,
and she is queerer The girl, she says,
is her niece, and she tyrannizes over
her. and don't furnish her decent clothes
to 90 out in, and will not allow her to
90 anywhere besides. She rents her
farm to people living in the neighbor-
hood; keeps only horse and COW; and
once in great while she goes to town,
or to collect her rents, and the balance
of the time she stays at home, appar-
emily doing nothing She is hateful
old thing or she would let her niece 90
out in society! She is perfectly able
to do so, for the farm is large, and the
rents make good income, and"
"There, there, cousin mine, that will
do. lon't attempt to say any more !;
you will exhaust yourself, and my curl
osity is entirely satisfied l am now
ready to change the subject" said
Harry.
@It is easier to start Lizzie to talk
ing than it is to stop her." remarked
Jarvis.
ISN'T that true of the sex ?" softly
inquired Harry;
mo, it isn't snapped Lizzie.
1t will be seen by this that the cousins
were getting acquainted very rapidly.
The very next day after Harry's ar
rival he took his fishing-rod, and
walked down to the Okaw, then took
eastward. up the stream, stopping here
and there and dropping his line into
the water. He succeeded toward night
having started out soon after dinner
in getting very nice string of fish,
and so, quite well satisfied with his
sport, started for his uncle's. He con-
cluded the quickest and nearest way
would be to leave the timber with
which the river was lined, get out into
the cultivated land, and cut across the
6elds. Ho soon came out into an open
ing, and, climbing an extraordinarily
high rail fence, he found himself in q
broad meadow, with farmhouse and
barn only few yards of. The house