Little Falls transcript., 1885-11-06
A QUAINT PROPOSAL.

6. Boston Courier.
" A QUAINT PROPOSAL. Il
= The lilac bush beneath the south
window Of Willow Brook Farms
wainscotted parlor nodded gracefully
as tiny zephyr swept gayly by, watt
ing far and near it's incense Of new
mown hay. In its wake Auttered q
purple and golden butterfly, to poise
moment upon the windows ledge,
then to soar boldly forward until tilt
upon curious old vase beside an
organ, whose yellowed keys cleaned
softly in the half-darkened room. The
butterfly and the vase mirrored them-
selves in the polished oak floor, and
if the range had been right they could
have repeated the picturein the shining
surface of each article offurniture.
A younggirl was thesole occupant of
theroom, with theexception, of course,
OF the butterfly, who had winged his
way to q small oval mirror and was
busily making his toilet, as his com.
panion, humming a merry tune, busted
carefully q squatty teapot, whose fat
little spout and comic tout ensemble
at once inspired a longing for tea
brewed in such novel quarters. At
that moment a voice calling "Marthy!
Marthy!" echoed through the house,
followed by "Run-quick; old TIM in
the cornfield, and my hands are all
over dough-"
Hastily replacing the ancient heir
loom on a spindh-legged table, the
young girl darted from the room, while
the butterfly, startled at it's toilet,
spread it's wings and hoated swiftly
out into the sunshine again. Snatch
ing a snowy sun-bonnet from it's peg
in the hall, Martha few down the gar
den path across to an adjacent
meadow. In her hurry she failed to
notice a gentleman slowly advancing
in her direction, until two masculine
hands stayed her progress.
With an exclamation of surprise,
Martha raised her pretty blue ewes
and met pair OF decidedly good look.
ing brown ones, gazing with evident
appreciation at the dimpled, blushinq
face, from of which the sun-bonnet
had slipped, disclosing crop of red.
dish golden rings lying close to the
finely shaped head.
II beg your PARDON" murmured
Martha, the bushes and dimples wax.
ng deeper, "but l didn't see you,
was in such hurry"
'Don't mention it. Wouldn't have
missed the--the pleasure for any thing.
I---1like to be run into" averred the
gentleman with considerable empha-
sis. :.
Such a ripping laugh as bubbled
over the lips OF Martha at this speech!
which she hastily apologized for with:
Il didn't mean to, really; but what
you said sounded so odd"
"You couldn't do it again, could
you? | assure you never appreciat-
ed being a-odd until to-day. T."
"Oh, the cow!" exclaimed Martha.
suddenly recollecting her errand. II
forgot all about him." and away she
sped, the gentleman hurrying after,
repeating:
'Cow! Himl Let me help you. T.
I really am very clever with cows. In
fact l would like to make them a
study"
However,..when the field was reached
no COW was to be seen, and remarking
that doubtless some of the hands had
ousted old Tim, Martha turned her
steps toward the house, thinking the
gentleman would proceed ON his way.
TO her astonishment, however, he
kept along by her side, observing:
care you acquainted with Willow
Brook Farm2''
"Why, yes; it's my home. I was
born there" answered Martha, sur
prisedly. .5
Happy farml mean--a-it must
bea lovely place. You see, the tact is
that is, have note for Mrs. Dun
can of Willow Brook Farm t..
"My mother!" calculated Martha,
opening wide her blue eyes. Whereup-
on the gentleman scanned with newly
awakened interest q square envelope
he had extracted from his breast pock-
et, as he added. 5.3 #a.S.s. +
\ II am an old-I should say my moth
er is an old friend of Mrs. sDunca1l's, 3, =
making q rough calculation of the
length of time it might take, all things
favorable, to place him on equally as
good footing with the daughter, while
Martha's thought ran very much in
/ this wise. & IF sgs.lss 532
Z "Would be nice looking if he wasn't
so sallow. Wonder if mother will ask
him to make US q. visit. Inever heard
her speak Of an old friend that had q
son. n 4; % 5f
BY this timo they were proceeding up
the path that led to the farm's pretty
rose garlanded porch, and having ush-
cred the gentleman into the parlor we
have already been introduced to, with
q demure little courtesy and the words
II will send mother Martha left him.
In a few moments q comely, rosy
checked woman came hurrying into
the parlor with:
Good afterno on, sir, Marthy tells
me YOU have a letter for me from an
old friend. = "a n
les, from my mot ther, and the
gentleman held toward her the letter.
Having read it through, interrupted
with excl IONS each rs s. Blessme
IN Yho a haysthouGl,t iit2 4, Mrs. Dun
can, her plsAsaAt -. deepening into
20 sp,ils eiaculat
90 20 YOU ars little Panl Dorsey. Ny.
how time flies. 81 i last saw you,