The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-03-27
THE SQUIRE's WIFE.

With qulet smile upon hls lips, to his old cronies' yarns of their various haps and mishaps in their younger days in trying to get possession of the girl of their choice.
 But after they had all spoken he knocked the ashes out of his pipe and, proceeding to refill it, said:
 "Ay, ncighbors, ye've told some pretty queer stories but I'll warrant can tell one thatll match 'em rather guess 'twould astonish those acquainted with my quiet understanding wife wonder to know how it was that I thought of taking her for better or worse.
 Now, David, expostulated Mrs Clo- Yer, both reckoning and smiling as she met her husbands quizzical look. "Why will you tell that silly story? If you hadn't cared to t4kke me you could haye lot me alone"
 'Ah sure :. H H.s easy talkin," said the squire, shaking his head with demure gravity. But when girl-an espe- eially sich a pretty ont--Aies directly intq a fellows arms what else ean he ao7 That's what I'd like to knowl"
 1,aughingly declaring that she'd stay to listen to no such nonsense, Mrs Clover gathered up her work and ran away and her husband, after shaking his jolly sides with silent laughter un- til some of those present were fearful that apoplexy would be the result. gradually recovered himself and pro- ceeded to satisfy the curiosty he had aroused thus:
 was n poor boy, as perhaps you know, with nothin' but pair of stout arms and broad shoulders to push my way in the world with; but 1 had a brave heart, an wasn't afraid of work, an on the whole, ain { no ways dissats- fled with what my hands have brought me.
 The summer was twentv-one l went to work for Sues father
 Mir. Bean was well-to-do farmer and Sue his only child He wasn' anyways stuck up about his property but he set great store by Sue; an, as he knew that some day she'd have as good farm as there was in the county got her would be able to give as much as he took
 So had no more idea of ever bein Sues husband than l had of hyin' an yit the very first time l set eyes on her knew, as we'll as know now, that no other woman would eyer be to me what she was
 remember the day just as we'll as if twas yesterday. 1 had seen Mir Bean down to the village the night afore, an twas agreed that come the next after noon.
 When 1 come to the house-an' a nice looking house it was with broad piazza each side on't-I was dubious as to whether had better go in the side or back door. I finally concluded to take the latter
 As passed by the kitchen window heard d voice singin, as sweet an clear as robins, an on lookin' in saw Sue standin' by table, kneadin bread, an l never see a prettier pictei afore or sence.
 "Ah, lads, ye may talk about girls al the pianny, but they ain't half so much to my mind as the one l saw at the moldin' board; the flour she was sift in not any winter than her round, un covered arms and with as bright q bloom on cheek an lipas the roses that "NiN ONtl tIlt BoICii.
 Wal, arter starin at her pretty face as long as l dared to-quite unbekowl to her-i knocked at the door.
 "'Come in! sang out voice that sci my heart to beatin' like sledge ham mer
 Liftin' the latch l walked in
 "' Is Mir. Bean to homer stam mered, colorin as red as beet, as Sue turned her black eyes on me
 "' Yes; fathers somewhere about He'll be in in minute. Won't yor take seat2
 In goin' across the room, stumbled over pail, which so hustered mo that sat down in chair where large gra, cat lay curled up asleep, and who, spit tin an clawin at me sprang out of tn, window
 could see by the dimples that cam, round Sues pretty mouth that she hac hard work to do to keep from laughins outright. But she didn't pear to talk, any notice ont it, and pretty soon ole Mir. Bean came in, an then l began tt feel more comfortable.
 They were real nice sort of folks who treated their help like their owl family, an l soon began to feel at home
 "All but with Sue; couldn't seem tS say two or three words to her without blunderin', an was always doin' som, awkward thing or other, whenever went nigh her
 Il don't think I'd have felt quite SC shy if I had known her opinion O me; for l wasn't badlookin' chap il my young days-broad shouldered an straight as an arrer-with big haze eyes an brown hair as full of crinkle. as curled maple
 II hadn't been to Mir Beans long be fore l found out that Sue had beau His name was Silas Peterkin, son of tn, store-keeper down at the village.
 He was whitehead, slim-waisteG feller, with little hands an feet, tha I'd been ashamed to own, but which ht seemed to feel mighty proud of
 He used to come to see Sue about twice week, dressed in his store