Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-04-14
ONE OF THE FAMILY,

beautiful July morning, and he was
just about to throw an armful OF them
over the fence as she came round the
corner
The sunbonnet she wore was exact
ly like one he remembered to have
seen her mother wear twenty-five
years ago; and he remembered, too,
as he looked at this one, and thefresh,
rosy face under it, how that one had
made his heart hutter the first time
he saw it, and how he was SO bewitched
by it, or the face under it, that he had
walked home with Hester Mason, and
had had hard work to keep from pro-
posing to her.
He wondered now, and he had Won
dered many times in the twenty-five
years that had gone by since then,
why he never did propose to her.
He had meant to marry her some
time, and he was sure she liked him IN
the old days; but something had come
between them, and she had married
Robert Keene, and he had married his
cousin Mary.
AS he looked at Hester's daughter
this summer morning, the old fire
stirred under the dust and ashes of
twenty-five years, and he felt a little
flame spring up in his heart.
"Good morning, Lucy" hesaid, lean
ing over the fence.
"Ohw exclaimed Lucy, with little
jump, 81 didn't see you, and you came
near soaring me. Isn't it pleasant ?"
eyes, it is pleasant" answered the
farmer, looking straight at her pretty
face. "HOW's YOUR mother"
"Pretty WE'LL" answered Lucy.
"Your strawberries are doing splendid
~, aren't they? We're so provoked
about ours. The hens got into the
garden, and mother says she don't
think we'll have q pailful of berries In
ALL"
81 want to know!" exclaimed the
farmer. "Now tell your mother that
my patch. She can have 'em just as
we'll as not. There's going to be a
sight more'n we'll want, and I'd rath-
er have 'em used than wasted"
81 will tell her." answered Lucy. 81
know she'll be delighted at the chance.
You know what hand she is to make
strawberry preserves"
eyes, I do" answered the farmer,
thinking of old times. 81 remember
she beat all the old housekeepers at
that. They used to say that she had
a knack of making strawberry jam that
nobody else could get hold Of
fShe hasn't lost il yet" said Lucy.
"She'll be pleased to have you come
to tea some time and try some she
made last year. She had unusually
good luck"
'I'll do it." hereplied. 'eTell her I'll
come over Saturday, if it's agreeable,
and reckon the berries'll be ripe, SO |
can pick a pailful by that time. Ii
they be I'll bring some over"
'sThank you," said Lucy. eff you
do We'll have shortcake. I'll tell her
to expect you to tea on Saturday,
then"
eyes," answered the farmer; "I'll be
round if nothing happens. Oh, Iheard
from Charley yesterday. He'll be
home in day or two to stay"
"That'll be pleasant for you," re-
piled Lucy, STOPPING down to pick up
a daisy.
He could not see how rosy the face
under the bewitching sunbonnet grew
all at once. If he had it might have
eyes, it will, said the farmer.
s'Charley's good boy"
81 think I'll have to be going" said
Lucy. eve shall expect you to tea
Saturday, remember"
81 won't disappoint you,' said the
farmer; and then Lucy went on, and
he went back to pulling weeds.
81 think it's foolish to think of such
a thing" he said to himself, "but I
don't know as it's anybody's business
but ours. If l see fit to marry Lucy
and she's willin', Pm going to do it.
From which you will see that the
farmers old fancy for the mother had
suddenly been transferred to the
daughter.
Charley came home the next day.
s'I s'pose I'll have to tell him what
I've been thinking about" thought
the farmer. Cpd bout as soon take
2 horse-whipping, declare. But there
amt any use in dreadingi it and putting
it off, as [ know of.
Accordingly when they were sitting
in the porch after supper, the farmer
began:
"I've been thinking of getting new
housekeeper," he announced.
"Won't Aunt Sarah stay?" asked
Charley.
"I-I mean ahousekeeper Of another
kind" he said, wiping his face vigor-
ously.
Charley gave a. whistle of surprise,
and stared hard at his father.
"Who is i5 to be, if | may ask such
a question" he said.
"Down the road" said the farmer,
jerking his thumb over his shoulder in
the direction of the Widow Keene's.
He couldn't muster up courage
enough to say it was Lucy.
"Aha! that's the way the wind
blows, is it?" laughed Charley. "Um
glad to hear it. You couldn't do bet
ter"
'I'm glad to hear you say So" said
Mr.. Kimball, much relieved. 81 felt