The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-07-16
THE SQUIRE'S WIFE.


with quiet smile upon his 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:
LAY, neighbor, we've told some pretty
queer stories, but I'll warrant can tell
one that can match 'em. Irather guess
'twould astonish those acquainted with
my quiet, modest looking wife yonder
to know how it was that l thought OF
taking her for better or for worse"
Now, David" expostulated Mrs.
Clover, both reddeaing and smiling as
she met her husbands quizzical look.
'Why will you tell that silly story? If
you hadn't cared to take me, you could
have let me alone"
"Ah, sure it is easy talkin'," said the
squire, shaking his head with demure
gravity. "But when girl-an' espe-
cially such a pretty one-flies directly
into fellows arms, what else can he
do? That's what I'd like to knowr'
Laughingly 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,
until some of those present were fear
full that apoplexy would be the result,
gradually recovered himself and pro-
ceeded to satisfy the curiosity he had
aroused thus:
II was a 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 / had a
brave heart, an wasn't afraid to work,
an on the whole, amt noways dissatis-
fed with what my hands have brought
me.
'The summer / was twenty-one I
went to work for Sues father.
..Mr. Bean was a well-to-do farmer,
and Sue his only child. He wasn't any
ways 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, nat
rally expected that the man who got
her would be able to give as much as
he took.
$50 had no more idea of ever bein'
Sues husband than had of fiyin' an
yit the very first time set eyes on her
/ knew, as well as / know now, that no
other woman would ever be to me what
she was.
II remember the day just as well as
if twas yesterday. had seen Mr..
Brean down to the village the night
afore, an twas agreed that come the
next afternoon.
when came to the house-an'
nice lookin' 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. / finally concluded to
take the latter.
las passed by the kitchen window
/ heard voice singin', as sweet an
clear as a robins, an on lookin' in L
saw Sue standin' by table, kneadin'
bread, and / never see prettier pictur
afore or sence.
''Ah, lads, ye may talk about girls at
the pianny, but they amt half so much
to my mind as the one / saw at the
moldin' board; the -four she was siftin'
not any whittier than her round, uncov-
cred arms, and with as bright bloom
on check and lips as the roses that
were clambering over the porch.
wal, arter starin' at her pretty face
as long as dared to-quite unbeknown
to her-I knocked at the door.
ssCome in!'' sang out voice that set
my heart to beatin' like sledge ham,
mer.
.Liftin' the latch walked in.
- is Mr.. Bean to homep / stam-
mered. coloring as red as beat, as
Sue turned her black eyes on me.
Yes; fathers somewhere about,
He'll be in in a minute. Won't you
take a seatp'
I'm goin' across the room, stum-
bled over pail, which so clustered me
that sat down in chair where large
gray cat lay curled up a sleep, and who.
spittin' an clawin at me, sprang out Of
the window.
II could see by the dimples that came
round Sues pretty mouth that she had
hard work to do to keep from laughin'
outright. But she didn't pear to take
any notice ont, and pretty soon old Mr..
Bean came in, an then / began to feel
more comfortable.
They were real nice sort OF folks,
who treated their help like their own
family, an l soon began to feel at
home.
'.All but with Sue; couldn't seem to
say two or three words to her without
blunderin', an was always doin' some
awkward thing or other whenever I
went nigh her.
a don't think I'd have felt quite so