The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-05-05

was slftln not any whittier than her
round, uncovered arms, and with as
bright a bloom on cheek an lip as
the roses that were clambering over
the porch. =. .nus. ...fs
oval, arter starin' at her pretty
face as long as | dared to-quite un-
beknown to her-I knocked at the
door. ta. ....E ia.. ..... ... ~
"'Come in! sang out a voice that
set my heart to beatin' like a sledge
hammer.
"Liftin' the latch, I walked in.
"'Is Mr.. Bean to homer l STAN
mered, colorin' as red as a beet, as
Sue turned her black eyes on me.
"'Yes, fathers somewhere about.
He'll be in in a minute. Won't you
take a seat?
"In goin' across the room, l stun
bled over a pail, which so fustered
me that l sat down in a chair where
a large gray cat lay curled up asleep,
and who, spittin' an clawin' at me,
sprang out of the window.
II could see by the dimples that
came and went round Sues pretty
mouth that she had hard work to do
to keep from laughing outright.
But she didn't pear to take arty no.
tice ont to it, an pretty soon old
Mr.. Bean came in, and then [ began
to feel more comfortable.
"They were real nice sort of folks,
who treated their help like their
own family, an [ 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 al
ways dom some awkward thing or
other whenever [ went nigh her.
II don't think I'd have felt quite
so shy if I'd known her opinion of
me, for [ wasn't a bad lookin' chap
inmy young ays-broad shouldered
an straight as an arrer-with big,
hazel eyes an brown hair, as full of
crinkles as curled maple.
II hadn't been to Mr.. Beams long
before | found out that Sue had a
beau. His name was Silas Peterkin,
Sol of the storekeepr down at the
village. He was a white-faced, slim
wasted fellow, with little hands an
feet, that I'd been ashamed to own,
but which he seemed to feel mighty
proudo of:
"He used to come to see Sue about
twice a week, dressed in his store
clothes, an lookin' as if he jest step
ped out of a handbook.
"Sue neverseemed to act as though
she had any particular likin' for Silas;
but twas easy seen that the old folks
set great store by him, an was
mighty pleasant at the idea of his
steppin' up to their darter.
Gas for me, [ never see him sittin'
by Sue, an smirkin' up into her face,
but what I felt as if wanted to fling
him, head first, out of the winder.
$50 matters went on until Sep
TENDER, when MI. Bean gave a hus-
kin party. We young fellers set to
work with a will, an afore sunset
the corn was all husked an piled
away, an the barn floor swept clean
for the dance an supper we was to
have in the eyenin'.
"Pretty soon the women folks be-
gan to flock in, all dressed in their
best, an lookin' as fresh an blOomin'
as a 1ower-garden after a shower.
"But Sue was the prettiest of the
hull lot, dressed in her white frock,
with the pink ribbon tied around
her waist.
"Silas Peterkin, he was there, of
course, an as soon as | see him l
went to the house.
CAS- [ was standin' on the back
steps, out of sorts with myself an
everybody else, / heard a voice say:
"'David!
can turnin' round, / saw Sue,
lookin' as smilin' as a basket of chips.
"'Ain't you comm down to the
barn ? says she.
az ruther guess l amt wanted,'
says l:
"'Oh, yes you are says she; I
want you
"She looked and spoke so sweet
that [ was cen Almost a mind to 60.
But Jest then l heard Silas calm
her; an mutterin' somethin' about
havin' some tools to grind, [ walked
off.
II was most sorry fort, though,
when 1 caught a sight other face as
1-- with SIlnc an l