Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-04-22

Just about to throw an arInful Of them
over the fence as she came round the
corner.
The sun-bonnet she wore was exactly
like one he remembered 10 have seen her
mother wear twenty-five years ago; and
he remembered, too, as he looked at this
one, and the fresh, rosy face under II,
how that one had made his heart fut-
ster the first time he saw II, and how he
was so bewitehed by It, or the face un-
der 1t, that be had walked home with
Hester Mason, and had hard work to
keep from proposing 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 had looked at Hester's daughter
this summer morning the old fire stir
red under the dust oftwenty-five years,
and he felt o little flame spring up in his
heart.
"Good morning, Lucy,u he said,
leaping over the fence.
"Oh,p exclaimed Lucy, with little
jump, II didn't see you, and you came
near soaring me. Isn't it pleasant?p
eyes, 1t Is pleasant - answered the
farmer, looking straight In her pretty
face. "How's your mother?v
Pretty well,p answered Lucy.
aYour strawberries are doing splendid
1y, aren't they? We're so provoked
about ours. The hens got into the gar
den, and mother says she don't think
we'll have pailful Of berries in all.,'
~ want to known exclaimed the
farmer. Nov, tell your mother that
she's welcome to all she wants out ofmy
patch. She can have'em just as well as
not. There's going to be q sight more'n
we'll want, and I'd rather have 'em
used than wasted"
s'I will tell herr answered Lucy. "I
know she will be delighted at the
chance. You know what hand she is
to make strawberry preserves.u
mYes. / do,p answered the farmer.
thinking Of old times. II remember
she beat all the old housekeepers at
that. They used to say that she had
q knack Of making strawberry jam
that nobody else could get hold of.
ssShe hasn't lost it YETI said Lucy.
She'll be pleased to have you come over
to tea and try some she made last year.
She had unusually good luck.
ssTlI do it, he replied. Let me see
-to-day's Wednesday. Tell her will
come on Saturday, ifits agreeable. and
I reckon the berries'll be ripe, 90 1 can
nick d pailful by that time. II they are,
IN bring some over.U
ssThar1k you. 4, said Lucy. ssIf Won do.
we,Ii have q short-cake. Tll tell her to
expeet Won Ia tea on Saturday then.u
dyes answered the farmer TII he
round If nothing happens on. i heard
from Charley yesterday. He'll be home
in 4 day or two. to stay.n
= .sTharil 9 be nleasant amt far Won. said
Lucy, stopping down to pick up q daisy.
under the bewitching sun-bcnnet grew
All At once. If he had 1t might have
Set him to thinking.
isYes. it wiIl.r said the farmer.
/. ss(,harIev Il 4 good bov.n
II think ri have to be going,n said
dav % remember
III WON'T disappoint vou.u said the
farmer. and then Lucy went on and he
! went back I'd pulling weeds. \,
4 ssT s,nose itis foolish to think az sueh
i thing. u he said to himself. tsbut I don't
know a jt,s anybodv's business but
ours. III see ft to marry Lucy and
she's willin,. Pam going to do it.S
n From which Won will see Chat the farm
er,s old fancy for the mother had sud
4 denly been transferred ID the daughter.
Charley came home the next dav.
1T s'pose I'M have t0 tell him what
I I,ye been thinking about .nsaid the farm
er.aI'd bout as soon take . horsewhip-
PING, i declare. But there amt no use In
dresding IL and puttinr IL offasI know
of'n 81 Nj
4 Accordingly when they were sitting
an the porch. after supper. the farmer
BEGAN: 4 Al I'd IA IL
i7I,ve been thinking Of getting q new
honsekeeper. he announced.
siWon't Aunt Sarah stay?,, asked
Charley.
ssT--i mean A housekeeper III another
kind b he said. wipipr Ills face vigor.
ously. "A n
Charley rave q whistle of surprise and
stared hard at his father. n
ssyVh0 x IL Is he. liz / may ask such q
auestion?'' he said.
4 ilDown the road, a said the farmer
Jerking his thumb over his shoulder in
Ire direction of the Widow Keene,s.
III He 81 couldn't n muster up p courage 10 q say \