River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-05-13
TOO RURAL.

Z lOO H hAt4s
Ernest Bond had met Lemuel Dark
4 field, a handsome and accomplished
New Yorker, in sunny Italy. Beneath
the genial skies of that gentle cline a
friendship had grown NJ between the
/ two young men.
Ernest Bond was also an American,
with all the CHEEKY manners and agree
able speech of that people When nc
+ finished his course at college, his
/ health was SO shattered that the doe
tors advised a trip 70 Europe As his
parents were merely well-to-do far
merS, they could not meet the expen-
SEES of such journey. But a rich
+ uncle. an eastern banker, with more
heart than the generality of the species
warrant, came nobly to the rescue. and
offered 10 defray his nephew's expen-
ses.
Ernest accepted his uncle's favors
ON condition that he should be allowed
70 do some work in the bank when his
health permitted The kind uncle
agreed to that way of balancing ac-
counts. SO Ernest crossed the Allan
tic, visited many parts of Europe, and
after a years stay, had regained his
usual vigor and was coming home.
/ When Ernest made the announce
meut that he was soon to start for
( America, Lemucl Darkiield, being a
gentleman Of wealth and leisure, ex-
pressed a desire TO return with him
and see Locust Glade, as the Bond
Farm was called. ne being quite unac-
customed to country life.
An invitation to do so was soon ten
dered by Ernest, and the young men
returned together. They were seated
in hack. which was conveying them
TO Locust Glade. when Mr. Darkfield
suddenly remarked
"What shocking taste some Of our
country ladies have! See that young
lady driving without gloves" And he
pointed with his bamboo cane to a girl
who lad just passed them. driving
barchanded a span Of fine horses.
Ernest did not notice the criticism
which Mr.. Darktield had applied to
country women. lie was engaged in
looking over his shoulder. not at the
fair driver who handled the reins so
faultlcs>lv, not 1T th, glossy-topped
carrilge, but at the tine horses trotting
along the highroad so proudly.
BY Jove. he calculated. I'D al
most be rash enough 10 bet a snug
thousand that those are nv fathers
horses. But who can that girl be
who was driving them? Mother did
not mention any young ladies visiting
her. and II wasn't Janet, the hired
girl"
Perhaps some female horse-thicf
has been taking an inventory of your
{ fathers fine stock. and concluded TO
relieve him of the care of 50 many.
said Darkticld, smilingly.
Ernest laughed, and saving all would
be explained when they reached his
home. the ubiect was dropped.
Locust Glade was "a fine old place,
situated about a mile and a quarter
F from thrifty little town. just now
I in the golden glory of mild breezy
September afternoon il was delightful.
At least the trayel-stained gentlemen
both thought 50 as they We're being
driven up a wide lane, thickly fringed
on each side with locust trees, the
fcathery foliage of which east one con-
tiHuOuS, delicious shade all the way to
+ the c0mmodious farmhouse. its pale
/ lead-color just family discernible
+ through the dense thick, Of the
+ lUcustS.
After Mrs. Bond. kind. motherly
woman of forty odd years, had greeted
her son allectionately, with a thanks
giving silently waited TO heaven for
that sons return to perfect health. she
turned to the tall, bearded stranger,
who stood in the background, coolly
noting everything that characterized
+ Locust Glade.
After the greetings were over Mrs.
Bond showed the young men their
rooms. where fresh water and clean
linen soon restored them to their usual
good spirits.
When they were seated in the cool
and neat parlor of the farmhouse. Mrs.
Bond said to her SON
Your father is down in the meadow
moving He did not expect YOU to-
day, aud he was anxious to finish cut
ting. the rain delayed him so much in
getting up the hay. He intended try
ing 20 meet YOU ut the station. she eX-
planned addressing both the young
men.
Darkiield thought that his friend s
mother was a very commonplace wo-
man. What poor taste ia her to bore
them with farm subjects
Country customs, | presume, : he
told his spirit of criticism.
Had he reasoned. he might have seen
at once that kind Mrs. Bond wished to
apologize because no one had gone to
meet them at the station. But he sum
moned up enough politeness to reply:
do not apologize, Mrs. Bond Had
+ YOU sent the carriage for rs, we should
have missed giving you the pleasure OF
a surprise.
"By-thc-by. mother" said Ernest. Il
was sure fathers carriage and horses
passed us rs we were cOmiag from the
station. driven by young lady
80 YOU recognized the team?' said
his mother. with n laugh.
Yes, but who was the fair driver?'
asked the son.
The gloveless nymph. said the
critical Darkield TO himself
oh. that was Grace, smilingiy an
swercd Mrs Bond.
And who Is Grace?" asked Ernest.
Gloyeless Grace, country god
desS,' thought the young city man.
Grace Loveioy. answered Mrs
Bond. "She is principal teacher of the
village school. and a dear good girl
she Is. She insisted on boarding here,
where she has free access to fresh milk
AMI vegetables. This afternoon she
hitchcd mp the team herself, and drove
over 10 town for q new supply Of
groceries for me.
decidedly masculine, thought Mr..
Dark Eeld.