Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-01-27
A COMPETENT MAN.
Tho Bargain Which He Mado Ono
Thanksgiving Day.

- h'i hltH 8lnp uOWn MS cane at the
end OF every word, by way of giving
proper emphasis to his remark. that
,--you-shall l-not-marry himr
In her ffadld not reply. but the Blythe
color and she looKcsf- .alainly enougb
coolly in tho face r.,.,,,,aI
the old man in m irato tone, still
stamping with his cane. "who knows
no mnnlior way of earning n living
than TO daub spots of paint onto can
vas, and call It art You shall moi
marry him. Frodercar'
"And Isay," rclorted Freddie. "that
] tgiH marry him-that II this is your
only objection TO a manly, honorable
man who loves mo, and-and-whom
] love, 1t is no objection at ALL"
Grandfather Blythe waved his fat
hand with gesture beflIting royalty
itself, and relapsod into cold severity.
THAT will do. Frederick. In my
day young ladies did not so far forget
themselves as TO declare their own at
tachmcnt 10 young gentlemen. Go to
your room. and when you can conduct
yourself with propriety, we will talk
this matter over ."
Freddie choked back the sob that
her pride would not allow her to utter,
and swept out Of the sitting-room with
all the dignity she could muster, but
she did not go TO her chamber
There was n cool, shady nook by the
banks Of stream that formed boun-
Diary TO the old orchard, where ham,
mock swung in most inviting man
ner from tho gnarlod branches OF
certain old apple tree, and thither she
betook herself.
She did not confess, even to her own
thoughts that the prospect of meeting
certain person who haunted tho
vicinity with q skclch-book under his
arm had any thing to do with shaping
her course.
All the same she was not surprised
when she hearl q few bars of annie
Laurie" whistlod in mellow, 1ute-like
tones, and saw tall slouching form.
clod in n loose. velvet coat vault
lightly over the fence, that ran Mt
right angles with the river, and como
rapidly up tho path through the loose
tangles of grass.
She looked in the opposite direction,
and pretended not TO see or hear.
"And she's all the world TO mo-" q
voice sang softly. coming nearer.
Still she did not turn. The footsteps
camc close, closer and then hand
was laid on the hammock that swung
lazily to and fro. and smiling faco
bent over hers.
MAXI in tone Of feigned aston
ishmcnt
"FroddieI' initiating her manner.
Then they both laughed. Freddie"
seriously have been trying to
move the hard heart of Grandfather
Blythe"
"Maxn-soriously also-"I have
been trying to soften the stern heart
of Grandfather Blythe"
"And, Freddie, have failed"
ut was an ignominous failure on my
part Max"
They tried to laugh, but Freddie, re-
membering her grandfather reproof
sighed instead.
Sho took up Max's sketching book
that he had laid in the hammock be-
side her and began to turn over the
pages.
They were rough sketches only, but
clever, loo, with dashing freedom Of
touch that showed the element of un-
deniable genius in every stroke.
To the simple country girl they were
the revelations of another life.
Hero was tropical forest the
shadows of the cypress trees, draped
with festoons of Spanish moss falling
dark across still lagoon. the yellow
moon half obscured by clouds, throw
ing a weird, ghostly light over all
There was farm scene. and in the
figure that bent over the low, old-fash-
ioned well-curb, to lift the moss
covered bucket Freddie recognized
herself.
This sketch showed boat, drifting
down a river between green fields that
stretched away on either side, with
sleepy cattle resting under leafy trecsi
that, harvest field, with laborers lean
ing on their rakes, amid ripe harvest
sheayes; rude cottage in the dis
tance, where young mother stood in
the doorway, with laughing children
clinging to her gown; or a skiff rock
ing on the waves, the moonlight
marking its silver track across
the water, or painting strange.
fantastic pictures on the rocks
above, and again, tropic Forest
whero one could fancy he heard some
far-olf bird calling to his mate from
low-hung boughs. amid the groves of |
spice and balm.
Freddie drew long breath of rapt-
ure To her they were marvels Of |
artistic expression.