The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-11-14

NAL occupation OF pruning out tne
Jacqucminot roses ready for their full
blooming.
Ma or Kaswell went to the city the
next day; John accompanied him.
There was to be great auction sale
of Holland bulbs on Chambers street;
and the Major was fond of tulips. :,
John was good Judge of bulbs, and
although the Major pretended to pay no
attention to his advice, still he made an
excuse to take ''ohn along also.
If you really want a new STOCK OF
eladiolas," said he, "you may as we'll
pick out the varieties for yourself"
"Yezzel," said John, who knew per-
fectly we'll what it all meant. ,
No sooner had the pair disappeared
along the winding path that formed
short-cut to the railway station, than
Kate tied on her bonnet, having pre-
viously eclip>cd herself in one of Cieo's
most faded gowns. -,
"GooIness me, miss" said the old
woman, "what are you going to do2"
"rm going boating" said Kate.
Under the shadow of an old willow.
on the edge o; the mar>hy shore, there
was rude wooden bench.
There Miss Kaswell seated herself, with
her book-a fair young spider, on the
qui cioe for flies. She had not long to
wait.
Presently a young man sauntered
quietly along. He did not see her at
first, so completely was the screen of
floating willow tresses, and with fur
tive smile she watched him try the fast
ening of the chain-once, twice, three
times.
"peuce take it," he said, straighten-
ing himself up at last. "1ts as tight as
Jail"
Kate put the green boug ghs aside.
"Did you want anything2" said she.
The Young man reddened oil o er his
handsome face.
s'Oh, I beg your pardon" said he
"but was looking for boat. Could q
fellow hire this-do you knoww
Certainly" said Miss kaswell.
"Your father was rather short about
it, the other day." said the young man.
SIN the garden, you know-cutting the
edges of the box-borders. He nearly
set the dog on one of our club. I'm one
of the Bicycle Six"
s'He is a little peculiar" said Kate,
calmly. ''If you want the boat to-day,
you can have it for two dollars, payment
in advance. Here is the key"
"AIuch oblige, I am sure" said the
member of the Bicycle Six.
"You will find the cushions in the
boat-house," added Kate.
"Thanks, awfullyr' said the young
man, thinking how very pretty the
gardeners daughter was, as he felt in
his pocket for the two dollar bill which
represented payment in advance. :,
Kate took it, with curious sensation.
She had never earned anything before,
and it seemed like prodigious sum Of
money to her.
The customer reported promptly the
next day.
This time Miss Kate was gathering
flowers in the garden, close to the edge
of the river.
81 should like the boat again." said
he, doffing his cap, and looking very
bri ght and sunburned, as he stood among
the tall blue lowered rushes.
ssIou can only have it until noon to-
day." said Kate. '1t's engaged after
that"
or she had bethought herself that it
would never do to have the River Queen
gone, when Uncle Kaswell and John
returned from the sale of Holland bulbs.
"Threc dollars in pocket money!"
she said, exultantly, to herself. "That's
something like. Now / can buy a paper
of needles without asking permission of
all the rank directors!"
Major Kaswell came back on the three
O'CLOCK train, in high spirits. The bulbs
had been fine, and had gone for reason
able prices.
ooh. by-the-way, Kate" said he, after
he had kissed her, patted the dogs silky
head, and looked at his letters, "fve
asked friend to dinner. met him at
the Sachcm's Head, as I came through
the village. Hadn't an idea he was
stopping there. And he asked permission
to bring young Jack Sigourney, who. it
seems, is staying there, too. Tell Cleo
to have everything in ship shape.
There's some of those black Hamburgs
ripe in the grapery, and the Magnum
Bonum PLAINS are in fine order for
dessert"
Kate was in the garden picking the
Magnum Bonum plums-her uncle would
trust no one but herself or old John to
gather the fruit-when she heard the
Major enthusiastically welcoming his
guests on the portico.
Peeping, with remnant of Mother
Ewes curiosity, through the plum
boughs, she saw-horror of horrors -
her customer of the day before, standing
beside a stout, short old gentleman,
under the shadow of the tuttering
awnings.
Kate had nearly dropped the basket
of plums, in her CONSERVATION.
What was to become of her2 In all
the possibilities of the case, she had
never contemplated this emergency.
IL won't come down to dinner" SHE
said, to herself. "Ill hide!'
But Cleo came up stairs, after the gong
had sounded, to summon her, without
delay.
"You must come down, miss" said
she, with troubled face. ''S1aster says
sor'
"Dld you tell him that I had head
ache, Cleo2"
Eyes, but he looked at me in that
stony way of his. Tell her to come
down, says he, slow-like And miss, he
m ans it,"
Kate clutched her curls in both hands.
'l'll have to 60 down." groaned she.
"There's no help for it."