The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-03-17

money, Cousin Selma would have been little disappointed that, with out saying a word, he permitted her to go away.
 She asked him to come and see he1 and he said he would.
 When would he come?
 Oh, when the harvest was in. Work for time would soon be over, and he might indulge in little pleasure.
 Mrs. Pollard, by the light of inclin- ation, saw a meaning in this answer and more graciously went away.
 The corn, green then, had since grown golden, and had bowed it's head to the sickle. Several messages had been sent by Selina, and Mrs. Grant felt, if the prize was to be secured, there must be no more delay.
 She had chosen this evening to open the question, and her starting point, as we have seen, was:
 "Peter, you must marry"
 After the allusion to his dead wife and the years during which he had remained widower, 8 silence ensued, employed by Mrs. Grant in deciding upon the most vulnerable spot by which she could touch her son.
 elf it's only on account of the boy, to give him the care of a mother, you ought to marry" she began.
 Peter looked up. The welfare of the boy was quite another matter.
 "I should not say what I might do," continued Mrs. Grant, eff I felt 1 could stay here, but 1 can't, Peter. At my time O life new homes ain't made so easy. I miss my chapel and my old friends, to say nothing O your sisters, who think it very hard that they should be counted melodies and fond as am O you, children is child ren, and I was never one to set the claims O one above the claims O the others of you"
 "I feel it's very kind in you to stay as you have done," Peter said dole fully. "Of course 'tis too much for me to expect you are going to remain altogether; but the boy is young yet. In three or four years or so -" and he hesitated while Mrs. Grant laughed grimly.
 "A very nice pickle he'll be-" she said sarcastically' "I know quite we'll whenever it comes to the boy you never take it we'll to be spoke too plainly, but Pm only echoing the words of all around when say that of all the unruly, ungovernable young Turks twas ever my fate to see, your boy beats 'em."
 "But he's such a mere baby" put in Peter piteously.
 "He's baby now, but as the years lengthen so the twig strengthens However, the bringing up ot your child is your own business, not mine :; only I do say, that let him grow into what he may, you'll only have your self to thank for it."
 Peter's face became clouded. Was it true what his mother was saying, that the child, who was the apple of his eye, would grow up a vagabond for the want of proper training? Working as he was forced to, from morning until bedtime, he could get little more than a glimpse of his darl- ing, who ran the fields at his own sweet will, either in company with older Gaffer Jeffry-now nearly as childish as the five- year-old Peter himself-or with his granddaughter, Jenny, the youngest on the farm next to little Peter.
 Poor Jenny had very sad history, but little Peter knew nothing of it and now that the old master was dead, and the new one, instead of taunting her, gave her kind word when he met her, the girl was as happy as it is natural at seventeen years old to be.
 "The child always looks so healthy and happy whenever l see him." said Peter, resuming the conversation with his mother
 "Most of us is happy when we're having everything our own way" There was another silence between them.
 "But, mother, suppose I was will ing to marry, I don't know of any body who'd have me-"
 Mrs. Grant threw her sharp eyes on the face which was looking at her.
 "Don't you?" she said. "Well, I do." Peters eyes opened wide.
 "The saying is that there's none SO blind as they that won't see, and 'pon my word, unless you shut lem O pur- pose, what Selina Pollard did here in the spring and for ever inviting you over to see her is more than can say"
 "Whatl Cousin Selina, do you mean? Oh, mother, you're mistaken. No, mo-"
 "All right only if Pm mistook so is she, too, and the sooner you unde- ceive her the more manly it will be in you"
 "But such a thing never entered into my head. I don't know that I like her."
 WAu tho mora nitv than tbot cba