Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-21
TWO SUMMER BOARDERS

The house might have been a very pleas
ant one when II was opened, but in sum
mer-time it was virtually closed because of
the flies and heat and dust and sun, Mrs
Fries said. In the morning the bed in the
summer boarders' room was nicely made,
the furniture all busted and put back
against the wall and the furniture was
solid mahogany the blinds were shut and
indeed the windows too, and coming in out
Of the sunlight one had to grope ones way
all over the house. So Miss Hetherington
went out upon the veranda Immediately
after breakfast, and remained there, if she
remained near the house at all, till bed
time.
She had just left the breakfast table,
but by the little watch that hung from her
girdle it was already 9 o'clock. All
through the meal there had been pleas
ant clickety music from the neighboring
field John had told Miss Hetherington
the night before that he would about reach
the middle of the field with his moving
machine when she left the breakfast table
the next morning, and sure enough there
he was. What a Hercules was this young
farmer Fries and handsome, stalwart
fellow, and fine, frank, excellent nature,
and a gentleman withal.
The Fries had always sent their sons to
a sort of college for few years, to polish
them up; then, if they chose to go on
with a profession, the money was found
for it. In fact, several of Johns cousins
were students of divinity, of medicine, of
law; but John chose to be farmer of his
own free will, his mother said. She was
a nice, quaint, wholesome little women,
whom Miss Hetherington liked very
much, and Mrs. Fries seemed TO return
this affection, until john
But that was a matter of course. Miss
Hetherington felt sorry that these little
hobbies of mothers always interfered with
their happiness. She had begun by liking
Mrs. Fries better than her SON She
amused her and interested her; the old
lady had all that native ingenuity, vigor,
simplicity, and honesty of expression
which the few years at college had cured
for John. But of late Mrs. Fries had
been very busy. 1t was haying-time, and
she went to bed early, but not Miss Heth-
erington, who disliked going to bed more
than anything in the world, unless it
might be getting out of bed after she had
once gone to it. As for John, he liked the
moon.
The verandah faced the road, running
the whole length of the house. Some fine
old horse-chestnuts shaded the lawn, then
across the fence was the field of hay where
John was moving Miss HetheringGon
put up her glass. Without her glass,
John and the mower looked one. All at
once the music of the mower ceased, and
the fine figure at the helm, or whatever
the governing power of a mower is called,
took off its wide-brimmed straw hat and
waved it in the sweet summer air. and
Miss Hetherington, not to be outdone,
took from her belt little trife of lace
and linen, and also waved it. And heaven
knows how long this little pantomime
might have gone on if Miss Hetherington
had not heard behind her a peculiar
cough. 1t came from Mrs Fries, who was
looking at Miss Hetherington, but not like
John or the many well-known ways of
looking at a pretty woman. There was
something in the gaze of Mrs. Fries that
went to Miss Hetherington's heart with
out elating it.
Good morning." said Miss Hetherlng-
tsn. "You tell me without speaking that
! must not interfere with the shining
hours of haying-time, and you see that it
is Just as if went within-doors-not bit
of me is to be seen, and l promise you
won't be till the tedious sun goes Gown
Miss Hetherington had put herself and
her draperies quite behind huge Jap
anese honeysuckle, and now sank into one
of the big red easy-chairs, and reached a
book from a convenient and sheltered nook
which was crammed with paper literature.
She yawned slightly. The compact mass
of summer reading took somewhat weari-
some shape.
"And how long does this troublesome
haying-time last ?' she said.
Miss Hetherington looked up, and was
surprised to see that Mrs. Fries had turned
into an old woman From a comfortable
middle age she had shrunk and faded into
something quite pitiable. The red in her
cheek, which had hitherto bloomed like
that in winter apple, had suddenly fled,
and her eyes, which had always held the
snap of virility, were sunken and dull.
dts too late to tell you not to inter
fere with John" she said; q it's too late
the mischief's done"
Miss Hetherington was touched and in
terested. She suddenly put up her soft
white hands, and catching the trembling,
wrinkled hands of Mrs. Fries within her
own, she drew her gently into chair by
her side behind the honeysuckle.
"Dear madam, dear Mrs. Fries" she
said, in that low, caressing voice which
was valuable accessory of Miss Hether-
ington's, don't, please, worry, l assure
you there's nothing to worry about"
Begging your pardon, miss, | think
there is" said Mrs. Fries; If you amt
N earnest my John is; and that's what
want to talk to you about this morning.
don't say you're all to blame. It's perhaps
Just as natural for you to go round trap
PIN foolish boys like John as it is for that
nasty black and yellow spider to lie in
wait for flies"
Madam pr Miss Hetherington drew
herself up haughtily.
Begging your pardon again-perhaps
Pm wrong perhaps it may be as John
hopes, though sorely distrust it. You
amt the kind of girl to take kindly to