The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-06-25
MAUD'S LESSON.
Written for the Rural Press by May Blossom
naviS

Davis.l
"And 1 suppose, of course, he'll come
up here Memorial Day, because he said
he'd like to spend his holiday with me.
He did last year, and such a lovely time
we had, j" and Maud's face grew serious as
she recalled Memorial Day a year ago.
She and Lettie were walking slowly
back and forth through little lane be-
tween the barr yard and the shadowy old
orchard. They were talking, as girls
talk, very low and confdentially, their
arms locked about eaca Others waists and
their faces very close together, but lest
the hired man" in t. e barnyard should
overhear their conversation, despite the
steady streams of milk that poured nolslly
into the empty pals. On one side several
little bright-eyed calves blew their warm
fragrant breath between the f~ence-oarS
and called softly for their mothers. While
on the other the low gnarled branches OF
the orchard, all whitley set with fragrant
blossoms, nodded and whispered / the
twilight breeze, and showed fair petals
tipped with the fire of the sunset shining
brightly through the thick of the orchard
Ali about them was the low drowsy hum
of retiring bees and home-bound birds,
making music with their rapid win rs, and
the first shrill songs of the crickets in the
tall dewy orchard grass. It was just the
time for secrets, this soft, dreamy closing
of the day, when everything grew more
mysterious and more beautiful in the
diving ligh-, when the rustling and sway
ing Of the long fresh grass seemed made
by the unseen footsteps of ~enchantreSses
coming with some olden spell to restore
those lost arcadian days which once made
earth an Eden.
Maud gave her friend an affectionate
little hug as a sense of all this beauty and
fragrance stole over her, and she went on
still more boldly with her condolences.
"He didn't like the idea to lose me for
a whole month, he said. If | must 60 to
the country why not wait until he had
his summer vacation and perhaps his
friends might organize a camping tour,
he urged. / fear he is a little jealous,
Lettie-as if I'd see anyone up here in
the country to fall in love with" and
Maud shrugged her trim shoulders and
gave a sly glance toward the "hired
man" just stroking the sleek coat of a
rude, unpublished farmer. She did not
notice that the deep blush on Lettie's
cheek was not a reflection from the Grim
son west or that her friends blue eyes
seemed rather startled after this sighting
comment of the honest, manly fellow
who would have sacrificed a whole days
labor if he could thereby have given this
pretty, naughty stranger, who was Let
ties friend, a little pleasure during her
visit.
But Maud was busy with her own
thoughts and went on quite heedlessly
"He asked me for a full description of
you-color of hair, eyes, etc.-to Judge if
you were the proper kind of a companion
for me, I think, the absurd fellow! aud
wanted to know all about the f4rm-if
you have many visitors or live at all
stylishly, and of course | told him just
how plain and quiet everything is here,
and assured him, you may be certain,
that all eligible young men, fit even to
firt with, were totally wanting in these
parts. But you should see Alfred, Let
tel He is as handsome as a dream, with
such fascinating manners, too. He has
dark eyes-my ideal eyes exactly-and
dark hair, cut close to a 1ne-shaped head,
complexion clear and white, and a hand
some brown mustache. And then, oh
dear, how brilliant he is! He graduates
next year from the medical college, a
full-aedged doctor, and then, of course,
he'll be ready to begin life in earnest"
and Maud gave a little sigh, in contem-
plation of that hopeful future time.
al nm so glad you are happy Lettie
will always be, Maud. But O may be
c,ro &c - ie -o,, loro eor-oJ esAle,1
heart; that is better than all else, you
know
Lettie paused a moment. She had said
rather a bold thing to her friend Maud,
who priced sc highly all worldly advan-
tages and v~anities. And yet Lettie knew
that this enthusiastic, proud friend of hers
had a warm and generous heart. Her
lot had be- n cast among those who look
most to worldly achievements as mans
greatest good, and forget, in so doing, the
nobler pIomptings of the heart. And
hence Maud had learned to regard with
scorn those Of lower station han herself,
particularly if they failed from lack of re-
inement or accomplishments.
Her friendship with Lettie was the re-
suit of ~apleasant companionship at school,
whittier Lettie had gone for the advantage
of a few months study of higher learn
ing was offered at Der own home. There
she and Maud had met, and the latter,
moved by her kinder feelings to forget
the line that divided them socially, had
received the young girl from the farm
house as cordially as those who lived in
the handsome residences that lined
the stylish thoroughfares of her own
city home. Notwithstanding numerous
thoughtless references to country peo-
pie" and droll limitations of their mistakes
which Lettie sometimes remembered
with a pang in her own fond little heart,
had countless times been committed by
dear old father" at home, Maud was
very kind to Lettie, giving her numerous
suggestions in regard to oress and other
things that were very helpful. Maud had
found a bright companion in Lettie. Her