Nevada County picayune., 1889-06-05


 you told me"
 "Yes, but, Jotham, never mind ; the next time she sends let her have whatever she wants.'
 Said somethin' about wantin' a man to come and hoe them early po- tatoes. Be l to go,''
 "Certainly-of course. Nei9hbors should act like neighbors, especially in the country.'
 And Mr. Wiggleton sighed, and wished that he was not too corpulent and unused to labor tohoe the Widow Palmleaf's early potatoes himself.
 But he did the next best thing he went over to look at the field after Jotham had hoed it, and gave the widow good advice concerning a cer- tain rocky, up hill bit of sheep pas ture that belonged to the cottage.
 "Id lay that down in winter rye if I were you, ma am said Mir. Wiggleton.
 II am so much obliged to you, ]" said the widow, sweetly. "Since poor, dear Hobart was taken away have no one to advise me on these subjects.''
 And Mir. Wiggleton thought how soft and pretty her blue eyes looked as she spoke,
 "Oh, pshaw," said Jotham, lean ing on the handle of his hoe, winter rye ain't the sort O crop for that spot. Spring wheat's the only thing to grow there. -
 Hold your tongue, Jotham 70 cried his employer, testify.
 "Yes, sir, l will" said Jotham, with a broad grin oyer Mr. Wiggle- tons shining bald head,
 And about these hyacinth beds, ma am, |" said the latter, recovering his equanimity, "Tll come over this evening if you will allow me-
 T shall be delighted" " interrupted the widow, with d smile that showed set of teeth as white and regular as pearls.
 This evening, ma am, repeated Mr. Wiggleton, with bow, "and we'll sketch out diagram. Hya- cinths have to be humored, Mrs, Palmleaf."
 So l have always heard,' said the widow.
 That evening after MT. Wiggleton had returned from discussing the momentous question of sandy soil, bUlbous roots and crescents and cir cles. he found Jotham on the front porch contentedly breathing the nower-scented air,
 "A pretty woman. that Mrs. Palm leaf. Jotham," said the employer ; not because there was any special congeniality of soul between himself and his farm hand, but because he could have talked to the gate posts if Jotham hadn't happened to be there.
 Well, nobody doubts that, as ever l heerd on." said Jotham, with his elbows on his knees and his face complacently turned toward the full moon.
 And she cant be over thirty"
 ''So l should a-said myself" as scented Jotham.
 "Im glad she has taken the cot tage on a long lease, Jotham," pur- sued Mir. Wiggleton. Il like good ncighbors.
 Most folks does" observed Jo- than.
 And he got up, shaking himself like great Newfoundland dog, and went into the house, leaving Mr. WiggIeton to the companionship of his own cogitations. There are times in which solitude is said to be the best company; perhaps this was one of these special occasions, in the es- timation of JOtham Hardcastle.
 The summer went by; the great maple in front of the Wiggleton mansion began to glow as if it's leaves had been dipped in blood and melted gold the asters reared their purple torches along the stone wall by the cottage under the hill, and any acute observer might have perceived that Mrs. PaImleaf had lad down the rocky bit of up hill ground in spring wheat instead of winter rye.
 "Jotham '' said Mir. Wigglcton to his farm hand one evening; it was the first time they had had fire on the wide. old-fashioned hearth.