Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-08-29


Here's your trumpet, all mended,
4, .ss,,Gt Rosanafae e, !. '3i said she. sssAntl
here's tho alpaca dress and the
three yards Of flannel, and the bas.
ket with the ten and sugar. and
spices. What are you going to have
for snpper2"
"Spring chickens" said Aunt
Roxama in the SOFT. subducd voice
peculiar to deaf people. "rhcv're
on the butt'ry shelf all drcssca and
ready. An baked potatoes, an /
calculate to have them ere pies
ready to go into the oven right off"
"Splendid," said Lurana Hopkins.
81 want one of them. And l
must have tho chickens, and that
loaf of gingerbread -
ella, mc!'' said Aunt Roxamna.
els the girl crazy2"
"It's for tho schoolma'am, Aunt
Roxanna," explained Lurana, with
her rosy mouth close to the car
trumpet. "IIor bcau's father came
up from the train with mo in Zadoc
Hawley's stage, and he took me for
deaf woman, because of the trum-
pet, | suppose, and talked before me
to his friend real free. And he's
como out here to surprise the school
ma'am, and find out whether she's
a good housckceper or not. And
if she isn't hos going to set himself
dead against the match !"
81 never heard nothin' like it in
ny !;fo," said Aaat Rox&nna.
"And she isn't--now you know
she isn't" said Lurana. "Shc Just
lives in half of tho Widow Skier
ritt's house, and boards herself on
bread and milk. But she's as sweet
MS a peach, and people can't have all
the accomplishments at oncc---"
"No, to be sure not" said Aunt
Roxanna, her slow wits following
Laura's rapid speech with considcra-
bio difficulty.
"And she sha'n't be cheated out
Of her lover, not if l can help it,"
said Ihlrana, hurriedly packing the
"broilcrs," neatly wrapped in a nap
kin, into her basket, and supplement-
ing them with a loaf Of spice smell
ling gingerbread, two unbakcd black
berry pies, a pan of biscuit and a
glass jar Of honey. "Now little
canister Of Coffee" said she, "and
some of those pickles, and | believe
that's all. You must hunt up some:
thing else for supper"
And once moro Lurana sped across
the fields, crossing noisy brook on
the pcrilous span of fallen tree,
picking her way deity through the
hummocks of swamp and reaching
the Widow Skerritts cottage, while
the Blue Station stage, travelling the
regular road, was still a good mile
and quarter away.
Alice Alden, the district school
teacher, was just putting the last
stitches to a blue checked gingham
gown that she was making when
Lurana rushed in like n hazel eyed
whirlwind.
"Quick !" she cried. "Kindlc mp
the fire! Set the table! Your ia
thcr-in-law is coming!"
"My fathcr-in-aw!" cried Miss
Alden, aghast.
"In the stage p explained Lurana,
brcathlcssly. ''To take you by sur
prise-and there's no telling how
soon he will be here"
And then, as we'll as she could,
she explained this unexpected com
bination Of circumstances.
"But," reasoned Alice, 81 do not
wish TO deceive anybody. l can't
cook, | never learned how"
"Fiddlcsticks 70 cried Llrana.
Hf men will make such geese of
themselves we may just as well
meet them on their own ground, 1t
would be just rs reasonable for you
to refuse Victor because he hasn't
learned the bIacksmith's trade or
can't preach a sermon. Wouldn't it
now ?"
"Thcrc's something in that" hcsi-
tatcd Alice.
"Of course there is" said Lurana.
1t was nine o'clock at night when
Colonel Jones rcjoincd his friend
Richmond at the Hcmlock Hill IIo-
tel. Outside the whippor-wills sung,
the pine woods cxhalcd perfume.
Within the Colonel rcioiccd with an
exceeding great joy.
'lts all right" said he. "All as
right as possible. I walked directly