Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-09-17
A FARMERS WIFE.

Why Kate Blesses a Hardened
Old Uncle.
II never saw such lovely woods in all
my life" said Kate Blessington. 'sWin-
tergreen and slender-stemmed Wild
flowers, and gray, old, fallen logs hid
den in ferns, and merry little tinkling
brooks! And Charley has showed me
where there is an ice-cold spring under
the rocks, and a cave where tho Indians
used to hide in Revolutionary times!"
''Humph!'' said Mrs. Daggett, knit
ting away as if each separate needle
were freighted with electricity.
And we're going to have picnic to-
morrow, all by ourselves" went on
Kate, carelessly swinging her broad
brimmed hat by one ribbon, Charley
and /. I'm to pick a basket of wild
strawberries, and he's to bring rolls and
lettuce and hard-boiled eggs, and shall
show him Madranello's recipe for salad
dressing out there, under tho trees
And wo'll cool bottle of your currant-
"AAS IA VAC . AAN 1CSau oudAO"
speare, under the green vines, with the
blue-birds whistling in our ears: and,
altogether, twill be just like dream
Of Arcadiar'
"Humph!"' said Mrs. Daggett.
''Thats twice you've uttered that stiff
old monosyllable," said Kate, little
piqued. Il wonder what it meansv'
Mrs Daggett looked up at the lovely
young thing in her cool, rustling mus
Inns, and the slender gold chain around
her white throat She ''took Stock" so
to speak, of the dazzling blue eyes and
the hair that was like cloud of crinkly
gold, and the pure red-and-white COM
plexion. And she thought of honest
sun-burned Charley at work in the up
land grass lots, and the conviction
pressed more deeply than ever upon her
mind that it was not fairly matched
contest between her grandson and her
city boarder.
did you ever read the fable of the
Boy and the Frogs Miss Blessington?
said she.
Haven't II" retorted Kate, with a
laugh. Half dozen times at least.
But why do you ask?''
Because" said Mrs. Daggett, 'what
was fun to the boys was death to the
frogs"
'You mean"
II mean," said old Mrs. Daggett,
shrewdly eying Miss Blessington over
E the rims of her silver spectacles,
''that what you are enjoying so much
may be sorry business for my grand
son Charleyv'
what nonsense" cried Kate, "as if I
meant any thing!'
That's just it," said Mrs. Daggett.
you don't mean any thing. but Charley
does! Charley is in earnest about every
thing!"
docs he really dare to imagine tn at
I would
''Stop minute, my dear, stop a min
ute,'' interposed the old lady, whose
knitting needles had never for single
moment abated their clicking. "What
IS he to imagine, when you seek his
society, take pleasure in his companion
ship, and put forth all your attractions
to charm him?"
Because do like him." said Kate
And he loces you'll"
Kate's lip quivered; the deep carmine
rushed into her cheek.
'I'm sorry" said she, Il am, indeed.
I never thought that-Oh, if I could
only put off this picnic busin ess!'
The old lady eyed her still more
sharply.
$50 he's nothing more than an ordi-
nary acquaintance, to you?" said she.
Il like him." said Kate. t'Oh, ever so
much! Butt never can be farmers
wifev'
"There are people in the world worse
of than farmers wiz es," said Mrs. Dag
gett-
"Perhaps so,'' said Miss Blessing ton,
little haughtily. ''But Uncle Or
lando has brought me up with far differ
ent views. am to go with him to
Europe, and be presented at court by
the American Minister'S wife. l am to
be his heiress, and"
Mrs. Daggett rose quietly up and laid
aside her knitting.
II must 20 and see after my roast
ducklings and green peas" said She
''And your beautiful bunch of ferns,
Miss Blessington, is all willing, for a
lack OF little cold water to put them
in"
Kate Blessington went slowly across
the wide hall, where the two-hundred-
year old Antwerp clock licked like the
fall of ghostly footsteps At the same
moment Charley Daggett came in; q
tall, sunburned. Apollo. with dark,
sparkling eyes and q rich, brown COM
plexion, like a Spaniard's. .5z..e ..=
''See what have found up in. the
fields" said he. Just in time to escape
the scythel A nest Of young robins,