The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-11-20
CROSS PURPosEs


vss 10 The front yard planting 6owe
seeds
Around the corner OF the little farm
house she could see Pierce Manson help
ing Marcia 10 pu, up the io~ls for ih
pigbt Somehow, Pierce, when not at
lsodiog to Lis osn baSines on the farm
vas slwsys With Mrcis.
just ss Felicia was lightly rakiog owe
the Seeds. sue beard horse coming uI
the road. aud the rex. moment Mr. Pete
Lennon dres up bis old sorrel usg clos,
10 the fence.
Evepin' Felicia Fine weather Tor plan,
10. Whs, is IL -turnips or ingyuusy
He said this with a grio. as il pleased
with bis own fscetlousness
Felicia answered. demurely:
Balssms and marigolds.
Flowers. eh2 Well, can't say ss I've
nneh use for h,wers. unless they're gar
deo pess or snap beans. noticed comm
.. slong that your gardens rather back ard
and your crops not ss for'srd AZ they
might be- Ia my opinion. your sister
Marcia might = done better than engage
Pierce Manson TO msLage the farm. Hes
purity much OF green hand. aud you two
lone women folks need 9 settled hand
with judgement aud experience to manage
Tor you Don't you think so now. Fell
cls.
Something 10 bis tone made her look
mp. He WAS leaning forward. with bis
arm resting on the top OF the fence, and
looking down at her with curious ex
preston sort OF one sided leer which
be was evidently doing bis best to make
pleasant and persuasive.
The girl was startled.
thongbt Mr.. Manson was doing very
well; aud Msrica thinks SO, TOO, she ans
wered. bresking of a dead twig from
syrings bush.
| Well, Marcia'ss q clever managing wo
man, and knows ss much as anybody
abou, butter and eggs and poultry, but
she aiu't posted about field crops. and the
sile. This farm oughter fetch more'n it
does. She sin't doin' herself nor you jus
tice the way she manages. Felicis-he
craned bis long neck across the fence and
spt ks in Q lower tone Il want to have q
talk with you. I've been wantin' it for
some time, but you always manage to glt
out O. the way O. folks. and leave EN- to
Marcia TO be entertained.
| don't have a chaucs TO entertain
where Marcia is, she answered, with shy
laugh.
Well, that's true; but you oushtn't 10,
yourself be ovsrruled by her. DOR any body
else. Now, il come over, say to morrer
evenin IT'S Sunday, you know, couldnt
dnd chance to speak to,'you. Felicia2
IL suppose go. she replied. feeling rs
though something 10 her throat wa. chok
ing her.
All right. responded Mr.. Lennon cheer
fully. I'm your friend. Felicia. and think
q heap Of you. though mebbe you haven't
seen il so fur. Don't say snytbing to Mar
cis. except that III be over to morrer ev
enin'.
With that be rode away, and Felicia.
excited, and bewildered. pretended to busy
herself With the syringa bushes.
How suddenly this thing bad come up.
on her! She was twenty-five years old,
and until now had never had besul Her
balf'sister, Marcia, who was ten years old
er, did not encourage young men to visit
the house; and Felicia herself. shy and re
firing, had great dread Of appearing to
be. 1s Marcia sneerlngly expressed 1t,
running after the men.
She had seen the girls Of the neishbor
hood. one sfter another, engaged and mar
ried and become mistresses OF their own
homes, until she had begun to look upon
herself as an old maid and to think, with .
. Sigh, that no sucb bsppy fortune await
I'd her. /,
And yet. here at last was q loverl She ,
had noticed that OF late Mr., Peter Lem
mon bad several times come TO the house
md seemed inclined to be friendly with ,
her; though. until bis own words and 4
ooks just now. it had never occurred to I
ier that bis visits had any reference to
herself. and Marcia bad said that he came h
10 business.
She could not marry him. Oh, mol n
he could never bring herself to that but /,
I wxs something to know that at last she
lad q beau. and that it was in her power h
o accept or refuse su offer Of marriage h
Presently she walked sloaly toward
be house. Marcis was 10 the back porch h
SsshiDg her hands 10 tin basin that
TODD there. q
Whist was be talking about? she ask II
d. in her usual sbrupt. strsighifor ward I,
'sy
About the crops, and---Felicis could h
oi preve-t the coioring rushing into herl il
ace :. be said be d be over to morrow even
lg. !,
Marcia gave her curious look aud then \
roke into short. sarcastic lsngh. /,
Well. | do declare she said. and. with, :,
at another word, she turned away. 4
Feicis looked alter her. ressntfully. q
Why should she Isugbf Was il Vt the ;,
les Of her hs,ina bean. or OF thst beau
eing Mr.. Peter Lemmob' Certainly be
ms Dot lover tha, girl souId be prouI .,
with his long. isnk figure. hooked >,
ose, ssilow skin aud little cuaniug gray
yee, 10 ssy nothing OF bis shsbby style
I drvss aud reputation for s.iusiness; =
a, be vas a religions man OF good sisLd .,