Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-10-16
A FARMERS WIFE.
Why Kate Blesses a Hardened
Old Uncle.

Old Uncle.
81 never saw such lovely woods in all
my life!" said Kate Blessington. swim
tergreen and slender-stemmed wild
flowers, and gray, old, fallen logs hid
den in ferns, and merry little tinkling
brooksl And Charley has showed me
where there is an ice-cold spring under
the rocks, and cave where the 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 l. 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 the trees.
And we'll cool a bottle of your currant-
wine in the spring and read Shake
speare, under the green vines, with the
blue-birds whistling in our ears: and,
altogether, it will be just like a dream
of Arcadiap'
''Humph!" said Mrs. Daggett.
''That's twice you've uttered that stiff
old monosyllable, said Kate, a little
piqued. "a wonder what it meansp'
Mrs. Daggett looked up at the lovely
young thing, in her cool, rustling mus
Inns, and the slender gold chain around
hn frroi 70 no cNo CO
to speak, of the dazzling blue eyes and
the hair that was like a,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 a fairly-matched
contest between her grandson and her
city boardor.
Ibid you ever read the fable of the
Boy and the Frogs Miss Blessington?"
said she.
Haven't -" 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"
81 mean" said old Mrs. Daggett,
shrewdly eying Miss Blessington over
the rims of her silver spectacles,
that what you are enjoying so much
may be sorry business for my grand
son Charleyr'
What nonsense" cried Kate, ''as if 1
meant any thing!'
That's just it," said Mrs. Daggett.
"You don't mean any thing, but Charley
doesl Charley is in earnestabout every
thing!"
Does he really dare'to imagine that
would"
stop minute, myrdear,. 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?7
because I DO like. him." said Kate
And he 1oges your
Hates lip quivered; the deep carmine
rushed into her cheek.
I'm sorry said she, 81 am, indeed.
never thought that-Oh, if 1 could
only put off this picnic busin essl"
The old lady eyed her still more
sharply.
$50 he's nothing more than an ordi-
nary acquaintance, to you2" said she.
u like him. said Kate. sob, ever so
much! Butt never can be farmers
wifeP'
There are people in the world worse
oil than farmers wiz es," said Mrs. Dag
gett.
Perhaps sou said Miss Blessington,
a little haughtily. ''But Uncle Or
lando has brought me up with far differ
ent views. l am to go with him to
Europe. and be presented at court by
the American Minister'S wife. 1 am to
be his heiress, and"
Mrs. Daggett rose quietly up and laid
aside her knitting.
y must go and see after my roast
d9r;klings and green peas" said she.
'&nd your beautiful bunch of ferns,
Miss Blessington, is all whiting, for
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;
tall, sunburned Apollo. with dark,
sparkling eyes and a rich, brown COM
plexion, like Spaniard's.
"See what I have found up in the
fields, said he, 'Just in time to escape
the scythel A nest of young robins,
which somehow had fallen from the
trees"
''oh, the dear, dear little things"
cried Kate, her blue.eyes glittering, her
damask cheek laid softly against the
callow nestlings.
Il thought you would like to see
them" said Charley. And then. all in
a second. he took both her hands. BIRDS
nest ana ali, in his, swayed by s;ss11lezz
burst of impulse.
Kate" cried he, ST love you'll Oil
nv dearest Won vauek hava lrroxvr a.