Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-05-09
OLD BARNES TRICK.

10 be presented TO her, but he
knew no one, and, as be was not a
diplOmiSt, his connection with the!
public having thus far been con-
fined to the deck of a Mississippi
river steamboat, he had to content
himself with standing on the out
skirts of the crowd and gazing
with eating eyes at the bewitchlng
Young woman. He learned that
old Barnes, the girls father, was
quite weIl.tO-do farmer, aud the
next day, on the prCtext of look
lag tor a "strayed horse he call
ed at the Barnes homestead. MIN
nie met him with delightful cOur-
tesy-she answered his questions
with regard to the horse; told him
with a tremOr of pathOs in her
voice that her mother had been
dead a number Of years, and even
brought him a glass OF cream from
the spring house, where the green
frog sat under the dripping moss
and sang a Aoarse accompaniment
to the cricket's sharp edge chant.
JEFF came again the next day,
declaring that he had been told
that the horse had been seen stroll
ling in that direction. The girl
told him of her bird that had died,
and with the corner of her checked
apron wiped a star from her eye.
When JEFF went away he ran into
the woods and passionately hug
ged a black oak tree. Three days
later be called again, and when
she asked him if be had found his
horse he dropped on his knees and
desperately exclaimed;
"Lovely critter, oh! heavenly
critter, l don't know hOss when
| see bin. Oh first June apple of
backward season, lead me not
into taIkin' about hoSses. | love
a boss as much as anybody
does, but let US talk about yOu.--
Minnie, if love was a noise, you'd
think that a saw-mJll had been
started IN your ears. Sweet lilac
on a spring morning; sweet per-
tune of wild plum blossoms in the
jane air, love yOu."
Minnie lifted the corner of her
apron, wiped another star from her
eye, and declared that her other
bird was dead.
"Oh, let the birds die" he cried.
LET everything die 'cept you and
me. Will you be mad if tell you
that I want you to be my wife 7"
"NO, 1 won't he mad, but l can't
tell you that will be. l am al
ways gong to do just what pap
says. II he says that mout mar
ry you, wy, am sure that l WILL"
"Hummin' bird that lives on
honey, whar is yo' pap7"
ale IS out in the field gittin' the
hogs Outen the turnips."
"MOckin' bird that sings the
song of perfumed soul, l will 60
and see your pay"
He found the old man in the
field. Barnes could not have step.
ped into a drawing room and posed
as an ornament, still he was not
Unlocking. lie had set out so
much tobacco that his shoulders
we're stopped and had cut so much
grain with a cradle that he walked
with a swing, bat the expression
Of his face was kindly and hii
voice soft and persuasive.
JEFF talked some time before
stating the object of his visit, and
] when he did declare himself th'
5 old mau, instead of showing offens
, Iquietly remarked:
81 reckon young folks know
= what Is suited to tbe'r taste, bu
o they ant allus got the best artickl
of iedgment. Come ard see me a
the house tO-mOrrer."
jeff called the next day. "Now,
said the old man, "I have foun
out that Minnie loves you, but tina
don't satisfy me for all my years {
of trouble and anxiety about he
Don't you think we Oughter tax
that inter consideration? [
course you do. Well, now, here
my idee: You know Jacob wOrl
ed ike the mischief for Rache
which was no more than righ
. cOnsiderin' the fact that Rachel
father had raised the girl, and
tell you what it, the sooner we
back to them Bible days the be
ter 1t will be for us all. Now,
won't be as hard a man to dc
with as Rache's father was / a
d mighty easy nan, so you wO1
tor NE one year an Minnie
yOurn. What do you say I"
JEFF threw his arms about Il
old man. He declared that /
old time idea was a glorious OF
"WC'Il draw up a contract" 90
the old man. "And it's got to
pogerful blndln'," he added. "Y