The Opelousas courier., 1890-11-15
ONLY A FARMERS WIFE.
By JANE a. LEWIS.

81 never saw such lovely woods In
all my Ifein said Kate B~lessington;
"Wintergreen and slender-stemmed wild
flowers, and gray, old, fallen logs, hid;
den in ferns, and merry little tinklina
brooksi And Charley has showed ma
where there is a nice cold spring under
the rocks, and a cave where the Id.
dians used to hide in Revolutionary
timesin
"Humphf" said Mrs. Daggett, knit.
ting away as if each separate needle were
freightea with electricity.
"And we're going to have d picnic 10.
morrow, all BY ourselves vent on.
Kate, carelessfy swinging her broad
brimmed hat by the ribbon, s.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 receipt for salad
dressing out there under the trees. And
we'll read Shakespeare under the green
vines, with the blue.birds whistling in
our ears; and, altogether. it viii be just
like d dream of A1cadiaW
"Humph!" said Mrs. Daggett.
1That5s twice you've uttered that
stiff old monosyllable. said Kate, a
little piaued. II wonder what it
meansl
Mrs. Dagget looked up st the lovely
young thing. in her cool, rustIing mus
Inns, and the slender gold chain around
her white throat; she atook stock 20
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 1t work IN the up
land grasslota, and the conviction
pressed more deeply than ever upon hel
mind that it was not a fairly matched
contest between her grandson and hcl
city boarder.
"I)id you evcr read the fable of the
Boy and the Frogs Miss B~lessingtons'
said che.
Haven't Iav retorted Kate, with i
laugh. ssHalf 3 dozen times at least.
But why do you askan
Because" said AIRS. Daggatt, s.whai
was fun to the boys was death to the
frogs.
You mean
4T mean said old Mrs. Daggett,
shrewdly eyeing Miss BIessiugton over thf
rims Of her silver spactacles, THAT what
sou are enjoying 30 much may be d sorry
business for my grandson Charleyl'
YWhat nonsense, 2 cried Kate. "a
II | meant anythingia
That's just it, said Mrs. Daaeett.
ssYou don't mean anything. but Charley
does Charley Is IN earnest about every.
thing
docs he really dare to imagine that ]
would
esStop q minute, my dear, stop d min.
ute,a i~nferposed the old Lady, whose knit.
, ting needles had never for d single mo-
ment ahated their clicking. HWhat i.
he to imagine, when ron seek his society,
take pleasure ia his conpanionship, and
put forth all your attractions to charm
him.
Because / do like him, said Kate.
"And he loves your
Kate Lip quivered; the deep carrnine
rushed into her cheek.
I'm aorry, ! said she, II ain, indeed
{ never thought that-oh. If Icoua only
put OF this picnic business Z,
The DID lady eysd her it'll mers
sharply.
$50 he's nothing more than an ordi-
nary acquaintance to you9n said she.
ike him, 4 said Kate. asoh, ever
Va much Bnt--I never can be i farmer
wifeln
There are people in the world worse
off than farmers wives, said Mrs. Dag.
gett.
Perhaps 30, said Miss Blessington, 4
little haughfily. But Uncle Orlando has
brought me up with far different piews.
1 am 70 8 D With him ID Europe, and De
presented 1t corr BIZ the American
minister wife, an To BIZ bis heiress,
snd-
Mls Daggat ross quietly If ard laid
aside her knitting
as go aud ssu alter IL roast
6alsklins aad gVn paaa atd she
aud you beautiful bunch d fsYuss
a33ahs 8ssasjsaAS< i Wx1kne. $W 6