The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-11-06


enough store by the way she looks"
"Where'd May go?" Lew asked with u
sinking of the heart.
"She went with Dan1," looking over
his fields and mercifully turning his back.
Without word Lew turned his team
into the corn and began to plow. His
father noticed that he was unusually
gentle with the horses, and his conscience
troubled him not little as lie walked
toward the house.
"Ef hadn't a-tole him. " he said, con-
templating the variegated sod with un-
noting eye, "he would a-come in at
1even, and when he found she want
here, he'd a-went out agin ies S quicks
he could get his dinner an a-plowed till
dark, an that's too much on the horses
Lew came in at a quarter past twelve,
ate his dinner in silence, and was for
starting back to the field.
you mustn't take the horses out till
two, Lewie, " his father said you go
lilo down and sleep under n shade tree
you'll feel lots better"
II don't want to Sleep" Lew growled.
"Ef you don't the horses does, " said
his father. "But eff you amt sleepy, let's
go out here under the trees. Ifecl kinder
restless an lonesome with Dan an May
gone, and know mother don't like TO
have men folks around till she gifts her
work done. You an Dan'l is young and
free, an l jest saw Jim Lucas pass, an
couldn't help contrasting ye. Jim was
young about 10 years back, an so was
Sallie, and they had ambitions. Jim was
purity good schollard for this county,
an he wanted to be congressman or
somethin'. Sallie was purity and sweet.
an most any man in his senses would
ha loved her, an he did, an they married,
an now they have six children, and Jim
can't do nothin but jes' dig for them.
lie amt able to hire hand, an he rents,
and he don't get no richer every year,
even ef Salle does contrive an save. 1t
looks purity hard. but Jim's got to dig an
save an scrimp until he's old, and maybe
longer"
II suppose he loves Sallie," Lew sug-
Gcsted.
"Oh, yes, kinder sorter; but his life
amt what he barsained for. Married life
lacks good deal of bein' picnic when
people looks high and is poor This ever
lasting grind for somethn' to eat is awfu,
hard on feller with ambitions. Your
nav an me want you to be doctor, az
was thinkin'-"
Paw, don't know enoughc" Lew sat
up and looked resolute. "You know |
never was fond of books, an | don't like
nothing but turning up dirt an handling
stock. I'll never make doctor nor
congressman, nor nothing buta plain far.
mer, and i want to marry May an 90
to housekeeping as soon as I'm of age,
which will be in 10 months and II days.
"Wait till you're 81, and then, eff you
want to marry her, why, all right; but
I'll tell you now that the day'll come
when you will wish you hadn't. Mays
rs good girl as ever lived, but I'm
afraid you'll be overrun by her kin.
They're great folks to come an stay all
night an bring the whole family"
That afternoon he confided his doubts
and msgivings to his wife, and received
some very sharp advice about the advisa-
bility of attending to his own business.
Well, my heart jes' bleeds for other
peoples boys" Mr.. Forester asseverated,
"an' when it comes to my own it pear.
like would do anything to keep em from
running their heads in nooses that'll
keep 'em down the rest of their days"
You'll see, paw, Mrs Forester replied
with the confidence of an observing
mind. "Fve knowed and heerd of a
good many matches bein' broke off.
and very few of 'em ever come to any
good"
Stuff" scornfully replied Uncle Job.
"You know the girls in this country are
engaged lots of times fore they marry.
Why, know young Teller that'd ie.
set down an write to girl an asst her t.
marry him, an he didn't have the leas,
intentions that way. Don't you think
that engagement ought to be broken off,"
"rm not talkin about that kind-I'n.
talking about where they love an want
to marry"
"Well, we won't quarrel" And they
didn't.
During the rest of the term Dan paid
Nay the most marked attention. Scarce.
ly day passed that he did not take her
driving or horseback riding, and she sat
horse with the utmost grace. May
frightened and looked her prettiest dur.
ing these happy days, while Lew at first
sulked and then became genuinely indis.
ferent. He kept to his work in all wealth.
ers, and it began to be noticed that his
part of the crop looked much better tina,
Dams, although Lew had helped hic,
more than once.
II will plow this afternoon, he would
say, land you may help mother and
May with ther yard" Or. "rll go after
the cattle and you and May can drive
down to Springhill and get the mail.
At first this indifference was assumed
to hide his wounded pride, but it soon
came to pass that he found himself hap.
pier and nearer real contentmcnt than
ever before.
Not so with Uncle Job. At first hc
rubbed his hands complacontly, and
smiled to think how easy it was TO man.
age boys so well brought up as his were.
But Dan was continuing his attentions
too long and they were too marked and
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