Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-02-26

ing. but lccl awful Dau To-Day, ana
it don't take much to upset me. It's
all true what you say. | am poor,
WORKOUT. feeble creature, and / don't
blame you for gettin' out of patience.
But if hadn't worked so hard all these
years."
"Ob, yes, there's always some ex-
cuse," growled the squire: and taking
a stray sample num0er" OF paper,
he went out to sit in tho honeysuckle
shade.
Il can't stand that roasting fire."
said he.
Then" said Kitty, the cnfant terri
bic. chow do you suppose mother likes
iton
In an instant however, her tickle,
childish attention was diverted.
"Seem she cried; "therc come Cousin
Mary and Mr.. Dallas over the hill! Oh,
father, they're engaged. Did you know
itPn
Yes" absently answered the squire,
intent on his paper.
II was in the parlor that night; it
Numbered and raincd so hard said
Kitty, with twinkliuG eye, land they
didn't know it. Aud heard them talk
ing to each other. And he called her
his darling love"
"Humph!' gruntcd the squire. "A
regular case o. spooning.n
''And she said he was her dearest
dearest one" added Kitty the circum-
stantial.
Young foolsr' snapped Squire Sad
ley.
Father" said Kitty. leaning on his
shouldcr-she was the only one in the
house who was not afraid of the stern
despot-"don't all lovers talk SOP"
They're fools for their pains if they
do?"
Didn't you love mother when she
was girl like Cousin Mary? Didn't
you say just such things to her?'
The squire moved untasiIy in his
chair under the calm, searching light
of Mary's eyes.
II might ha' done" he owned at last.
Il spose | was just as great an idiot as
other folks be-
Il don't sec why people ever leave it
Off" said Kitty abstractedly. WAS
mother pretty girl?'
Don't talk nonsense" said the
squire, almost angrily; aud he got up
and walked around to the old wooden
bench beside the well curb.
Had Kitty's mother been pretty
girl? Yes that she had-rosC-cheeked
and limpid-eyed, with laugh sweet as
the note of thrush, and the lightCst
foot in n Virginia reel OF any girl in
the ncighborhood. Aud now, Il am a
poor, WORKOUT. feeble creature" she
had said, in the faint, weary accents,
looking at him out of the dim, faded
eyes; ''aud | don't blame you for get
ting out of patience" Yes; it was all
true. But what had wrought the
change? Whose fault was it?
Il don't know" said the squire, star
ing az heavens blue eye reelected far
down in the heart vi the deep. cool
well, but | most think I've been too
hard on her Now | come to study on
it, I've had lots O. hired help about the
farm. aud she's done all the homework
herself And she never was very strong!
Was she a pretty grip There wasn't
none prcttier in radius o twenty
miles around Kingsley church. Aud
to look at her now.'
The squire got up and stamped I'M
easily around the we'll.
I've been bruter he muttered TO
himself. Worse than a dumb brute
for they ant supposed to know no
better. | don't know what I've been
thinkin' of all these years. Leave off
loving her? | han't never left it off.
/ love her now. bless her faithful, pa
tent soul, us well us ever | did, only
I've fell into the way of bein' careless
and neglected.. But I'll turn over Il
new leaf this very day, see if | don't"
He kept his word.
Engaged. Mary? Is it really Il
settled -tiing9" said Mrs. SadIey. "Oh,
hope you'll be happy. | hope, after
twelve years of marriage, dear Mary,
you'll be as happy as am now!"
Her eyes shone; faint color glowed
on her ordinary pale cheeks. Mary
SadIey looked ut her in surprise.
Would YOU believe" went on tht
sQuire's wife. The has hired Il girl tC
come here and do all the rough WORK
SO as to spare me? And there is sucl
an easy, spr:ng-upholstcred sofa in The
hall in place of the lumpy old lounge
and there's one of the hay-hands split
ting u pile OF wood to last from now tc
MichaelmaS. Aud we are to keen
our wedding anniversary in real old
fashioned style next week, and IItu
has ordered dress trimmed with whit
ribbons. just like the one | was marrie'
in. He says | shall look as young an,
pretty as did then. Such nonsense
YOU know! And yet it is nice of hin
TO say so-now, isn't it?
Aud Mrs. SadIey laughed throug
her tears.
Poor soul! The sunshine had com
late in life, yet it filled her whole bein
with blessedlcSs.
I'm so gladr' said Mary. But 20
deserve it all, Cousin Eunicc."
: And the newly .betrothcd lover
whispered to each other that the mi
lennum must surely be at hand. Fo
what else could so have changed tn
} squire?
They did not stop to reflect that then
+ is truth in the old saw: Good in al
, and none all good. "-Amy randolph
: N. J. Lcdder.