Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-23

the tablecloth wouldn't be the dish
sug But s'pose he's Hobson's choice
with YOU"
The truth was that she was afraid
her sister-in-law might still manage to
retain place in the household by hook
or by crook, and she was determined to
provoke an altercation in order to pre-
vent such a sequence.
But Miss Ferobia was not to be
drawn into a quarrel
''He may be Hobson's choice, but he
is not NINE" she returned, coo1ly.
Nancy, however, was as persistent as
gnat or gadfiy.
81 don't doubt but what you'd rather
have Felix Byefeld." she suggested,
slyly, ''but You needn't to count on
gittin' him, fur he's a-keepin' comply
with the Wilder Cheeseman, an every
buddy says they're a-goin' to marry
after harvest"
It was a random shot on Nancy's
part, but her black eyes sparkled with
malicious triumph as she saw by her
sister-inlaw's burning cheeks that the
poisoned arrow had struck home.
Miss Ferobia deigned no reply, how
ever, but went coolly about prepare
tions for her own departure.
She had rented a small cottage and a
few acres of ground a mile or two
from the old homestead, and Timothy
could do no less than get out the spring
wagon and drive her to the new home.
1t was yet early in the springtime
| and the wild plum trees were white
| with bloom. The tall naples and elms
by the roadside swung their light tas-
sells in the soft breeze and myriads of
| buttercups and purple-hued pansies
| dotted the grass-grown lanes
Il dunno what you wanted of so
much ground round your house," re-
| marked Timothy, refectively, as the
wagon rolled easily along. ''Haf an
acre would of been enough. I should
say"
| mo, it wouldn't maintained his
| sister, stOutly. I'm a-gOin' into the
gardenin' business, to raise truck for
the markets"
| Timothy whistled.
''You'll make a failure of it, sure as
gins" he declared, ruthle ssly.
But Miss Ferobia was not to be dis
couraged.
| ''There's plenty of men make Twin at
it. an why not nae?" she asked. I've got
| q 1iCeiC AA1OhCJ 1dlI ny W SCdTt OA. AL
I've got a stout pair of arms. an never
should ! make failure of it?''
But Timothy only shook his head and
remarked, vaguely, that it was ''on-
practicable, and she would find out, "
and declined to commit himself fur
Their. And the conference was cut
short by their arrival at the cottage.
| MI hut
bia was blessed with strong nerves and
solitude had no terrors for her.
She had accumulated few odds and
ends of furniture from time to time. the
gifts of various friends and relatives,
which went a good way toward fur
niShing her diminutive dwelling.
And when they were arranged to her
satisfaction and square of bright rag
carpet tackled down in the center of the
room Miss Ferobia felt as happy as a
| king.
She was too tired after her days
work to do more than take a cup of tea
and retire to rest. But comforta BILE
nights sleep on the old-fashioned,
square-posted bedstead restored her
energies, and for the next few days she
was as busy as mailer over her prep
| aratiOnS.
Lem Dodson was hired to plow the
truck patch" a COW with young calf
[ was bargained for and few fowls OF
the Plymouth Rock and Dorking species
| were purchased and were soon lckling
vigorously around their new quarters.
After little more help from neighbo1
Dodson and a vigorous use of the hoe
on Miss Ferobia's part the ground was
in readiness for planting and the ambi.
tious market gardener sat up till long
past her usual bedtime looking over
her stock Of seeds and selecting those
requisite for immediate use.
There might still be late frosts, she
reflected, and such tender plants as
1 beans and cucumberS, summer squashes
and nutmeg melons, would be better
out of the ground than in it for few
days to come.
But beets and lettuce, spinach and
marrowfat peas and rutabagas would
stand anything short of a regular
freeze, and might be safely planted at
once.
And, late though she sat up. the first
pink flush of early dawn did not fine
Miss Ferobia mapping the next morn
ing, nor for many mornings to come.
She was up with the birds. and after
hasty breakfast out she sailed, an6
hoed and raked, weeded and trans
planted, till her back ached and hel
fingers greyysore and her nose freckleo
and her cheeks tanned. But garden
ing is hard work, at best, and though
Miss Ferobia labored with will, tn.
grass and weeds aoOuld creep in here and
there in spite of her vigilance. The
''pusly'' she called it-and
hOrse-nettles grew faster than her but
ter-head lettuce or white spine cucum
bers.
Then the weather was not Away.
propitious, and her first planting O.
sugar-corn and early rose potatoes rot
ted in the ground.
But Miss Ferobia, nothing daunted
replanted the vacant rows with later
varieties, and in due time the seeC
sprouted and gave every promise of {
luxuriant crop.
But from that time on it was, as the
little woman declared. a ''tussle'' be
tween herself and the weeds.
While she was hoeing her cabbages
and kohl robes and wedding her silver
L Il