Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-05-06
Wotever shall

wear 'em home fer hers. Wotever shall
do7"
"Oh, I'll go after EN-" Rachel re-
piled indifferently, catching up blanket
shawl. "D'ye remember where ye laid
'em down, MAJ"
''Mis Myers IL hunt EN- up fer ye,"
was the impatient rejoinder, ''ef We amt
afraid t start out now; It's gittin' so
dark. She knows right Were was
settin' when she come in. l shouldn't
wonder eff they're on tn cubbard there by
the medicine. Anyway, don't come back
back without 'em child. I amt any
thing I set more store by'n wot do
them specs. They were tn las thing
yer pa give me before he died, guess"
Rachel vaguely wondered that her
mother should seem so fiuttered and in
coherent Yet her mind was too fully
occupied to dwell deeply upon this IN
important fact. She listened in dreamy
listlessness and in few moments was
out upon the lonely road.
Joe had told Mrs. Myers Of the scene
at the Farman gate. 1t gave her much
more ienient judgment Of his lady-love.
Altogether, and after the manner of
mothers, seeing day by day a misery be-
yond her help, she began to think she
would not be sorry to bring the two to-
gether.
''It's a turrible dark night, amt it,"
she remarked good-naturedly, as, after a
little search for the missing spectacles,
she followed Rachel to the parsons
door. ''NIy son'll be here directly. Eff
ye mind t. wait he'll be pleased t. see ye
home, I'm sure"
The wretched girl turned to stare in
the kindly face above her. Perhaps, in
that moment, the tiercely erected barrier
might have come tunbling down but for
the words that followed
'Your ma sent i'm over to Salisbury's
t. see bout Mis- Taylor's reclinin' chair.
I'm expectin' him back ev'ry minute"
Rachel had "seen about" that reclin-
ing chair, herself, in the morning. She
analysed the simple plot at once. What
they wo1ld tell Joe at Salisbury's fol-
lowed by the sight of her, would make
him quite wise.
She sprang down the steps.
"Thank ye kindly, Mis- Myers" she
called back. "No, won't wait. Good
night"
Joe and she had naturally to walk
part way along the same road going
home. She hurried off into the first
roundabout route which presented itself.
There should be no cunnlngly contrived
meeting tonight.
All, but some one else thought the
same thing, in his wrath, when, after
few moments with his mother, he fol-
lowed in Rachel's footsteps.
"Mis Farman can't wind me round
her little finger" he growled to himself;
~ guess me an her-this did not refer
to Mrs. Farman-is old 'nough to run
our own concerns" And he took the
same long way home.
In spite Of Mrs. Myers, the night was
lightened by a waning moon which
presently showed Joe figure speeding
down the path before him. His pulse
beat quicker, but he strobe doggedly on,
determined to pass and leave her.
On, young heart is soft. How small
and slight she looked as he drew near!
And he was of his mothers opinion-it
was dark.
"Good evenin', Miss Farman," he be-
gan in her ear, making her jump and
cry out suddenly, Saint ye 'fraid t be
out so late? I'll wait on ye HON, eff
ye'd like t have me-"
Was ever anything as clumsy as ner-
vous man?"
"Well, I wouldn't like!" Rachel spoke
up. Her voice was sharp from pain.
But how was he to know that?
"Very we'll, then I'll relieve ye of my
comply. faint ez eff twas Ben Mar
tins" He brushed past her in fury.
There was one glance, blessed chance,
directed at her face. What he saw there
made him pause.
"Wot ye cryin' fer7" he demanded.
81 amt cryin'." Which was not true.
'Ye be-"
"Tain't nothin' t. ye, then, eff am"
the girl snapped.
"Tis, too" the rude fellow muttered,
and-I don't know what made him
took her in his arms.
Mrs. Farman was wonderfully appar-
eled in her best black alpaca and a pair
of long-fnered white kid gloves. "Don't
young folks beat all to managed" she said
in garrulous confidence which embraced