The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-02-19

first CONVENIENT excuse that came
into my head.
"The train was delayed at Bo-
gleiown," said |.
swell, come IN, now that you're
here" said she, land get warm.
It's awful cold weather for this
time o. year, isn't II y
Kinder" said l, with an assent
ing nod.
"Lel me see," said my mother.
in.law, as she took a stealDing
platter of ham and eggs out Of The
oven and lifted a shining coffee pot
from lie stove. How Old are
you"
"One and twenty" SAID |.
"Do you think" said she, pen.
sively feeling of her chin. that
you are able 10 take care of The
place. There's deal to do, you
know, on farm like This. Do you
think you're up to the work"
"OI course | think so,' said |,
wondering what on earth my
mother.in-law meant.
"You are married, | suppose n
said she.
"Oh. yes" said l swallowing the
hot coffee and winking my ewes
very hard, "l'm married"
Can your wife make herself
generally useful about the place q
sharply demanded the old lady.
"Cerlalnly she can" said | be.
ginning vaguely TO see my way
through the mist Of perplexity
that had hitherto obscured my
brain.
"How old is she?" asked Mrs
Martin.
Eighteen" answered.
Mrs. Martin lrowned.
"Wha' does possess the girls 10
get married now -a-days," sal,; she,
''beiore they've lett off dolls aud
patch work y
| looked lhoughtiully down at
the pattern of my plate-a pink
Chlnanlan crossing a carmine
bridge with two very red willows
dropping at the far end of it., and
some impossible streaks of water
below-and made no direct an
swer. My molherin- law was
doub'lessly laboring under n mis-
apprehension, but | did not exact.
ly see hat it was my business to
set her right. She had evidently
engaged a hired man, and took it
for granted that was the person
age in question.
what can you do?' she asked
abruptly. And with equal curt
ness | responded:
"Anythlng."
"Come, | like that" said my
molher-in'law, rubblng-her hands.
"Al least you are not afraid of
work. Do you understand COWS
and horses y
Well, not much" | owned
There were no cattle at my last
place" (Which was very true, Tor
| haG been clerk in a bank at
$500 year, "Bul l have not the
least douL, that could soon learn,
if you would kindly show me what
is expected of me-"
"Can you cut wood! 2" she asked.
"Certainly," lid |, rejecting to
myself that any tool might do that.
She asked one or two questions
more, which answered with the
blind tatulty which attends youth
and confidence. She seemed
pleased with my willingness to un-
derlake anything and everything.
"And now about wages" said
she, briskly. "What will you ask
for your own services aud those of
your wife by the month ?"
| fitted the tips of my fingers re.
flec'ively together.
''As we are both rather ineXpe.
rienced," said |, well agree to
work the first month for our board.
After hat you shall pay us what
you think we are both WORTH"
"Hum,-hum + said my mother.
IN law. "lhai's IA sensible propo.
sition--a very sensible one, indeed.
Well, send for The young woman
at once. In the mean time, III
show you over the place and en-
pain TO you the nature of. your
dutles.'
So | hired myself to my mother.
in-law us farm hand without fur.
ther ceremony and Immediately
wrote and posted letter to Net
tie. On my return from The post
office | met burly young man
lnedilaIlng at 4 spot where four
roads met.
Scan you tell me, sir" said he,
where Mrs. Abel Martin lives!' !.
so, yes, sir, can tell you,' re-
sponded affably. "But if you're
looking for the situation of hired