Middletown transcript., 1892-04-28
Marietta colored with pleasure.

n as ~
look at me an say pretty things Z the
cook 2"
s sNo, he don't. But I'm willin' t
do it without pay. / could jest stand
here till kingdom come an look at
you Hello I hear wagon; I
guess I better hump into that wood
/ pile
81 think SO too Dinners most
ready, and pap'll be here SOON"
/ Lyme was driving away fariously
at tough elm log when farmer Bacon
drove into the yard with new seeder
in his wagon. Lyme whacked away.
busiIy while Bacon stabbed the team,
and in short time Marietta called in
long drawn, musical musical fashion
"Dinner-r-r!"
/ After sozzling their faces at the well
the two men went in and sat down at
the table. Bacon was not much of
talker at any time, and at meal-time,
ip seeding, eating was the main busi-
ness in hand; therefore the neal was
a silent one, Marietta and Lyme not
caring to talk on general topics. The
hour was an anxious one for her and
an important one for him.
aWal, now, Lyme, seedin' 5 the
mex thing" said Bacon as he showed
back his chair and glared around
from under his busby eyebrows.
ave can't do too much this afternoon /.
That seeder's got t be set up an lot
O. sesd wheat cleanedup. You un-i
load the machine while | feed the
pigs"
Lyme sat still till the old man was
heard outside calling sPoo-ee, poo-ee"
to the pigs in the yard, then he smiled
at Marietta. but she said !:
"He's got on one of his fLs... Lyme /;
I don't b'lieye you'd better tackle him
t'-day."
"Don't you worry; I'll fix him.
Come. now, give me kiss"
aWhy, you great thing You
took"
Il know, but want you to giue me
'em. just walk right up to me an
give me smack t. bind the bargain
we've made"
81 amt made no bargain" laughed
the girl. Then feeling the force of
his tender tone, "Will you behave,
and go right off to your work r.
"Jest like little man Hope e die!"
"Lyme roared the old man from
the barn.
aHelloi" replied Lyme, grinning
joyously and winking at the girl, as
much as to say, "This would paralyze
the old man if he saw it.
He went out to the shed where
Bacon was busy as serene as if he had
not fearful task on hand. He was
apprehensive that the father would
"gig back "unless rightly approach.
ed, aud SO he waited a good oppor-
tunity.
The right opening seemed to pre-
sent itself along about the middle of
the afternoon. Bacon was down on
the ground under the machine tighten.
ing some burs. This was a good
chance for two reasons. In the first
place the keen, almost savage, eyes of
Bacon were no longer where they
could glare on him, and in spite of
his cool exterior Lyme had "jest as
soon not' have the old man looking
at him. -
Then, besides, the old farmer had
been telling about his river eighty"
which was without a tenant the man
who had taken it, having lost bis wife,
had grown disheartened and had
given it up.
'It's an almighty good chance for
a man with small family. Good
house an barn, good land. A likely
young feller with team an woman
could do tiptop on that,eighty. If he
wanted more, I'd let him have an
eighty j'inin'-"
"I'd like T. try that m'self," said
Lyme, as feeler. The old fellow
said nothing in reply for moment.
"Ef you had team an tools an a
woman I'd jest as leef you'd have it
as anybody
aSell me your blacks, and I'll pay
half down, the balance in the fall.
l can pick up some tools, and as fur
a woman, Merry Etty an me have
talked that over to day. She's ready |
to-ready to marry me whenever you
say, now"
There was an ominous silence under
the seeder, as if the man could not be-
lieve his ears.
"What 's-what 3 that ?'' he stut-
tered. who'd you say I What about
Merry Etty 2"
She's agreed 10 marry me.''
''The-you say I" roared the old
bear as the truth burst upon him.
so that's what you do when | go off
to town and leave you to chop wood.
So you'r goin' to get married, heyf"
He was now where he could see