The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-06-03
explain to you the nature Ct your do

| Ties.
SO hired myself out to my mother-in
law as farmland. without further cero-
mony, and Immediately wrote and posted
a letter to Nettie On my return from
the postoffice / met burly young man
mcditatiDs at u spot where four roads
meet.
"Can you tell me, sir, said he, "whero
tlrs Abel Martin lives?"
"Oh, yes. sir; can tell yon," I re.
Sponded. atfably. But If you're look
ing for the situation of hired man may
IS well tell you that it's filed"
Tho burly young man made some re.
marks. Indicative, in n generol way, Of
his opinion Of the fickleness OF woman
lind, and departed, while I returned re.
ypicing to the old farmhouse.
Here's very nice beginning" said I
! myself. II is now my business to give
IS much satisfaction AS possible.
Fortune favored me in more ways than
one. My mother.in.law sprained her
ankle on the second day, and I played
cook rs well ~ man of all-work with dis
tingushed success, and had the salts.
faction OF hearing her say to old Miss
Priscilla Perkins that "she didn't know
when shed taken such a notion to any
one as she had to the new hired mani"
Hes too young aud good. looking to
tuit me-" observed Miss Priscilla, purs.
TX up her steel-trap OF u mouth.
"Hs is good-lookiny. amt hs?" said
my mother-in law. "But hiss dreadful
handy about the house, aud he ain't ono
bit afraid Of work. Aud you'd ought to
have se.n t',s oysters he stswed for my
supper last night. and ths cup Of tea hs
made. Why don't miss JsmimA Stiles
one hit. II only Nsttis could have
stayed single till she met such a man
IS this!"
I smiled to myself as laid out tho
kiDdlings for the breakfast fire. MY ac.
complishmeuts as trades"
had never done mo much good before.
Dnt now they were certainly winning
me some credit in the world.
At the end OF the third day she had
told me the whole story OF her daus shter's
runaway match with "a good-for moth.
ing young city chap" On the fourth
day she had consulted with me as to
whether it would be better to put the
forty-acre lot into oats or rye. and had
won her heart by taking to pieces the old
hall-clock, which had not gone for ten
years and restoring it to running order
once again.
And on the evening OF the same day
Nettie arrived, all blushins and trem.
bling.
"Oh, Dick" said sho, "is she very
angyy7"
my dear, said 1, "she hasn't an idea
who am"
"But, Dick"-
mo butts, my darling. said I. cheer.
fully. LET us be Julius Caesar over
again. we come, we sec, We con.
Quer.'"
And dragged my unwilling little
wife into the back room, where my
mother-in-law lay on sofa, nursing her
ankle.
Mrs. Martin jumped up, spite Of the
wounded ankle.
Here's my wife, ma'am, said I, "and
hope she'll give satisfaction.
"Nettie," she cried, in blank amaze.
ment.
"Oh, mother, mother!" faltersd Nettie,
throwing both hands around tho old
lady's neck, please forgive me this timo
and I'll never, never slope again"
PLEASE ma'am, we'll be good, added L
And my mother-in.law r-lented on the
spot. How could she do otherwiss3
Henrietta, said she. you've been q
naughty girl-therss no denying that.
But your husband seems handy man
about the house, and Pm tired OF living
here alone. SO take of your things and
go to work getting supper. AS for you,
Richard"
"Yes, ma'am. know" said 1. "rve
been playing double part aud deceived
you all along. But wanted you to like
me-and you know" added, "all is fair
in love and war;"
well, 1dolike you-a little, admitted
my mother-in-law. "And now that
have seen you, Dick, don't 80 much
wonder at the way Nettie behaved"
After that she never scolded US any
more. And honestly believe that this
is the only case on record in which q
was conquered in 30 brief
a campaign. Nettie says she doesn't
know how did it. In fact, I don't quite
know. myself.-Amy Randolph, in New
York Ledger.