Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-03-10
THE CITY BOARDER.

DL ~ L'"AL
said Mrs. Hinkley to her husband as he
camo mp hot and red for q drink Of wa.
ter from che well, and looking down the
road he saw n smart, strange figure
~ntrolling along by the wayside.
ooh, sue IL, is shof' responded the
farmer dryly. He loosened the windlass
and dropped the bucket down into the
cool depths as he answered.
"And she's rugged out to xiii in a
sprigged muslin. jest covered with lace
r%uflin," went on his wife, with an ag-
gravated envy which only q woman can
feel, land libbons-myi no end of EN-
and q big leghorn hat loaded down
with flowers, and n white par'sol. II
she wear them things common, what
"a she have for meetin, Jabczg'
Whatever wise opinion Jabez may
have entertained it was lostto the world,
being uttered i~narticulately from the
bottom Of a large tin dipper.
white shoes and stockin's. too. and q
pink silk petticoat. Ny landl what arc
folks comm tor Tread a piece in the
papert the other day sayin they was fash'n
able, but l never s'posed twas anything
but newspaper talk. Her father must
be pretty well Off. She thought mobbe
she'd walk up the hill to sec the view.
She says she's dreadful fond Of nature. =
"HumphF' Farmer Hinkley mopped
his fevered brow. "Waal, it's lucky shes
fond Of it, for that's about all there Is
goin on round here. She wants TO learn
20 mill - NE rrtsnn# a~rnN~rw..N e..
shone with amusement, and he winked
n blue eye under the shaggy brow thas
half hid it. Il guess I'll learn Eor with
Spotty."
"Aint spotty the one that kicks sog7
Her husband nodded.
"Waal, you shan't do no such thing.
Jabez Hinkley. Amt you ashamed Of
YOURSELF She's real pretty spoken, and
l shan't have no tricks played on her
while she stays here. Myi / guess If
hero amt nothing wuss about folks
than their bein dressy they'll have TO
fiji up tho aisles in heaven with camp
chairs to get EN- all in
"Waal, I'm goin back. ] guess We
shall git that hay in this mornin. /
want to hurry 'em mp so as TO take hold
of the t0-acre lot tomorrow. You be
sure and ring the dinner bell good and
loud SOS l shall hear it.
"You come in right off whcn I ring an
clean mp a little. You amt goin' to set
down to the table in your shirt sleeves.
now we've got boardcrs."
If Jabez Hinlley had been born In
Paris he would have shrugged his shoul-
der3 as he walked off. But rs the only
world be had ever looked upon was up
among the New Hampshire hills. the
only expression he gave to his feelings
upon the subject Of dressing for dinner
was to jam his d~ilapidated straw hat
down firmly on his head and hitch uphia
trousers before he made his way out
again into the broiling sunshine Of the
July day.
Mrs. Hini;ley forgot all about her pies
in the oven. A deeper feminine note
than her housekeeping pride had been
touched, and she stood under the biz
elm by the wen gazing off persistently
upon the stretch of yellow road that
wound past the farm gate and up Buz-
yards hill. A turning had hid the sol
itary walker mcmentarily from sight,
but presently the figure appeared again,
relieved jnuutily against the sky, with
the white parasol like a nimbus around
its head. There was a coquettish, world
ly air about its slender height, suggest
ing forcibly the Newport Casino, or the
beauh at Narragansett Pier, or the fish
pond at Rodick's, and a graceful ease in
its languid gait which could only have
been acquired on city pavements. But
these were lost on the observer, whose
eyes rested hungrily upon the crisp
white gown invested with the indescrib-
able something Of style and distinction
recognized and offered homage by every
woman w hatever her degree.
Poor Mrs. Hnldey had never owned
a well fitting dress in her life. She had
never seen one of Doucet's masterpiece
before.
Il guess" she oaid to herself in astutC
reflection, 81 guess she has her thing:
made out"
All, didn't she have her things made
outl Miss Mary Grinnell's poor papa
could have answered for that as he filed
away the bills for her summer wardrobe
An array Of marvellous CONNECTIONS in
tended TO do execution at n half dozen
watering places. Why, after all thesC
expensive preparations made with glee
full anticipations, his charming daughter
should have elected suddenly TO spend
the summer with Aunt Matilda, on 9
New Hampshire farm, was a mystery
that this wise parent did not attempt x
solve.
He simply set it down at once as onC
Of those things never 90 be revealed, hE,
the whereabouts of tho north pole and
the real author Of Shakespeare plays
asked no questions, raised no objections
checked the trunks and saw the two
ladies safely into the train. Aunt Ma
tilda, with n kodak, a library Of French
fiction and q small botanical press, and
her niece, wearing q curious, half de
faint expression, not at all u%nbecoming
In fact, 1t gave her a new attraction IN
the eyes Of q young r.1n who watched
the parting from the distance smiling tc
himself, as il secretly amused, and talk.
ing his seat in another car MS the train
rolled out Of the station, snorting and
putting mockingly.
Tho farmhouse was O blow to Miss
Mary's feelings. There had been a plain
supper of baked beans, and smoked beef,
and qoro7y Iraod and mia mud cboaar.