River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-06-15
FARMER TIPTON'S NIECE.
Her Unexpected Visit Brought
About Two Happy Marriages

Il don't like girls said Farmer Tip
ton
Ills housekceper made no answer.
in fact, added Mr.. Upton, Il hate
'en.''
still Mrs. Martin did not reply.
"But what can do about ito he re-
sumed IF I'd had twenty-four hours
notice. ! would have gone over to
Cherry mountain or across 10 Durham
fair growled Mr.. Upton; but here
comes this letter like a stroke of light
nil 2 TO tell me the girl will he here to-
nighty'
Mrs Martin smiled a little and went
on with her work. the picking over of
black beans to make soup; for Farmer
Upton was particular in his eating.
and although Hester. the maid-of all
HvoIk x. was skillful in the use of pots
and pans. he never could relish any
thing which was not of Mrs Martins
cooking.
u suppose you'll have 20 get a room
ready for her, said Mr. Upton "She'll
nave 70 say all night in any event. But
shall send her back again tomorrow
morning. 7 don't want a niece 10 live
with Us If had wanted anything of
IN. solt. | could have asked for il, !
suppose
AIr. Upton lived in a pretty old farm
house. steep rooted and Swallowed by
monster buttOn-ball boughs-a house
where Tiptons innumerable had been
born and died, where every stone wall
had its associations and the very apple
trees and gooseberry bushes were de-
cliniug into an honorable old age. with
iichen-cOvered stems and crispy. dead
bOughs breaking away with every wind.
II i. perhaps. unnecessary 20 add that
he was an old bachelor. a. full of whims
and capric,s A. ever old barhelor was.
Nobody said the neighbors, could get
along with him hut Stella Martin; and
she couldn't If il had not been that she
and Thomas Upton had been boy and
girl together. aud. somehow, were used
to each other. in the days before Stella
married that Wild. reckless young Mar
tin, who spent her money and broke
her heart in such short order, and then
shct himself in gambling saloon
Such a merry, laughing gypsy al she
used 20 b.. and now
why. cried the neighbors. she
don't speak a. nobody
II was lovely old place. Hollyhocks
clustered IN the garden, tangleS of vel
vet red swect-willi.tms bordered the
path aud bushes Of dark southeruwOOd
hung over the door steps. To Mr.. Tip
ton il was the dearest spot in the world.
Mrs. Martin used 20 bring the family
mending out into the porch. sometimes.
Of summer evening. and look w.Stful-
" at the red sunset shining through the
trunks of the cedar trees But what
ever her impressions might have been.
she kept them To herself
If Mr. Upton did not like the idea of
a young girl visitor beneath the ancient
liked il still less
You can send me out into the wilder
nesses as much a. you like said
Phebe, crying a whole river Ganges of
tears into her trunk. as she threw slip
pers. collars, cologne bottles and work
baskets. an homogeneous mass. into its
depths. but ] never. never shall leave
off caring for Harry, Not If YOU were
co send me u Alaska
child said Mrs. CresShill. sharply.
don't b. goose. The engagement Is
to be broken off. and there Is an end Of
the whole thing
Through her tears Phebc could not
but smile to herself II was all very
well for mamma to talk. but ma ma
did not know that the bakers hoy had
carried at the bottom of the basket of
rolls a note to Harry HaVrns. and that
Harry knew. a. well a. she did herself
that she " going To Grabbed old
uncle down in New Hampshire. and
that she should always. always love
him. no matter what they said 10 her
OF whittier they sent her
And 81. in the peaceful purple after
glow Of the June evening. Phebe Cress-
hill and Mr.. Upton eyed each other
with mutual disfavor-
How do YOU do. unclc?~ said Phebe.
with stiff little courtesy.
oh. said Mr.. Upton. This is the
girl. j. it, Yes. How do you do? Mrs.
Martin. here, will give you some sup
per"
And he went off tn make sure that
the barn doors were properly locked
and the hen house secured. for there
was a rumOr of burglars in Quiet Val
ley. aud Mr. Upton had the finest Al
dernev cows and the choicest breed of
Brahms fowls in the ueighborhood.
1t stands t. reason aid he. that
they'll come first Ia me And I don't
mean to be taken unawarcs"
Mr.. Martin poured the fragrant tea
and served the hot. buttcred biscuit and
honey in the comb. Phebc chollcd back
the tears that would come and tried to
eat something
..wilI You 20 To I,oar room uow2" said
Mrs Martin.
Yes. please" faltercd Phcbe.
Ii was a spacious. low-ccilcd room,
full of the sweet scent of dried laven-
der. AMI furnished with shining cherry
wo,d presses and high-hacked chairs
Il hope you will rest well, said Mrs
Martin.
Thank YOU. said Phcbe.
Mr. Tipto1 was hanging up his Ian
tern in the back kitchen. when Mrs.
Martin came downstairs
We'll, " said he. did you tell her she
must 90 home tomorrow
No. did not
.Humph,~ said Mr.. Upton You
might a we'll"
A. Mr. Upton Law asleep that night
he dreamed that he was a hoy again at
an old-fashioned hu>kiug-hce; that the
corn was all hu>lScd and the barn floor
cleared off. and that ne and Stclla-not
pale. silent Mrs. Martin. but the gold
haired. laughing Stella Of twenty years
ago-were going down the long linkso
the Virginia reel 10 the mad music of
Rory O'More.
He sat up in bed nj IN bbed his eyes
Was il real music or a dream2 Or was
it
Burglars, burglars" squeaked
Hester. banging At his door. Please.
Mr.. Upton. get your gun. He's under
the window, I seen him with my own
ewes. With all his burglaring tools on
his armi"
In an instant. as IL seemed. Mr. Tip
ton was creeping along under the
shadow of the e-hlossomed syringa
bushes. with his carbine on his shout
der. The moon. a ps.llid. gil bouS line
of light. hlinlScd down through the
boughs 81 the butt ,u-ball tree. a dis
tant owl h0oted from the swampS. -
Dir Upton made plunge at his prey
'ecoandrel. I've cot you! he rOared-