Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-01-20

A1EAUIYN M/L/L gardless OF CON-
~=AANAyHZ 81 say, moth
IN ME.= er, can't find
a single shirt" bawled Tommy, the sec
ond son of Reuben and Rachel Frost.
ssMa, tell Susie to let me bel"
screamed six-year-old Mary from an
inner room.
"Rachel, where on earth have you
locked up them ERE tools?" queried the
farmer himself, filing the doorway sud-
denly with his substantial form.
Mrs. Frost, who was dashing about
her kitchen like a wild northeastern in
zap and petticoats, brought herself up
hort by the dresser and put down the
pitcher in her hands with an emphasis
hat made the tins and pudding dishes
lance.
"Good gracious! is everybody gone
mad, or do they want to make me so!
Soap, eggs, pudding, shirt, Susie, tools
Any one would think there was only one
pair of hands and eyes in the house, and
hem was mine. Yell, yell, yell after
ne wherever go. 1 can't have mo-
nent's rest. l declare to goodness If |
don't have somebody here to help me
before next week, Reuben Frost. [
won't be worried and drove to death
,here!"
Mrs. Frost talked but little, seldom
!co!dcd and only on great occasions "de-
,lared to goodness" When she did the
matter was settled. So ia due time
came shelp" IN the shape of the Widow
Patty. Now the excellent Rachel, upon
writing to her sister in the city on the
subject, had stipulated expressly for a
widow. "Girls," she said, care forever
giggling and would all the time be stick
ing up their heads when George was
round; and the dear knew she'd had
trouble enough already about him, and
that poor, proud, stuck up, soft dawder
Of Lucy Ellis, to make her sick OF
billing and cooling for the rest of her
lie; and she didn't want no old maids,
because they was always so despepit-
they might marry George in spite Of
himself; but if Ann could find her q
widow nova respectable sort OF per
son. and the more forlorn the better, be.
cause then she'd be Contented to stay,
perhaps"
But not one syllable had Mrs. Frost
breathed on the item of "looks;' and
Patty, though widow, was abominably
pretty. Rosy and soft eyed, with black
hair that continually reveled in waves
and ripples, and here and there mutlnied
INTO al actual curl, spite Of combs and {
widows cap, and lovely, pouting lip:
that occasionally parted as If to show
the world what handsome teeth there
could be in a woman S mouth.
1t must be confessed that Mrs. Frost
looked aghast, as. with the long, cool
shadows Of evening, and the fresh,
ripping breeze, and the dying glow il
the sky. and all the other good things
Of twilight, Father Daniels ratified up in
his patriarchal carryall and set down on
her doorstep this trim, smiling, self
possessed importation, just as if she had
been barrel of sugar, or bag of corn
or a frkin of butter, instead of the IN
developed motive power that was tt
overturn and annlhilate those venerable
institutions, the family prejudices.
"Mercy? What could Ann have beer
thinking about'" parentheslzed Rache
to her husband. "Why, she's worse
than dozen old maids. know she's
as artful as Delilah herself.
You might be civil to the woman
anyhow" growled the former, as thu
Yankee Delilah stood in the doorway
nesitating and looking as uncomforta
bic as butterfly would coming out il
Jarrary-always supposing a butterh,
capable of such al indiscrction.
Rachel bridled uLtil her very cap
triumph and wonder OF clear starch
ing--seemed TO initiate itself and b
filed with doubt about those rebellion
little curIs in the doorway.
.'Walk in, num-" said Rachel
"probaby you are the Widow Patty I
TIE curis assented with tlmld nod
as If half doubtful whether It were not
sin to be that individual.