Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-06-08
FARMER TIPTON'S NIECE.
Ter Unexpected Visit Brought
About Two Happy Marriages.

al don't like girls!' said Farmer Tip
ton.
His houselxeeper made no answer.
9Th fact" added Mr.. Upton, II hate
emf"
Still Mrs. Martin did not reply.
But What can do about it?" he re-
sumed. IF Id had twenty-four hours
notice, I would have gone over to
Cherry mountain or across TO Dunhan
fair" growled Mr.. Upton; but here
comes this letter like a,stroke of light
ming, to tell me the girl will be hereto
night!'
Mrs. Martha smiled 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
work, was skllful in the use of pots
and pans, he never could relish any
thing which was not of Mrs. Martins
cooking.
81 suppose you'll have to get a room
ready for her." said Mr.. Upton. ''She'n
have to say all night in any event. But
I shall send her back again tomorrow
morning. I don't want niece to live
with US If had wanted anything of
the sort, could have asked for it,
suPpoAS."
Mr.. Upton lived in pretty old farm
house, steep-roofed 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-
clining into an honorable old age, with
lichen-covered stems and crispy, dead
boughs breaking away with every wind.
1t is, perhaps, unnecessary to add that
he was an old bachelor, as full of whirns
and Caprices as ever old bachelor was.
Nobody, said the neighbbrs, could get
along with him but Stella Martin; and
she couldn't ii it had not been that she
and Thomas Upton had been boy and
girl together, and, somehow, were used
to each other, in the days before Stella
married that wild, reckless young Mar
tin, who spent her money land broke
her heart in such short order, and then
shot himself in a gambling saloon.
Such a merry, laughing gypsy as she
used to be, and now
''Why," cried the neighbors, "she
don't speak to nobody"
1t was lovely old place. Hollyhoclls
clustered in the garden, tanglcs of vel
vet red sweet-williams bordered the
path and bushes of dark southernwood
hung over the door steps. To Mr.. Tip
ton it was the dearest spot in the world.
Mrs. Martin used to bring the family
mending out into the porch, sometimes,
of summer evening, and look w.stful-
ly 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
n young girl visitor beneath the ancient
roof of Upton Hall, Phebe Cresshill
liked it still less.
"You can send me out into the wilder
nesses as much as you like" said
Phebe, crying a whole river Gauges of
tears into her trunk, as she threw slip
pers, collars, cologne bottles and work
baskets, an homogeneous mass, into its
depths; "but l never, never shall leave
off caring for Harry! Not if you were
to send me to Alaskan
Child" said Mrs. Cresshil1, sharply,
''don't be a goose! The engagement is
to be broken off, and there is an end OF
the whole thing!'
Through her tears Phebe could not
but smile to herself. 1t was all very
we'll for mamma to talk, but marina
did not know that the bakers boy had
carried at the bottom of the basket OF
rolls note to Harry Ravens, and that
Harry knew, as well as she did herself
that she was going to a Grabbed old
uncle down in New Hampshire, and
that she should always, always love
him, no matter what they said to hel
or whittier they sent her.
And so, 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, uncle?" said Phebe
with stiff little courtesy.
"Ohl" said Mr.. Upton. "This is the
girl, is it? Yes. How do you do? Mrs
Martin, here, will give you some sup
per-"
And he went off to make sure tina
the barn doors were properly LOCKED
and the hen house secured, for Their,
| was a rumor of burglars in Quiet Val
ley, and Mr.. Upton had the finest AL
derney cows and the choicest breed o
Brahma fowls in the neighborhood.
''It stands to reason" said he, "tha
they'll como first to me. And dom
moan to be taken unawares."
Mrs. Martin poured the fragrant te
and served the hot, buttered biscuit an,
honey in the comb. Phebe choEed bacl
the tears that would come and tried t.
eat something.
"Wn you go to your room now?" sal
Mrs. Martin.
eyes, pleased" faltered Phebe.
It was a spacious, low-ceiled room
full of the sweet scent of dried laven
der, and furnished with shining cherr
wood presses and high-backed chairs.
81 hope you will rest well,' said Mrs
Martin.
THANK you," said Phebe.
Mr.. Upton was hanging up his lar
tern in the back kitchen, when Mrs
AMartin came downstairs.
"Well," said he, did you tell her sh
must go home tomorrow"
''No, did not
"Humphi" said Mr.. Upton. "Yo
might as we'll"
A. NJ low ~