St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-12-22

plucked up the courage to carry hel
another donation of the choicest ap
pies his two-acre orchard produced.
Miss Barbara, attired in . neat lila'
satteen gown. and = large white aproz
with q red bow on the pocket, received
her visitors with smiling cordiality, &C
cepted the proffered fruit with blusi
of delight. and served to her guests
later on, a platter of plump, brown
crullers, crisp and sugary, together
with some tiny seed cookies, dainty
enough for q bird. Mr.. Perriman'i
greatest weakness in the pastry line
next to pie, was for crullers, and Mis-.
Barbara was certainly an adept in the
art of making them.
"Tip-top-est crulls ever eat" med
itated the bachelor. barbara Brown
is . good cook. I'll bet nickel she
can cook meat an vegetables as good
as she can pie an crulls. N then she's
sensible" continued Peter. Il hea-
her a-tellin' Tidy she'd ruther hev q
| meal O. plain roast meat m potaters,
with q good pie Of some kind. or q bat
ter pudding. with dip sauce. than all
the rag-goos an Frenchified messes
that ever was put together. She's
good tempered. too. A body can see
that with half an eye. an not bad
lookin', partickler about tho mouth
and eyes Some way I like these
blue-eyed, yaller-haired wimmin.
There's some vim about 'em. Seems
to me she'd make stavin' nice wife
fur some feller that amt too young
me, fur instance. I never thought
much about it before, but seems like .
man hadn't ought to be a mizzable old
bachelder sll his days, particular when
there's a nice single lady handy that's
sensible an knows how to cook. Not
as want to marry = woman jest
cause she can cook, but good meal o.
vittles goes long way towards keep
In man contented an cheerful.
IF she'll hev me-though like
enough she won't-I've q notion to
resk it. That last batch of gridile
cakes of Tilda's lays heavy on my stom-
ach yet Another dose Of emil give
me the dyspepsy, sure as shooting.
The only way out of it is fur me to
marry, so there amt no use in shilly-
shallying. Might as well pitch right
In, first rs last, so here goes"
With IN air of determination, Mr..
Perriman deposited his hoe by the side
Of the fence, mopped his brow, and
started toward Miss Browns white
painted cottage with resolute strides.
The door stood wide open, and through
the screen Mr.. Perriman could sec
Miss barbara fitting briskly about in
her tiny kitchen, and hear her singing,
In q clear voice. the old-time melody:
When shall hear the bees a-hummin'
All round the comb:
When shall hear the banjo tummin'
Down in my good ole homer
She broke OF suddenly At the sound
of rap on the door, and came forward
with pleased smile on her lip and in
her eyes
20, Mr.. Perriman, I'll have to ask you
in here, or my shortcake will burn"
she apologized, hastily. bringing forth
. splint-bottomed chair, and placing it
near the window, which was hung
with morning glory vines, their purple
cups still showing amcng tho thick,
green leaves. I'm doing my Saturday
baking, you see," explained Miss
Brown.
But she got no further. Mr.. Peril
man had his mind made up and had nc
notion of dallying with his fate. POP,
ping the qustion did not seem SO easy
q matter as it had q short time before,
but it must be done, he felt, and the
sooner it was over the better.
Miss Barbara" he blurted out,
looking her straight in the face. Il
think you are q very selfish woman"
Miss Barbara blushed furiously.
II selhsh?" she cried, aghast
ITO be sure" nodded Peter. grow
ing moro composed At her evident agi-
tation- Don't you call it selfish to
be baking shortcake and boiling ham
lit smells mighty good) for your Sum
day dinner, when your next-dOor neigh
Dor is poor old bachclder, who never
has anything good Sundays-or any
other day, for that matter?"
He paused and looked at her pathet-
ically
Miss Barbara had never had = pro.
posal before, but with q woman's un-
erring instinct she knew what was
coming.
who is to blame because you are .
bachelor?" she asked with q tremulous
smile.
"IoH are. declared Peter, boldly.
''At least you will be if you don't
promise to marry me-" He held both
her hands by this time in = firm clasp.
MY shortcake is burning! Do let me
CO." begged Barbara.
Not until you answer me, il it
burns to crisp" declared MIR. Peril
man, ruthlessiy. will you be my
wife, Barbara? Yes or nor
And how could any woman hold out
when her shortcake was in jeopardy
Yes, Peter, murmurcd Miss Brown,
And to this day, when Mrs Peter
Perriman tells her young friends about
her romance, she always adds: II just
felt rs if something was going to hap
pen that morning he brought over the
apples, and 1t did" But Mrs Tibbins
declares it was the apple pie
that broug ht it all labout!-Good House.
keeping.
Trades CniOnism In China.
The Chinese trades unions can trace
their history hack for moro than fnur