Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-12-24

StT5TMSTcMS co, sprinkled with
./NI[\ rose-buds and for
get-me-nots, which
had taken Uncle
Jerry's fancy on his last visit to town,
and which he could not be convinced
was "too young" or gay for his wife.
She was pleasant and comely to be-
hold, with her smooth bands of silvery
hair displayed, as the breeze blew
back her cap-border, and the express
sion of goodness and kindness upon
her still rosy face.
She hummed cheerfully to herself,
rs she knitted, something about "a rest
beyond the skies, while Jemima, mix
ing and rolling dough, occasionally
took up the refrain.
Presently there came strolling
across the grassy lawn in front of the
house two persons-one handsome,
manly-looking young man, and the
other pretty girl, with laughing
face and mischevous dark eyes.
They sat down on the green bench
on the porch, shaded by the trellis
of multiAora rose and white jasmine,
and Aunt Betsey, in IL pause of her
song, heard them talking together.
"Dear me-" said she to Jemima,
"why, there's Joe courting Kitty
again !"
"Well," answered Miss Jemima,
''it's moren | would do. How often
he's got to ask that gal before she con-
sents to marry him, I'd jest like to
know"
Unconscious of these comments,
Joe was pleading his cause with the
pretty girl of the bright, mischievous
eyes.
"Kitty, I don't like to hear you
talk about going home. Couldn't you
be content to stay here and make your
home with us always?"
"Well," answered Kitty, slowly, as
if deeply considering the question,
81 like the country, and if"
'1f what?' said Joe, eagerly.
"If had handsome country-house
and line carriage"
"Kitty, will you be in earnest for
once? You know that 1 can't afford n
fine house and carriage. But l love
you, Kitty, and will do everything for
your happiness that it is in my power
to do. Don't you believe me?"
"Well, l don't accuse you of telling
untruths, Joe. But what is the use of
always talking about such things?
We're SO young. am only eighteen
and you twenty three. Surely there's
plenty of time for us to wait"
'1ve waited over whole year, :"
said Joe, gloomily.
'Dear me is it so long? But after
all, what is a year to us, when we have
all our lives before us? Why, we may
both of us live to be hundred years
old, like that couple we were reading
of in the papers last night, and then
we may regret that we didn't enjoy
our youth longer, instead of getting
married SO young. Besides, I believe
in waiting. 1t is test of constancy. !"
"My constancy needs no test p said
Joe, with frmness.
''But perhaps mine does. How do
| know but that | could like some one
else better than do you?"
She looked at Joe, with her laugh
ing eyes just visible above the bunch
of wildroses which she was holding to
her pretty retrousse nose.
Joe regarded her sternly in reply,
and viciously chucked away an inno-
cent lady-bug that was crawling on the
multihora.
"How can you be SO cruel, Joseph 2"
said Kitty, solemnly "That poor IN
sect never harmed you"
"Look here, Kitty, I've had enough
of this don't want to be made a
fool of any longer. You will force
me to do something desperate"
"Well, l can't help your doing des-
perate things if you choose to do
them. You're old enough to know
how to conduct yourself properly.
And now smell Cousin Jemima's tea
cakes baking-I'm SO glad we shall
have my favorite tea-cakes for sup
per !'-Pll just go aud put my flowers
In water before wo are called in.
And she arose .and tripped lightly
away, humming gay song.
That gal, said Miss Jemima, who
had caught fragments of the forego-
ing discourse-"that gal would worrit
the life of Job himself. I've the great
est mind to put away the tea-cakes for
to-morrow's supper, and not let her
have taste of 'em to-day"
"Oh, she'll come round some time?"
said Aunt Betsy, cheerfully. "Its the
way with some gals, though I'm bound
to confess that 1 never carried on SO
with my jerry"
Kitty went up to her room and
placed her wild flowers in water, and
then, standing near the window,
brushing back her curls, she said to