The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-02-27
at O'Clock. I VIII try to make you u
good wife. Yours until death, Nvelina."

tossed and turned in her feather bed, watch !
Ing the moonlight creep across the snow
fields through the white window curtains.
The fire in her cylinder stove made a
pleasant glow in the tidy room. She finally
rose, and wrapping herself in warm shawl
sat down in the rocking chair to dream
OF her blissful future. Joel, too, was rest
less She could hear him turning ana
signing In the next room. Poor Joel. He
would miss her sorely, for they were accus-
toned to going everywhere together Sne.
wished he might find good wife.
The next morning she absent-m1ndedly
watered the geraniums with the coffee and
poured the milk into the fire.
Good land. Julia, what does all your
exclaimed Mrs Gilliefower. Here, don't
you touch my wool slippers. You'll be
burning those up next
BY the second day Julia reused her cour-
age to the point of telling her mother OF her
approaching marriage. Mrs. GilliefioWer
was quite overcome and for an awful mo-
ment suspected her daughters mind had
given way. "You don't mean 1t, Julia.
Who to-"
"Mr. Woodford Longley, l think" an.
swered Julia. blushing furiously at the
sound of the beloved name. The hired girl,
who happened to come in at that moment,
heard 1t and stopped aghast.
"Put the coal on the fire, Vira, and go
back to the Kitchen commanded Mrs.
Gilliefower sharply. "Ill be out to see to
the butter in minute Now Julia" as
soon as the door closed. II want to know
what this means"
why he advertised in the paper, and
answered. and then he wrote describing
his place and all. SOS I knew who It was
An then he wanted to marry me right off,
Oh, he writes such beautiful letters! He
said his wife should live like lady an
have horse and carriage Of her own, an
he would always love her an be kind to
her"
Mrs. Gilliefower folded her hands" Wood
Longley advertise for wife! What's the
world comm to? He didn't need any ad-
vertisin' when he took his first Julia, show
me those letters. How did you get 'em,
anyhow"
falo, an she sent 'em on to me. I've only
had four or five. He doesn't know who +
am yet He says he doesn't care. He knows
my hearts pure an true"
Doesn't know who you are? How did,
he write to you, then?"
"Why, signed myself Evelina and he'si
J. I'll get the letters" and Julia ran QUIT
Of the room with joyous step. Mrs. Gi1lie-i
flower hunted up her glasses as she might
have done if a diamond mine had been dis
covered at the front door. Julia came down.
with the precious packet tied up in bright
pink ribbon. Mrs. Glliefower was a slow
reader. Julia, fdgettng around the room
stopped at the window. "Why, here's
father an he must have been to the Office
He's got letter in his hand"
She opened the door for the old gentle
man. who burst out in great excitement
Look here, wife" Mrs Gilliehowerl
dropped her head and looked at him over
her spectacles. "Just you look-a-here."
He waved sheet Of tinted paper in the air.
What do you think Of that young scamp,
Joel, now? I went down to the office to
see If there was any mail, an Sam Flick,
he handed me out this letter. an say he:
"Joels gettn' lots of letters from the
Weekly lately I say oh, that's the quar-
terly subscription due. I'll open it here an
send the money right along So tore the
envelope open, and then I found there
wuz another envelope inside, an ia tore
that, too This is Gurus SEE l. An then
] drawed out this sheet of paper. I hadn't,
my glasses, so I asked Sam Flick tn saeI
how much it was. for I thought somethin'
uncommon must be up from that pink
paper. So he read It, an Geewhillkensli
Just you listen here!'
"Lemme read it." said his wife. you
hain't your glasses now any more'n YOU
had then. MY dear J.-Overcome by nv
cOnfuslOns however can I answer vour
lovely letter? My heart is your. IF Won
want me to 1 will meet you Wednesday in
the Alton depot at 2 o'clock. / will trv
Ito make you a good wife. Yours until
death, Eveina.' -
Julia sprang forward with a shrill cry:,
r'Oh, that's the letter I wrote to Woodford
Give it to me! What is it doing here?"
"You-you-you wrote that letter tn
Woodford? Woodford who? How kin YOU
be Evelina? What's Joel dom with her
I'd like to know" Mr.. Gilliefower spoke
so rapidly that the words almost chol1ed
him. His wife sat absolutely silent
Julia still reached for the letter when
the kitchen door opened and Joel antoro6