Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-01-10
CHAPTER |.

The full glory OF late summer brood
ed In afternoon stiffness over the
golden harvest fields, the gray dreamy
downs, the deep-shadowed woods, and
the soft azure glimpscs Of sea around
Melbourne. Everything seemed
wrapped in rich, delicious luxury. I'M
provident boys reveled in blackberries,
and stormed their friends heavily
laden fruit-trees; while provident
squirrels watched the swelling acorns
and hazel-nuts, and prepared little
granaries for storing them when ripe.
The sun had drawn the richest tones
OF color from eyerything-fro the
ruddying apple and purpling plum;
from the br0wn-gold corn and brilliant
way side flowers; from the dark-green
woods and purple clover patches; from
the bronzed faces and limbs of the Ia
borcrs aud children; from the cottage
gardens, bright with scarlet-runner
vegetable marrow, and rich fruit. Pass
Ing down the village street, you could
scarcely see the matched cottages for
the flowers about them, the gay holly
hooks standing like homely sentinels
among the red snap-dragons, gerani,
ums, carnations, and gillytlowers;
while the rectory grounds were gay
with their fullest bloom, and the rcd
spur valerian climbed over the low
church.yard wall. and rcd poppieS
blazcd through the corn, which stood
ready for the sickle on the other side.
The yellow lichens and stone-crop on
the gray spire and tiled roof OF the
church glowed intensely in the sleepy
sunshine, into which Il warm haze had
brought Il ruddy tint, and the blue
Sky gaZed. soltened and dreamy.
through the same hazy veil. Down
from the helfry, standing there IN the
sweet blue, fell tile slow, drowsy chime
Of the three old mellow bells, and float
or pleasantly over the quiet, DaSklng
fields, where cows stood WITHDRAWN
beneath the trees. chewing contented-
~, with lazily winking eyes and whisk-
Ing tails; aud the horses fed serenely,
not knowing that they would have to
drag all that rich harvest home be
fore long; and the little brook bah
bled family, because of the great heat
which consumed It,
Service was over, and people were
struggling home through fields or
lounging Mt garden gates In idleness
and sunday clothes, though the tulI
male toilet was suhdurd by tendency
to shirt sleeves. Granfcr was holding
forth to a select circle outside the low
wall of the church.yard, where he was
wont TO baSk in the sun, like some
novel species of lizard, the summer
long. Farmer Long was vending ms
way slowly homeward with his FANNY,
fun Of thought He had decided To
cut his first whcat-tCld, half mic
on, on the morrow, and 10! he SAW
that the corn through which thty We're
passing was overrpc and crying OUT
for the sickle.
Farmer Long was puzzled. He could
not think why Providence made the
corn ripe all at once, when II was on.
yiOuS that ii could not all be cut, mueh
less carried, ut the same time You
may depend upon ~ Ms WY 49,
him, "providence have got plenty 70
do without thinking o your corn.
Long. Cutting of 1t and carrying Is
our lookout. All Providence have 10
do is to put II there for us, aud thank
tul we must be there's any to cut
Which Mr.. Long reflected upon over
his pipe after ten, not without Il re-
mote inward conviction that he would
have made better arrangements him.
self
sunday afternoon is the great time
for sweethArting. Many shy COUPE
detached itself from the stragglins
OF ssaua4u s.uRHlsI pasealoul Iaulla1