Smyrna times., 1896-08-19
skimming milk, preparatory to churn-

skimming milk, preparatory to churn-
ing.
''Do you want to sell this place,
Mrs. Grey?" he asked, abruptly.
"Don't know as I do" said the
widow. "It's the only home I've had
for % years. And I couldn't get moth
ing for it. The lands bout wore out
Still, if had an offer of 81 500 for it,
I'd snap at it"
"I know somebody who'll give you
that, said John. Give hundred cash
down and a mortgage on the place for
the rest, due in two years, with in
terest at 6 per cent"
ITS a bargain" said the widow.
'Where's the man?"
"Here!" said John.
"You?" exclaimed the widow. 81
didn't know you had 500 cents"
GIVE got cash ready for you, said
John; "and if you'll let me drive into
Sedgewick, this afternoon, We'll have
Lawyer Sanders make out the deeds. "
81 suppose I'll have to hold by my
word" said Mrs. Grey. "But you'll
never be able to pay me the $1,000
within two years. How can you save
anything on $40 a month";"
''That's my lookout" said John.
''You need worry about the amount of
my salary. You have the farm as
security, and you can live on it till all
is paid. I've no use for the house, you
know, unless 1 get wife to put in it. :"
''FOlks can't say he amt clever, )"
said Mrs. Grey, in telling her daughter,
a little later, of this offer, 'Id have
hated to leave the house right off. But
what puzzles me is his having that
$500 PUT by. He must have been awful
saving"
Lydia smiled, but said nothing.
She might have enlightened her
mother on the subject had she so
chosen; but she preferred to keep her
own counsel.
A week later John paid second
visit to the dairy.
F'You said L couldn't marry Lydia
until I had home to offer her as good
as the one she's had with yOu," he
said. 'Now you can't say I'm not able
to do so. She needn't make any
change at all, you see"
''I see," said the widow, tersely.
$50 you'll consent to our engage
ment?" said John.
81 suppose SC, since you're both Sc
set on it," said Mrs. Grey, on whom
Johns $500 had produced marked
impression.
''Liddy's so stubborn-headed sht
wouldn't think of changing her mini
if 1 preached and argy all night, anC
don't want her talked about"
''Neither do l." said John. 'I'm
glad to have the matter settled. I'll
go up and tell Lydia about it now, i
you have no objection"
, $50, if you want to, ''said the widow
Like as not she's looking for you
hanging over the gate, perhaps, Will
the breads burning in the oven ant
the cats on the breakfast table
: The wedding was set for the middle 0
October; but, to her mothers surprise
4 Lydia began no preparations for it.
"Why don't you begin your shop
: ping?" asked the widow, who had
, natural longing for cruise among tn
dry good stores of Sedgewick.
'There's no time to be lost. You'll
| have to be pretty smart if you expec
r to get sewed up by the middle Q
October"
"There's no hurry" said Lydia
n quietly.
e ''That money you've got in the ban
e will come in useful 'nOugh," said he
mother. "Three hundred dollars wi
n buy you a good set-out."
:, "Better than 1 need, 1t would b
t sheer extravaganza for me to spen
o that much, " said Lydia.
''But you have got to have som
n finery," said her mother.
" 81 shan't want much. am prett
we'll supplied now with clothes.
:" ''There's no call for you to be sting!
a Your Uncle Nose left you the none
r for this very purpose. Don't you +,
l, member the will said so? And wal
'e to see you we'll set out. Girls don
get married more'n onct, as a rule, an
you'd best make the most of IL
le chance"
1t 'I'll see," said Lydia. "There'
t, time enough yet to buy and make doub
1t what I'll get"
ID And though Mrs. Grey fretted an
scolded about the delay, and began
es think her daughter had grown pars
he monious, Lydia continued to put {
ID going to Sedgewick to buy her we
b. ding clothes.