The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1898-04-23
Mary Liza's Beau.

ih NSolN SASSh COuutJ. EOI lHls
she toiled early and late. Mary
! Liza was not allowed to attend board
ing-school, "because, said her moth,
er, "it'll cost too much, en- | kaint
spare yer no money fer foolIshness,
Mary Liza; when yer Maw's dead
en- gone, yer'lI be mighty proud NV
ther money yer'll hev by ye, en-
whutever yer do don't spend hit ;
Mary Liza, don't spend hit. l hev
saved hit. en- so kin yer!"
Mary Liza tossed her head, and
undutifully remarked, thet she
didn't see whut good bit wuz er doin
Nv her hid away in er ole blue stockIn.
"Hipu jest do yer this much good,
Mary Liza" replied her mother.
"fer'll hev bit when yer come ter
die; yer wont need ter call on nobud-
dy ter berry yer, yer can buy yer er
lot, en- lay down In peace"
"Thet may be Maw," responded
the incorrleible Liza, but I'll need
hit when Pm erlivin, dresses, en-
SnoeS, en- nalS en- secn.
"Now lock er here, Mary Liza,
when yel gifts ter talkin' like thet,
hits time fer me ter quit er talkin
Nv dyin fer j clare ter goodness
| amt ergoin ter leave my
earnins ter be frittered erway on
eny such foolishness ez clothes, do l
wear en-? No sir, haint bought er
new dress in twenty years, en- l look
eZ gooJ eZ ther next one."
At this remark, Mary Liza shifted,
and elevating her nose a little higher
than usual, regarded her mothers
Quilt scornfully. Mrs Clark did
indeed present peculiar and startl-
ing appearance. Her dress was
non de script affair, of faded black,
consisting OF a much frayed skirt and
basque of no particular style. This
was her every day dressup rig when
milking the cows, she pulled her
skirt up to her knees and waded
through the mlre like SHOWS -shoveler.
Now she was making butter in the
same costume, and there was no al
teratlon in her appearance, except
that her apron was wrong side out,
and she was minus the customary
straw bonnet which she always wore
indoors and out. Her husband fire.
quently admonished her in regard to
her impoliteness, especially at her
daily meals, were eaten with this
selfsame dre@ bonnet perched side
ways on he's frowzys head. Mrs.
Clark always avowed "Thct she
wuz reddy fer burglars, day or night
en- thet she wuz likewise prepared to
lite out with ther ole blue stockin,
whenever one should appear.
She regarded all men as frauds, and
besought Mary Liza, as she valued
her soul, never on any account ter
hev nothing ter do with ther men
folks"
Don't skeer yerself, Maw," said
her daughter, one day, when her
mother had been delivering her usual
hom!ly in regard to the male sex.
"Don't skeer yerself ther aint no
man fer me ter see."
"Wa'll don't know erbout thet, !"
put in Mr.. Clark. II seen er mighty
good lookin feler comm up ther road
ther luther evenin, en- lie wuz erlook-
in intelestidly in the direction NV
this ere house,
Mary Liza blushed violent red,
and ducked her head under the table
presuma blely TO pick up the cat, but
really to hide her confusion.
Mary Liza said her mother
sternly, "ef ever ketch yer keepin
company with one Nv them scoundrel-
Ily lazy, thevin men, I'll skin yer
erlive. Now take warnin NV yer
Nav, Mary Liza, who hez he'd ex
perlence" Mrs. Clark did not state
in so many words that her spouse
was thief, but SIZE inferred it.
"Well Nav, haint seen no man
yit, en- l reckon / never will" So
saying, Mary Liza left the table, and
putting on her bonnet, she wended
her way TO an adjoining field, where lo
and behold, she was met by spright-
ly young man, who familiarly oc,
costed her as Mary Liza. .'Pm
awfully glad to see you," said he.
"Oh are yer,2 queried Mary
Liza, then suddenly remembering
Maw's warning, she seated herself al
the foot of a haystaok, and settling
her sunbonnet solidly on her head
relapsed into silence.
''Well hows the old folks ?" inoulr.
ed Mr.. Reginald Vance, peerine
playfully under her bonnet, as b,
spoke.
Mary Liza simpered, said "they
wuz all right and casting her eve,
upward, gave him brief vision O
pale blue eyes, freckled face. sur
mounted by topknot Of flaming
red hair, these combined glories
seemed to have a powerful effec
upon Mr.. Vance, for he smackec
Mary Liza's rosy lips soundly.,
"Oh Pshaw, go erway,'' said III,
coquetish beauty, don't yer know
thet Nav would nigh erbout kill me
If she knowed l wuz out here erlone
with yerY"
but she isn't going to know it
my sweet girl, now what was it YOU
were saying last night. when Won
respected father loosed the bulldog p
| II wuz Ell sayin, responded ID,
fair one thet Nav set more store b,
thet ole blue stockin, than ennythif
on Rirth she possest ,,