The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-12-13

Vivian Lee, asks to Din US this week.
and We place for her one Of our most
comfortable chairs. We are glad that
she loves u dear old State and hope
that as the years are added to her life
her love for its people will increase.
Rollins has sent her real name and
with pleasure we publish her very in
t9resting letter. I hope she will write
every month and I believe she will be
come one of my most popular nieces.
But I have other good letters WHOSE
writer's did not give their real names
as we'll as the ones by which they wish
the Chatterers to know them. VIII
their authors let me hear from them
right aWay7-Aunt Jennie.
SOCIAL CHAT CONTINUED ON PAGE y
CARELESS TOM DESCRIBES HIS BEST
GIRL
Dear AUnt Jennie:-WelI, here am,
a little over one month from the date
OF my last but I have been so very
buoy that I really haven't anything new
to cay. I notice that the Chatterers are
still talking of old bachelors, old maids,
flrts, farmers, town folks, etc.
Some of the circle seem to think
that all kinds of flirting are horrible. l
don't. Some kinds are excusable.
Take, for instance flirting with a firt.
When a girl finds a firt, paying his at
tentions to her, l don't believe it is
wrong for her to give him a dose Of his
own medicine. And Vice UeTsG To
illustrate, I will give you a little anec
dote With which I found in q West
ern paper a few weeks ago. The hero
we will call Moses Sparrow; the heroine,
Miss Page. Nose was very green. At
least that was the idea that always
came into Miss Pages mind when she
looked at her country lRndlRdy's son.
Such a rustic youth, with such fair
hair, such big blue eyes, euch sloping
shoulders, such a lamb like expression.
And being there at the farmhouse,
where she had been sent to spend the
summer months, the city belle resolved
that she would try her powers Of fasci,
nation upon the boy, who struck her
as 10 good a subject for filtration, 10
which all the fun was to be on her side
and all the sentiment on his.
And at it she went, beginning with a
smile, a word, and rel 1icing to see the
fish bite so readily. She enjoyed her
self very much until she grew tired of
it, and then she decided on breaking
the heart she had won, and enjoying
the crash. So she turned him out in
the garden, and made him sit beside
her on the bench under the wisterias,
and said sadly
I'm going home next week. I shall
send you wedding c srds when I'm mar
ried, I'm to be married to a rich old
gentleman next winter"
Then she waited to see him drop at
her feet. H3 only said,-
wall, I'm real glad. I kinder felt
afraid I'd been goin' too far with you
I'm a sort of butterfly, ftrtin' from
flower to Fl over, you know; and l hev
firted with you, l due allow. I was
afraid you'd go eff in a decline or
suthin-you seemed TO eet so much on
me-if you heerd sudden like that me
and Ann Maria was keepin' steady
company. But law, sence you're goin'
to be married, there amt no harm
doneI'
Then he smiled at Miss Page, and
che arose and sailed away from him
with great dignity.
Now l think Moses flirting was ex.
e~xcusable. And while / don't want
my best girl to flrt yet I should not
get mad if she were to beat a 1irt at
his own game.
And by the way, there are some
other things I don't want my best girl
to do.
l don't want her to entertain me in
the parlor if her mother must unaIded
prepare the meals.
I don't want her to care more for
t. ashy novels than for solid literature,
Idon't want her to think she has all
the education she needs.
/ don't want her to fret at what she
can't help. That's silly. And I don't
want her to fret at what she can help,
for that is also silly. If she can help it,
let her do so.
1 don't want her to giggle perpetu
ally. a hearty laugh I like to hear,
oat a giggle is as artlfis ial as a cOor
song from one of these new tangled
gramophones.
1 don't want her to get the idea that
dudish clothes make the man. If go,
let her marry u Of the dummy cloth