Evening journal., 1899-11-23
THE SQUIRE'S STORY.

Squire Clover listened in silence, but
with a quiet smile upon his lips, to his
old cronies' yarns of their various haps
and mishaps in their younger days in
trying to get possession Of the girl Of
their choice
"Ay, neighbors, you've told some
pretty queer stories, but I'll warrant
1 can tell one thatll match 'em.
rather guess 'twould astonish those ac-
quainted with my understanding wife.
yonder, to know how it was that 1
thought of taldn' her for better OF
worse"
Now, David" expostulated Mrs.
Clover, both reddening and smiling as
she met her husbands quizzical look.
why will you tell that silly story? If
you hadn't cared to take me, you could
have left me alone"
"Ah, sure. it's easy talkin'." said the
squire, shaking his head with demure
gravity. But when a girl-an' espec-
tally sich a pretty one-hies directly
into a fellows arms what else can he
do? That's what I'd like to know?"
Mrs. Glover gathered up her work
and ran away, and her husband, after
shaking his jolly sides with silent
laughter gradually recovered himself
and proceeded to satisfy the curiosity
he had aroused, thus:
Il was a poor boy, as perhaps ye
know, with nuthin' but a pair of stout
arms an broad shoulders to push nay
way in the world with.
"The summer / was p l went to work
for Sues father. Mr. Bean was a we'll
to-do farmer and Sue his only child.
He wasn't anyways stuck up about his
property, but he set a great store by
Sue, an as he knew that some day
she'd have as good a farm as there was
in the country, naturally expected that
the man who got her would be able to
give as much as he took.
so had no more idea of ever bein'
Sues husband than l had of fiyin', an
yet the fust time / set eyes on her
knew, as well as I know now, that no
other woman would ever be to me what
she was
They were real nice sort of folks,
who treated their help like their own
family, an l soon began to feel at
home.
"Ali but with Sue; I couldn't seem to
say two or three words to her without
blunderin', an was always doin' some
awkward thing or other when 1 went
nigh her
Il don't think I'd have felt quite so
shy II I'd have known her opinion of
me, for l wasn't bad-lookin' chap in
my young days.
II hadn't been to Mr.. Beans long
afore / found out that Sue had beau.
His name was Silas Peterkin, son OF
the storekeeper down at the village.
He was a white-faced, slim-waisted
feller, with little hands and feet, that
I'd be ashamed TO own, but which he
seemed to feel mighty proud of.
"Sue never seemed to act as though
she had any particlar lil1in' for Silas,
but twas easy seen that the old folks
set great store by him, an was mighty
pleasant at the idea of his steppin' up
TO their carter.
80 matters went on until September
when Mr.. Bean gave a huskin' party
We young fellers set TO work with a
will, an afore sunset the corn was
all husked an piled away. an the barn
floor swept clean for the dance an
supper he was to have in the eyenin'.
Pretty soon the women folks began
60 flock in, but Sue was the prettiesi
of the hull lot dressed in her white
frock, with the pink ribbon tied around
her waist.
ollhn hlAs nE Mdo AnEANf vi
course, an as soon as l see him I went
to the house.
GAS I was standin' on the back steps
out of sorts with myself an everybody
else, 1 heard a voice say:
David
"An' turnin' round, saw Sue, lookin
as smilin' as a basket of chips.
Amt you comm down to the
barng says she.
L rather guess I amt wanted, say:
1.
oh, yes you are, says she; I wan
you.
"She looked an spoke so sweet tha
I was enamost a mind to go. But JUS
then l heard Silas calm her, an NUT
term somethin' about havin' som'
tools to grind, walked off
Il was most sorry fort, though, whel
I caught sight Of her face as sh'
walked away with Silas, an saw hoy
sober it was.
"Sittin' down on the back step,
went to work, the raspin' of my fill
soundin' a deal pleasanter to my ear
than the fiddlin' that hoated up from
the barn down in the medder
1T had been uncommonly hot for
number Of days past, but this had beel
the hottest one of all. There was
strange look in the sky, too; il wa
streaked overhead with purple AM
vi'let, with sort of yellow glare II
the west.