Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-08-17
MISS FEROBIAlS FAILURE.
BY HELEN WHITNEY CLARK.

count on gittin' him, fur he's a-keepin'
comp'ny with the Widder Cheeseman,
an everybuddy says they're a-goin' to
marry after harvest"
It was a random shot on Nancy's
part, but her black eyes sparkled with
malicious triumph as she saw by her
sister-in-law' burning cheeks that the
poisoned row had struck home.
Miss Ferobia deigned no reply, how
ever, but went coolly about prepara-
tions for her own departure.
She had rented small cottage and
few acres of ground a mile or two
from the old homestead, and Timothy
could do no less than get out the
spring wagon and drive her to the
new home.
1t was yet early in the springtime,
and the wild plum trees were white
with bloom. The tall naples and elms
by the roadside swung their light tas-
sells in the soft breeze, and myriads of
buttercups and purple hued pansies
dotted the grass-grown lanes.
81 dunno what you wanted of so
much ground round your house" re-
marked Timothy, redectively, as the
wagon rolled ea.ily along. "Half an
acre would have been enough, 1 should
say"
''No, it wouldn't" maintained his
sister, stoutly. TIN a-goin' into the
gardenin' business, to raise truck fur
the markets. :"
Timothy whistled.
"You'll male failure of if, sure as
guns" he declared, ruthlessly.
But Miss Ferob;a was not to be dis
couraged.
There's plenty of men make livin'
at it. an why not me?" she asked.
'I've got little money laid by to
start on. An I've got stout pair of
arms, and never was sick day in my
life; so way should 1 make failure Of
it,"
Bat Timothy only shook his head
and remarked. vaguely, that it was
''onpracticatle, and she should find
out" and declined to commit himself
further. And the conference was cut
short by their arrival at the cottage
1t was lonelyplace. but Miss Zero.
ba was blessed with strong nerves, and
solitude had no terrors for her.
She hal accumulated few odds
and ends of furniture from time to
time, the gifts of various friends and
relatives, which went good way
toward furnishing her diminutive
dwelling.
And when they were arranged to her
satisfaction, and a square of bright
rag carpet tackled down in the centre
of th@room, Miss Ferobia felt as happy
as King.
She was too tired after her days
work to do more than take cup of
tea and retire to rest. But comfort
able nights sleep on the old fashioned
square-posted bedstead restored her
energies, and for the next few days
she was as busy as mailer over her
preparations.
Lem Dodson was hired to plow the
'truck patch," COW with a young
calf was bargained for, and few fowls
of the Plymouth Rock and Dorking
species were purchased and were soon
cackling vigorously around their new
quarters.
After little more help from neigh
Dor Dodson, and vigorous use of the
hoe on Miss Ferobia' s part, the ground
was in readiness for planting, and the
ambitions market gardener sat up till
long past her usual bedtime looking
over her stock of seeds and selecting
those requisite for immediate use.
There might still be late frosts, she
reflected, and such tender plants rs
beans and cucumbers, summer squashes
and nutmeg melons would be better
out of the ground than in it for few
days to come. But beets and lettuce,
spinach and marrowfat peas and ruta-
bagas would stand anything short of
a regular freeze, and might be safely
planted at once.
And, late though she sat up, the first
pink flush of early dawn did not find
Miss Ferobia mapping the next morn
ing, nor for many mornings to come.
She was up with the birds, and after q
hasty breakfast out she sailed, and
hoed and raked, weeded and trans.
planted, till her back ached and her
fingers grew sore and her nose freckled
and her cheeks tanned. But garden
ing is hard work, at best, and though
Miss Ferobia labored with a will, the
grass and weeds would creep in here
and there in spite of her vigilance.
The purslane- ''pusly" she called it
and horse nettles grew faster than her
butter head lettuce or white spine Gu
cumbers.
Then the weather was not always
propitious, and her first planting of
sugar corr and early rose potatoes
rotted in the ground.
But Miss Ferobia, nothing daunted,
replanted the vacant rows with later
varieties, and in due time the seeds
sprouted and gave every promise of a
luxuriant crop.
But from that time on it was, as the
little woman declared, ''tussle" be-
tween herself and the weeds.
] While she was hoain9 bar cahhasas