Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-23

out the slightest warning, responds to
the above delicate attentions by fling
ing the turnip she carries straight in
her admirers face. The turnip is SO
large and she dispatches it with SO
hearty force that it looks like taking
Tcddy's head off. He is not quick
| lad. but he marriages to duck the ugly
head in time to save it, and he greets
the loud slamming of the door as Mary
retreats with a yell Of laughter.
| When tho next evening comes he is
| on the gate again; ard the next, and
| tho next.
Presently Mary goes out to shut up
her chickens for the night without her
cap. The cap is an immense improve
ment to Mary's appearance, but she
does not recognize the fact, and always
4 DOTS it whom admirers are about. Soon
/ there comes an evening when, the grass
of the drying ground being slippery
| from the late rain. Mary tumbles over
a refractory chicken which refuses to
be tucked under its mothers wing, and
measures her laGeth upon the ground.
| Whereat the gallant gentleman upon
| the gate roars with IN uncouth
laughter.
"Don't set goldering theer." Mary
says, with stiff smile upon her own
long lip and sidelong glance from be-
meath her white lashes Come and
ketch it yerself, yer chung .hidr'
So encouraged Teddy slides slowly
from the gate, secures the refractory
chicken, while Mary wipes the effects
of her fall from her afternoon frocls (;
and q recognized stage 10 the court.
ship has been reached.
After this, although he makes no
| more effort to assist her than lies in
the sticking out of u heavy foot to pre-,
vent the escape Of one Of the brood, or
the lazy kicking towards her of the
sacks with which she secures the coops
from the night air. the young man
always slouches at Mary's back instead
of lounging on the gate, and he is re-
ported TO be ''helring Mary with the
chickens. -
"Tha's a rare bad Job he ha' got
that theer cross ms eye, amt it,"
Mary inquiries of me soon, by way Of
introducing the important subject.
That young chap-yew know-Tedder,
then, Tedder Pyment." she explains,
with the sidelong glance and the wrie-
gle which portend the discussion of
the tender passion, I'm ~ kapin' COM
r'ny long o. him-him and mes goin'
to GIT married come Michnamas. -
In Mary's preparations for marriage
there is popularity which mention
with ditfidence, because of the unchari-
tableness of the world. | must only
entreat the reader at this point not to
give way to doubts which wrong her,
but to hold our Mary to be, like the
wife of Caesar, above suspicion. In
stead, then, of getting her trousseau
ready, turning her thoughts to the max
ing and laying by of body-linen and
dresses, rs is the world wide, time
honored custom of intending brides,
Mary devotes all her thought and in
genuity to the formation of the layette.
In her bedroom she has box devoted
to her stock of baby-linen. In all her
spare moments after the appearance of
n lover she is to be seen busily cutting
out and sewing little garments which
her clumsy fingers most cleverly fash
ion and adorn. She mutters to herself
over he needle with very happy look.
''Ef so be as tits gal-and / want
it to be gal-'tis to be called
Marg'ret. she says, displaying some
of the handiwork. "Marg'ret and mo
used ter talk over how were to have u
little gal o. my own and that were to
be called arter her. -
| 1t is useless to demonstrate with her
on the premature nature of her work.
''Oh, ah! Some people is adjust a
putin orr she says with contempt.
The chance that her union might not
be blessed with children has been
pointed out to her.
} There bain't no sense il getting
married onless ye're to have child'en.
don't hold wi no such foolishness
: as that come tn, nayther," she says.
So for little she stitches busily
away, and then, as in the case Of
fodder, the chickens being reared and
Michaelmas near, change come over
the young dream of love which period.
cally visits our Mary. The baby-linen
is locked away in the box. Tedde,
: may wait in vain, slouching about the
kitchen door, loungins against the dry
! ing-eround gate. She takes the pre-
caution to hang out her linen and to
gather it in at an hour when the YOUNG
mans occupation detains him at u safe
distance. She has no quarrel with him,
} enters into no argument on the subject
listens to no lovers appeal. He may
; llnger in the autumn air amid the flap
: ping, wet sheets, may even, urged BY
the desperation of his case to show the
l reality of his love, re-erect her liner
props for her, blown down in last
} nights gale; or, waylayiug her in al
unwary moment, attempt to carry hel
D basket of wet linen.
5 Without any conjunction for thG
false hopes she has raised and thu
/ havoc she has wrought in his affec
: lions, she elbows him out Of her way
! tells him she has no longer time t.
. play the fool. and gives him variou,
1 salutary but blunt pieces of advice a.
l.. b