Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-07-22

| be easier. She held her sister close fOl
moment. Come" she said; "let's gel
started"
"Berryin', hey" queried old Gamaliel
Hooker. "Goin' ter sell 'em, hey
Course III go. 1 use ter be the best
picker ever was. Coin ter hitch up
sayY
! He eyed Polly narrowly with queer
look blended with curiosity and affec-
ton. ''Ye're two good gals" he said,
with sort of cluck, ''an' I'm proud on
ye. Does Mis- Fannin' know what ye're
up ter?"
mo; we thought we wouldn't tell her.
Gal''
Il wouldn't" said the old mar;
might upset her, bein' so weakly an
an notional. Run along, now. I'll be
right up to the house."
HE understands" thought the girl
as she went back. "Biess his heart!
He may be only our hired man, but he
is gentleman, all the same. 1 hon.
estly think he really loves U.S. Why,
don't believe anything would induce
AAA4 " ACdhCs uOA OCC AOH uc dOCS
SO much.''
Never were huckleberries so fit for
picking as those fat, black, shining fel-
lows loading the low bushes in the
mountain pasture that pleasant after
noon in the early days of August. Never
did nimble fingers work more industri-
ously to fill the big tin pals with the
wholesome spoil. To be sure, the col
lection Of Ellis Wells had to be kept
apart, being motley and full of sticks.
The lips of the youthful Ellis were bad
ly stained and his round countenance
somewhat streaked with purple long
before the sun sinking in the west
warned his absorbed elders that their
work must cease.
The tongue Of Gamaliel Hooker had
wagged cheerfully and with hearty en-
couragement, keeping the two women
in state of constant merriment as his
drollery and tales of the berry-pickin's"
of his long ago lightened their hearts
and Iabors.
The light, drifting clouds had given
them comfortable alterations Of sun
and shade. and the dreaded afternoon
in the heat had passed as a grateful re-
lief from the humdrum household du-
ties Of the day.
Its lucky we brought big lunch"
remarked Polly, as they prepared to
start homeward. 81 think Ellis has re-
freshed himself very regularly every
hour on what was left over. Every
scrap is gone. Well, he has ben con-
tented, and had a good time. I'll be
sorry when Frances sends for him next
month";
He's a good young 'un," observed
Gal. His appctite's mighty, but thet's
the way with boys. He must hev picked
two quarts an ct about three. Coin
ter take him along to-morrerf'
mo, sirv' cried Harriet. HE stays
with his grandmother and you.''
"I'u look after him." said the man.
Yer mall feed him everything in the
house eff she's let to. Now I'll pick over
yer berries an fix 'em fer yer. Ye've
got supper ter git. an then go ter bed
airly. I'll see ter it ye're started right
in the mornin'.'
Polly patted him on the arm. "You
are a comfort in life, Gal," she said.
II don't know what we should do with
out you"
"Sho" said the old fellow, embar-
rassed. Il don't do nothin'! Here we
are hum ag'in, an we had gre't pickin'
an a good time. Suppern be ready in
about half an hour. s'pose."
Ea 90 ,.rio6 in tho har.,ioS fha,S ,-oyrx
ed out to the barn. 1.-TWO likely gals,
an purity" he ruminated, "an' good
How they hev growed up. Why, why!
Hattie's most twenty-seven years old,
an little Polly's two years younger
Don't seems eff it could be. An toted
'em round when they want knee-high.
Their father" He picked up a hay
fork, and thrust it savagely into the
NOW. DUN itv' he muttered, sit
dunn! An three years ago we was all
off. Then Sam had ter die.
Last words he says ter me was, Gal
do what We kin fer 'em. l hain't left
much but the farm an a good name
An little by little we've run down ter
peddlin' berries. / didn't RELY sense 1t
afore. An the old lady's never been
the same, an now she's roomatic.
where's young Cutter, 1 wanter
know" his thoughts wandered on. 81
thought sure he an Hattie would make
a match, but they fell out somehow.
Now eff they hadn't it would hev all |
come out nice an easy. His old mans |
died an left him well fixed-big farm, |
an money, too. Wonder what twas !
they fit about? None of my business,
but I'd like ter know"
Gamaliel jamemd a forkfu1 Of hay |
into the horses manger. Eat, yer old |
sinner" he observed; ''ye're goin' ter |
town tomorrow a-peddlin'. Eff We |
knowed it ye'd run away, 1 bet Old |
DR.. Bolton gin We to Mis-. Fannin' ten
year ago come Thanksgiving. kin see |
him Jest the way he done 1t. Here,
1arter,' says he, this colt is yer own.
He comes of as good a family in his |
line as we do in ourn. Remember thet, |