Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-04-13
s-s-ss+a..........ssss:
!: The SQUIRE 5 hired GIRL. :.
Ae;.as'sse@

,eaaerccsc.cc = y Z.
Go Wo O'Clock H. M olls q blazing
July day IN the country " a row
q Of stalwart mowers. each keep
ing time with scythe and step across
the ten.acre lot on the Rowland farm.
A line of piebald cattle, black and
white. red and white, dun and gray,
cream color and dun, coming slowly
down the slope of the woodland pas
ture to drink from the brook beneath
the spring. A great, o.d-fasliioned.
crtam-colorel farm house, with green
: blinds and piazza, a side porch and
IN grapevine colonnade, standing on a
level lawn, beneath till maple trees
that were only tiny snplings in the
days when Great-grandfather How
land moved up into Vermont from
Connecticut ito settle.' some eighty
years ago.
The doors and windows of this fine
old mansion were standing wide open,
and-a brown retriever stationed ut the
front gate amiably watched the de
parture of two double-seated carryalls,
each drawn by a pair of fine horses.
md laden with merry cargo OF laugh
ing girls. And from one of the upper
windows another girl, apparently some
twenty years of age, looked out, dress
ed in blue striped calico, with pima
forc apron pinned to her sloping shout
ders. and n cook book In her hand.
This was the aspect of the old How
land farm and homestead when John
Parry, artist. first beleld them.
During the three weeks of his stay
I'm the mountain village of Bradley lie
had heard much of the Rowland place,
and the ..Howland girls" Beirg shy
and retiring student, he inwardly con-
rr,tulated himself this afternoon on
the absence of chose girls" as he, too,
looked after the cloud of dust that fol-
lowed the retreating earryall wheels.
az can get my picture done before
they come laughing and Cabling home
again" muttered Mr.. Parry, as lie fix
!ad Ills camp stool and umbrella near
tho garden gate, and prepared to
sketch IN the groundwork Of the finest
Wow An Gaylord County, as his host
Mt the village tavern had called 1t,
while directing him to 1t that day.
The ungullant artist painted rs fast
ma he rossibly could, in order 10 finish
Ills work before the daughters Of the
house returned. But the sun poured
down his most scorching beams upon
his head, and not a leaf was stirred in
any direction by n welcome breeze.
The haylnakers halted now and then
10 allow of the passage of stout, COM
:. Portable looking brown jugs along the
line, and the sight made Mr.. Parry
thfrstier, till at last, in his desperation,
he unmatched the garden gate behind
him and went up to the house.
The brown retriever did not oppose
his advance, but lay on the clean mar
ble-painted wooden floor of the hall,
and la2ily tapped his tail in welcome.
Mr.. Parry knocked.
After some delay light, graceful
figure in blue calico appeared at the
lower end of the hall.
Mr.. Parry looked at the girl ms she
came nearer.
She bad a frank, happy, childlike
face, with large, bewitching gray eyes,
and quantity of soft, short, curling
hair of the true golden color, such us
is seldom seen except upon the sunny
head OF very young child.
1.-THE hired girl, Of course. How live
ly she is! l should like to paint her, .
thought Mr.. Parry, as she busted some
nour from the prettiest hands and
arms in the world. and apologlzed to
him IN very sweet voice for keeping
him waiting