The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-07-14
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"Yes, mother" was the reply, "and
] guess l can master that old gandeI
this time. I'm getting so big You
know he knocked me down with his
wings the last time we picked EN-"
eyes, / remember; ana squire IIon-
man came right in the middle Of n,
about that calf, ana !, I'm my old rag
ged gown. mortified 10 death was hin
dered a whole hour, showing him the
poultry and the garden And now,
Hannah" turning TO her daughter, n
pretty girl OF sixteen "if anybody
comes to-day, before we get through,
tell them ] can't see them; for !
wouldn't be bothered with company
when ] am in such q plight. This old
gown is all in Sits, hut ! can't afford
10 spoil a better one You may wash
up the dishes, Hannah" she continued,
when breakfast was over, "and set the
rooms 10 rights; ana by and by put
on the pot, ana get the dinner a-g0ng:
and by that time | hope we shall be
through. Come, Isaac, we will go"
Now, everybody has seen feathers,
but there are some who do not know
where they come from, and softly re
pose upon their dOwny beds without
one thought about the cruel way in
which the best ones are obtained They
want live geese feathers when they
buy, without knowing what IL means,
We wish such " one could have seen
Mrs. Havens ana Ike marching To the
barn with big basket, cloth to tie
over il, an old chair, and one OF Ike'S
outgrown stockings TO put over n
goose's head, 10 keep her from biting
while she is picked.
To see Ike run the whole flock up into
n corner Of the stable, catch one by
the neck and wings. ana then with his
black eyes sparkling with delight, and
his freckled face and suspiciously red
head, all aglow with the triumph Of
capture, as he marched across the floor
TO lay il gently, but squawking terribly,
in his mothers lap, was rather anus
ing
Boys are cruel! there's no denying it;
when they so love 10 catch geese and
pigs, and fish and game, Just for the
fun Of II, sometimes Letting them 60
and putting the fish back in the water
because they do not want them, after
the triumph of capture Is over. Ike,
who was Il smart, mischievous boy Of
twelve, loved TO DO all these things
though he was not particularly ugly,
and had really very soft place in his
big. generous heart
But while Hannah in the neat white
cottage is cooking the dinner, and Mrs
Havens in the stable Is tearing the
feathers in big handfuls from the poor
gecse-side, back and front, and Isaac
is climbing haymows hunting eggs, and
cutting up all sorts Of pranks between
whiles, another actor is on his way 10
the busy scene.
This was Squire Hoffman, rich
farmer, who lived two or three miles
away, whose road 10 town took him
very often past the Widow Haven's
cottage Being an observing man, he
had noticed the nCatneSs, and look of
care and thrift that always surround
ed it; and more than this, that the
widow had handsome black eyes and
pew Of Sunday, giving Ike an occa-
sional nudge, or pinch TO keep him in
order, yet all tho time looking at the
minister, and no doubt hearing all he
said.
As the squire had been q widowcr
several years, this must he excused,
especially when we consider that his
about TO be married, and so 10 n home
Of her own. AS he was n good Hooking,
largcframed big hearted, benevolent
looking man. with three large farms
and money In the bank we must con
cludc that he was considered a pretty
good catch among the widows anu
maidens, if he once made up his mind
TO marry again.
And IL was of this very thing he was
thinking as, seated on Selim, his hand.
some black horse, he rode toward town
upon this particular July morning.
II really don't know what | had
better do, he soliloquzed There is
Grace going 10 leave me, and | can't
say n word against IL, she has got such
noble fellow in the one she loves,
and the very one ! would have chosen
for her But there's nobody left but
Aunt Dinah in the Kitchen good old
soul. but just no company at all for
me. And here ] am. not fifty years
old. and ] may live twenty or thirty
years yet. healthy rs | am. and must |
live all that time alone. with nobody
10 care for. and nobody 10 care Tor me E?
It's all nonsense. | declare | won't do
il, If can fud anyone to marry me.
But who shall il be? There's the
Widow Sprggins. good-looking, no
children TO bother one. smart. tidy and
with nice farm of her own; but such
u temper, sharp as steel, and keen ms u
razor, guess little too keen for me.
A man wants n little peace i'm the de
cline Of his life, IL ever; and he'd have
none with the Widow Spriggins Then
there is Miss Molly Hopkins-a nice.
likely pious woman rs ever was, but
very homely, and don't fancy her one
bit. And there's that young Widow
Drake. pretty aud languishing, and
squirting all the time over ut my pew,
do believe. But she isn't the kind for
me. Dolly Weaver is n nice woman,
but little too old, and Polly Pepper.
corn is TOO young.
But there is tho Widow HavenS
handsome as n picture, and neat aud
smart, aud thrifty enough 60 pay hci
way twice over There are those tw,