The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-08-02

now very much, and l will give him
good wages"
"Well, that is just as you and he can
agree. Our little hoeing and moving
is DONE thank fortune, and he can go
If he likes. He is smart boy, IL
do say 1t; but he has the queerest no.
tlons in his head. He and Hannah
both take after their father, and love
their books little too well. They both
read every spare minute, and Ike has
n notion that he wants to go to college,
like your Samuel. Now, with our pov-
erty, the idea is preposterous; and yet
here I have been like a fool all the
morning trying to encourage and help
him contrlve how to do It, just to
please him"
"And how was that?" said the squire,
smiling, as he helped himself without
asking to seat on the milking stool,
in the most familiar and neighborly
way.
"Well, in the first place, feathers are
that there might De great profit in
stocking the little farm with geese.
Then when / raised some objections,
he concluded that picking and selling
berries, and catching birds and game,
would do great deal, and that by
keeping school and raising strawberries
we could do the rest. and school Han
nah into the bargain. So we are going
to set the Strawberries right away, a
plan l was willing to encourage, as
knew 1t might be very profitable.
"There, that goose is done, but where
Is Isaac, I'd like to know"
And going to the door, she let out
the goose and called loudly for the boy
to catch another, as she explained to
the squire
"Pray, let him go, Mrs. Havens,"
said the squire, good-humoredly.
"You are almost through, and / would
just as lief catch you one as not" and
suiting the action to the word, he
walked over, and caught the smallest
| one, and laid it i'm Mrs. Havens' lap.
Then he walked back. and, catching
the old gander, the father of the flock,
in spite of his loud and animated re-
| monstrances, he went back, and sitting
down upon the stool. laid him across
his knee, and in spite Of his naked
head, and wrathful demonstrations,
proceeded very leisurely and scientifl.
cally, to strip Off his coat.
"You see, Mrs. Havens," he said,
"that I am an old hand at the, busi-
ness, as my wife never did II, and so
1t always fell to me, or Dinah, or both.
But the house became full Of beds,
and I soon tired of 1t, and sold of
my flock"
"As I would mine il we didn't need
the profits for clothes, and schooling
for the chlldren-especially If Ike has
to go to college. guess it will take
a good many pounds of feathers to
send him there" said she.
"Supposing should tell you of a
better way" said the squire, earnestly
and with slight blush. Here you
have snug little place that might
bring a thousand dollars or so; and
off there, l have more land than
well know what to do with. Now, my
daughter Grace is about to leave me
and my home will be without a mis-
tress, and myself without any con
genial society. Now like you better
than any other woman know Of, ant
If you would become my wife, and the
mistress of my establishment, I thini
we could arrange matters nicely. Ther
you could sell this little place, ant
put the money in the bank, agains
the time Isaac would want to 60 t
college, and Hannah, who is one o.
the sweetest girls know, could liv,
with us, 60 to school to the village
academy, and be well provided for b,
us when she marries. Now, wha
do you say to my planr
"That l will consider 1t seriously
said the widow, with flaming cheeks
eyes cast down, and very nervous
pull at the feathers.
And Ike just at this juncture crawlet
out slyly from behind an old barrel
in the manger, crept cautiously out a
the door, without being perceived b.
the blushing pair Of lovers, and ran t
the house, to tell the news to tn
astonished Hannah, with a good man.
eloquent additions and explanations.
The squire finally came in to dinner
and afterward pursued his journey t
town; and the widow did think of it t
such purpose that she soon after be
came his wife.
Her place was sold, as the squir
proposed; Ike went to college, rubbe
} off the freckles, and eventually be
came one of the smartest lawyers il
the State; while pretty Hannah maj
ried Samuel-the only son-and live
with the old folks at the homestead
New York Weekly.
Il Not Intended For Use.