The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-10-02
THE WOOING
OF ROSYBEL.
BY KATHARINE X. CROSBY.
Copyrighted. 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.
BY KATHARINE X. GRO:

pdIulCE JOuu COubluCICu hlLA q A1oSs
ungodly young man and forbade him to
enter the yard. He also forbade his
daughter, Rosybel, to leave the yard,
except on Sundays, when she could 60
to church under his eagle eye.
1t may be that Farmer Johns ideals
were rather exacting. Rosybel thought
them so anyway. To her there was
nothing absolutely wicked about a pipe
Of tobacco, especially If the pipe were
Of the rakish type affected by young
men who had been. to college.
Dick Melton had been to college. In
deed his A. B. was barely fortnight
old. Now he was touring the country
after a fashion all his own in the
search of amusement
he told his father that he wanted to
see something of life before entering
upon that glorious political career
which his doting parent saw stretching
before his eldest born.
Now, touring suggests gay and fes-
tive motor car, all red enamel and
staring brass work, but Dick had es-
chewed such vanities as all too COM
monplace. He was touring in hay
rack.
Besides Dick there was in the hay
rack variety Of commodities pile
Of boards of assorted sizes, for in
stance; a couple of canvas contraptions
which when you gave them chance
evolved into a cot bed and a lounging
chair; nickel plated pail, which could
be transformed by some miracle into
a complete chatting dish outfit; a small
table and, most important of all,
camp organ Of the sort carried about
by wandering evangelists.
When Farmer John issued his edict
that the young man who had dropped
into church from nowhere at all and
walked home from the meeting with
his daughter Rosybel should not enter
his premises on pain of death-via
bulldog Towser-Dick was rather
pleased than otherwise.
His vacation babe fair to furnish
more entertainment than he had an
ticipated. Moreover, he was really
very much taken with Rosybel, who
was not only the prettiest girl whom
he had met with in his travels, but
was also blessed with sense Of hui
NOR. This is an adorable combination.
hard to resist.
The afore mentioned edict was pro-
n0unced on Sunday evening, when
Dick again presented himself to see
,Rosybel home from meeting On Mon
day morning the hayrack drove into
the field which was bordered in part
by the neat white palings of Farmer
Johns homestead fence.
The field did not belong to Farmer
John. Quite near the fence, in the
shade Of big elm tree, the young man
proceeded to assemble the boards
which he had taken from the hayrack.
1t happened that RosybePs garden
had run sadly to weeds over Sunday,
and she was obliged to spend consider
able time out there on Monday morn
ing in consequence.
AS the garden was between the house
and that particular part of the fence
where the elm tree stood, she could
not help seeing what the young man
was about. For one thing, he was
smoking, except at times when he re-
moved the pipe and sang a bacchana-
liam ditty about a stein on q table,
which Rosybel was glad her father
did not hear, for he always voted no
license
For another thing, the young man
h,1tll snh IN, hn,s
part Of the country is not often gone
about so casually. There was, how
ever, neither pounding of nails nor
noise Of saw. The birds sang undis-
turbed in the branches Of the elm tree,
and the hang bird in her nest watched
him without alarm.
When Farmer John came in from
the fields at neon he snorted at the
sight Of his new neighbor. By this
time the house was nearly done. Dick
was hanging the front door, and there
remained only tho piasoa steps to be
put in place.
When Farmer Jeha came IN from the
fields at night the camp organ was
hard at work on the piazza. Later
psany couples came strelling by, on the
lookout to see Resie's new fellow.
They came to see and remained to
dance. The grass had been clipped
short, and the strains from the organ
invited to Portland Fancy" Lady Of
the Lake" and kindred measures.
When they had gone, Rosybel stole
down to the fence from the place
among the shadows where she had
been watching the scene. Dick got to
the fence first, and there was neither
pipe nor song in his lips.
By the shine of his eyes you might
have guessed that there was q whole
cycle Of songs in his heart, all having
for chorus the refrain, "Rosybel,
daughter Of Johnr' It was not long,
however, before they were interrupted
by the voice of this same John calling
loudly for Rosie
1t now became the favorite pastime.
for lovers, young and old, married and
counting, to go down to the Old Mill
road to watch the wooing Of Rosybel.
Usually there were music and dancing,
but once they had a grand candy pull
after the chatting dish had been unlim-
bered and brought into action.
On this occasion Rosybel came down
from her place among the shadows
and pulled" with Dick over the fence
That was the gayest evening of them
all, for Farmer John was attending