Bridgeton pioneer., 1914-05-28
THE FARM
HAND
A Story of a FIirtatious
Couple
By MARY c. ETHEREDGR


her treatment of young men, determin-
ed, instead of taking her to places for
the summer where she would meet
them, to pass their outing season on a
farm. Mrs. Burrows selected a place
in a very attractive region, but dis
tant from any summer resort Indeed.
Miss Nancy was obliged to remain
without any attention whatever unless
her passion for winning hearts should
lead her to prey upon the farm men.
There was no one in the house where
Nancy and her mother boarded except
the farmer and his wife and several
little children. From the front porch
or from her window looking out over
the fields Nancy could see nothing that
resembled man except a scarecrow
set up in the midst of some growing
corn. IF remain here long enough
she said to herself, II do believe I'll
be spooning with the scarecrow Oh,
my goody gracious! What shah do?'
She thought of the summer hotels
full of guests, the country places Of
friends whom she had visited, the ten
mis-, the boating, the bathing. the music
and dancing, and heaved a deep sigh.
Then she went to her mother and
promised that she would be good, very
good, IL she might be permitted to
spend at least the month of August
elsewhere. you'll be good here" re-
piled the stern parent simply because
you can't help yourself. l shall GER
tainly not again trust you where there
is man within a hundred miles,"
Don't you expect me ever to be
married, mamma? Do you intend to
make an old maid Of me?"
II certainly do expect you to be mar
ried, and that's the reason | have
brought you here. When you get the
sense into your head to understand
that marriage is the most serious event
In a woman's life l will let you out
again among men. At present you
seem to have no appreciation what
ever of the sacredness of love-
From this speech it may be inferred
that Mrs. Burrows was a strong wo-
man, quite capable of controlling her
daughter. The truth is she desired
when Nancy married to have some
thing to say about the man she should
choose for husband With these
firtations going on, how could she be
sure that her daughter might not be
caught in some one of her own traps?
Once caught, it might be impossible to
extricate her.
And, since Nancy was still fancy
free, it seemed that this course was
wise Every year she was older than
the one before, and perhaps by and by
she would have some appreciation of
the Importance of marriage. She
could then possibly be induced to Sc
lect for husband man to be relied
Or to give her position in the world
rather than one whose only recon-
mendatiOn was that he was an excel
lent dancer or tennis player.
All this is full of wisdom and might
have been carried out had not a GER
tain young man who was as much of
a scapegrace as Nancy herself heard
the matter talked ab0ut-how q GER
tain girl he had never seen or heard
of had been buried in the country to
keep her away from men because she
had mania for breaking hearts for
pastime. The young man who heard
the gossip, unterrifed by the broken
hearts of others, straightway was seiz-
ed with a desire to have his own heart
broken.
He asked the young lady's name and
where she had been buried The for
mer he had no difficulty la learning;
the latter reQrlred diligeTt investiga-
ton.
One morning when the July sun was
Nancy Burrows heard the sound of
distant moving machine. Going to a
window, she saw pair of horses
drawing the machine in question along
the edge Of field OF wheat The
driver was dressed iE a wooden shirt,
trousers and hood brimmed, faded
straw hat. Doubtless, the harvest hav-
ing arrived, q farm hand had been
hired to cut the grain.
Nancy put on shade hat and stroll
ed out to witness the operation of cut
ting wheat. AS she drew near the ma
chine she noticed that the man driv-
ing it was not old. Indeed, he was not
middle aged; he was young. But his
dress was execrable. He didn't wear
a cravat, not even a collar. Neverthe-
less his figure showed to advantage in
his farmers costume. AS Nancy ap-
preached nearer she saw that he was
not bad looking.
Nancy stood where the machine
would pass her and as it did so expect
ed the driver would give her an admir-
ing glance such as she had been used
to receiving from men, but at the mo-
ment he seemed to be interested in
something about the harness of one Of
the horses and didn't even look at her.
When he came back Nancy called to
him, motioning him to stop. he pull
ed In and waited to hear what she had
to say to him.
would you mind explaining your