The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-10-23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BeIinda's Temper
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"Katie is going to barn dance to-
night" said Miss Belinda, $50 / must
ask you to please fetch our milk from
the May farm"
'The May farm, way over there!"
replied her brother. Why did you
stop taking milk from Miss Sarah Ann
Craig, ia like to know?"
81 didn't STOP l was stopped"
"Have hostilities begun between
you and Sally Ann after all these
years of amity? I'd have backed you
to get along with anybody, upon my
word, even with Miss Craig. What's
caused her displeasure?"
please don't be friyolousi You
know Miss Sarah is often kind. even
if she is rather set and peculiar"
Eyes, know she's been kind to us
more than once, especially in the
matter of supervision. l remember
that when you first engaged Katie,
three years ago, she came up here
and told you you mustn't hire her
because all of Katie's family were
shiftIess. She marched home quite
muffed because you said you wished
to give the girl chance and train
her in better ways than perhaps she
had been fortunate enough to learn
at home. Moreover, there was
the time she informed you that
Mrs. Swenson gave you short weight
in butter"
what cruel memory you have,
Ben" Miss Belinda laughed. "Why
recall all those little"
'Kindnesses? Just to show you, my
dear. that I'm prepared for whatever
you have to tell me. Well, what's the
row."
when we first came out here this
spring Miss Sarah called and remark
ed that she supposed the war would
change Hilltop.
4 think she said, "that you'll
have to be more economical now at
your table, and not have so everlast-
ing much company
81 replied that l had always tried
to be careful about waste, and that
/ felt we could not curtail our list of
guests very much, for many of them
would have no vacations in the eoun-
try if they didn't come here"
We'll, / suppose you'll have your
flag out every day now she remarked
as she glanced at the Stars and Stri-
pes waving above the trees. ] gently
reminded her that the flag always
flies at Hilltop in good weather when
we are here. / was really pleased
when she asked whether we intended
raising more vegetables this year, be-
cause / felt that / could meet her ex-
pectations and approval by saying
yes.
Il guess you won't be wasting so
much effort on flowers now she said.
| had to acknowledge that hadn't
the fortitude to give UP my flowers,
but that l intended to enlarge the
vegetable garden.
Well she said, Pm real glad of
it, but l don't know what the Govern
ment would think about your spend
ing so much time and fertilizer on
your flowers
81 was a trifle abashed by this per-
haps justified criticism. said l
should devote most of my efforts to
vegetable growing.
Well, I'll help YOU she said, in
a softened tone. I'm a successful
farmer, and can give you a heap of
advice
"You see, 1 never have seemed to
require her advice, but she has kept
her eye on my garden.
But last Thursday I found her on
her knees in my cabbage patch when
/ went into the garden in the early
morning.
No, there amt any worms she
answered as l called an anxious ques-
ton. But you sot 'em SO close to
gether, they'll crowd each other out
of the bed. I never seen cabbage
plants so THICK in all my born days.
I've been thinning 'em for you I'm
pulling up every other one
gu i OOOClb S-APAtNAN~o ~ASDS
", I'm afraid, Ben, but it was just too
exasperating. And then explained
I put them in close, because l in
tended to transplant half of them.
was growing them for my friend, Mrs
Derry, to have in her garden when
she comes out from the city. Indeed
I'm starting nearly all her garden
truck. These cabbages were too big
to leave in the hot-bed any longer.
wish you wouldn't try to help me
quite so much.
"She rose and marched away in
high dudgeon. l didn't care then.
was too grieyed about the destruc
ton of the cherished cabbages, but OF
course, I'm sorry now that l spoke
quite so decidedly"
Especially as it's such long walk
to the May farm" teased Ben. What
did she say when she cut off the milk
supply?"
"She told Katie to tell me that
since didn't need any help, / could