Year: 1872

The thrashers had come, and the oats were
in tho machine, and the old brown horse was
walking patiently on the tread mill, singing
the song to himself the while no doubt, that
''such a getting up stairs, he never did see"
And the day, that had been so lowering and
cloudy early in the morning, was now full of
glorious warmth and sunlight; and it was
nearly time for the dinner of the thrashers.
and the other farm hands. And pretty Susy
Lee, the farmers only daughter, was sitting
about the cool dining room, in a blue gineham
dress and white bib apron, decorated with a
quantity of killing little frills, giving the last
touches to the table, and placing boquet of
autumn flowers just opposite the place where
George" was to sit.


Yes, she had placed the flowers there and
given him the brightest knife and fork, and
taken care that the apple pie should be hot as
he liked 1t, and tho cheese both new and
fresh; and yet all the time, the little coouette
had made up her mind to treat him worse than
Hottentot, when he came in from thrashing
oats, to share the tempting dinner which she
had taken so much pains to prepare. For a
week past she had not spoken to her George
although they had been engaged, for nearly a
year, and were to be married at Christmas
provided she got quite over her fit of dignity
by that time. She had not spoken to him
and did not mean to speak to him that day.
even though he was working for her father.
And all because he had taken leave to tell her
that her manner savored a little too much of
coquetry toward the new schoolmaster, who
had such large dark eyes, and who sung so
beautiful in the church choir. Miss Susy was
a bit of tlirt, and no one knew it better than
herself But to have George find fault with
her on that score, or any other George who
l,,&,, liz


feet, as well as the prettest of all created
women-that was little more than she could
bear :! And she bowed her little fair head as
the thrashers came trooping into dinner. and
never seemed to see George among them, al
though he made the most heart>rending and
d'stracting efforts to catch her eye.


So the dinner did the poor lad yerv little
good, nice asst was; and Susy watching him,
without seeming to do so, as only woman
can, discovered that he ate nothing, and sat
there looking miserable, while all the rest were
laughing and talking about him. Did she
pity him on account of this? About as much
as cat pities the mouse she holds between
her paws, and means to eat by and by. No,
it was "good enough for George" said the
naughty little beauty to herself, with another
toss of her head. And presently George was
gone.


Master Harry Lee, Susy's youngest brother,
had watched his sisters proceedings that day
with an unfavorable eye. He liked George,
who was always kind to him, he was Just at
that age when boys think it nonsense for
man to care two.pins about what girl NAV
think or say. Seeing George leave the table
in dispair, Master Harry bethought himself
of plan for revenge, and slipped away quietly
in his turn. He followed George down to the
river bank, and saw him mount a tree for a
comfortable smoke, as he was often in the
habit of doing at home. George left his coat
and hat on the river bank beneath the tree.
And in ten minutes time Master Harry burst
into the house, skrieking and sobbing, and
catching hold of Susy's white apron, buried
his face in it, frills and all.


George George!' !' he screamed "His
coat and hat are down at the river, and you
can'tse him anywhere And Susy has been
SO cross to him all the week, that he couldn't
bear it any longer ~


Poor Susy! The memory of the last sad
reproachful look from George as he left that
room was too much She turned deathly
pale, and fell to the floor like corpse And
Master Harry began to think that he was to
had bargained for.


When Susy opened her eyes again, she was
living on the sofa, and the room was clear
Only her mother bent over her, and beside
her stood George-George, alive and we'll


She flung herself upon his breast aud clung
there silently. Never again did she pain or
wound him. And Master Harry made him
self i'll with eating wedding cake in their
honor on the very next Christmas day.