Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1888 — IN THE COUNTRY. [ARTICLE]

IN THE COUNTRY.

AH Fny Daintree’? friends were shocked to bear that she was not going to any fashionable ijesogt that summer, but was about to bide herself away on a farm. Mrs. Grosvenor vowed she had nevet heard of such an odd girl, mid Julia Lut rell elevated her aristocratic nose and said nothing. Fay went off to the little country town, taking with her a poor little boy and girl whom she htffl become interested in. It was a novelty for the hejress to live on a farm, where she npt, .known; and when old Mrs. Shipman \ initipted hei into the mysteries of the dairy. Her little charges soon grew healthy under the healthy country fare, and Ned’s puny cheeks rounded otit aud Mamie’s cheek took the color of wild rose. _____ While Mrs. Grosvenor was dancing .and llirtiug at Long Branch Fay’ was having a much better time in her quiet way on the farm. Tfi tT'”~ (Tno afternoon a stranger walked tin the quiet country lane.’ he paused und looked with interest at the rustic scene before him. An old farm house, over grown by clustering vines; a great elm tree, and underneath its shade a slender, girlish figure seated upon a wooden stool, “busily engaged iu milking the Alderney ’ cow, who stood meditatively quiet. All this the stranger saw. After hes Bating a moment he went back through the lane, and, opening the front gate, went in. His engaging manners soon won Mrs. Shipmans confidence, aud when she learnt■: that be was a.'young minister on hjs vacation, aud : thut he would like to have'a room under her' roof for a sho t time, she willingly assented. So it was that when Fay came in, bearing in hei white hands the groat pail of foaming milk, she was introduced to Mr. Robert Gleason Time went on and still he lingcrcd»at the old farm house, and whether silting beside worthy Mrs. Shipman iu the little country Church, listening to the eloquent, earnest words which fell from bis lips as he conducted the simple servi.ee, or en joying bis merry, ingenious conversation as they rambled with lhe little brother and sister thiough the daisy starred lields, Fay acknowledged to herself that in all her life she never before met any one like Robert Gleason. . ' Fay bad the advantage of him, too, foi I it was not long before she discovered thal be was the same Mr. Gleason who was-liet friend, Airs. Grosvenor s cousin, land whose praise she. had heard chanted many and many a time. “Notwithstanding he is a. miniser,’ '•lrsrGrosvcnor would say, “lie is the best catch I know of, for he is rich in his owe right and vcrylalcutcd, and bis wife would hold Hie first position anywhere." But Robert thought wh n he -laid Id* heart al Fay's feel that she was truly tin i little country maideu she seemed. k-did-not - late - lieartshad been offered at her shrine tie fore, but not such as this, and so She simply raised her truthful eyes to his, ami answered: "Yes. ' Fay felt some twifiges of conscience when Mrs. Shipman asked her if she had told her betrothed that her name was not Shipman, as he supposed: but she felt loathe to break the charm of the sweet idyT; which had grown up within those bright summer months, and so she de layed telling him the truth. At last the time came when they must go. Fay wanted Neddie aud i enter school when the term bcgaii and Mr. Gleason's duties called upon him im So together they took leave of their kind hostess and started upon their journey. Fay almost wished it were longer, foi she knew that she must now disclose the little deception which she had practiced ' and although it had been entered into inn cmlly, she felt afraid that perhaps ic.r betrothed, with his strict sense of what was right and wrong might not approve. Their journey was almost ovtr and they entered the station to change for lhe last :me They bad hardly seated theniscTvi s :: corner where they could talk Without pseirg overheard wlicu tVlndy siiwTlif ni anti cine rapidly forward with oulslntched ! ■ Why, Cousin Robert! and Fay Dain ■ tree! You two together, of all people in die world a Where uid you drop f rom ?" Sutldeniy n slight frown disfigured Ihe little widow’s smooth forehead, and with a change of tone she said: ■' “1 don’t care much about siecingyouj Robert! The idea of you having life "face JiLwrite to me, wfar hag always taken 3£CTC than a sisters 7ttrtervstTn ybn,7sUth a tetter; to. tell me that you. with your ex ■ c'alioir*. had thrown yourself aw'uy upon — Not minding his cousin s weak anger,' Robert turned to the blushing girl beside him. '■ . - “Fay Qainlree? I Jhougbt Mrs, Shipman introduceiTyou as her niece, and thal your mime was Shipmstn, toe"’ =y Mrs. G«»venor looked from one to the i.iher in ain-.zement. . ph’pnihn—why that is the name of the -girl you wrote me that you were engaged •o. What does tl;h nfcan?" toieins, Sitid Fay.-softlyy y our friend, "Wironryutr tefd ti'u 1 y uyi so dreaded imtting, usyun knew she wasvniy a spoiled heiress are omi and the same.” . . cATter otmiurprlscd lirs, Grosvenor .burst into soft peh! of laughter. "ire too good! 1 efee! The very

[ was going to try and bring about Cousin itol|H rt, let me thank you for fall into nty plans so readily. «• . ’Jr ft- afinppy,merry pa’rfy .that gath?r. d in Mrs. Grosvenor s parlor that evening. ; "I knew you were cut out for each lhe hostess, as she watched the Jove light iu Robert’s eyes when he iunicd tlu m toward Fay. Indeed, bg reconciled himself very 1 speedily to marrying a 'spoiled heiress.’’ .2. J