COUNTRY COURTSHIP.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11818, 16 November 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

COUNTRY COURTSHIP.

He came in the early twilight. When he. knocked she opened the door and pretended to be surprised at seeing him. , ♦Be it you, Jim ?' Jim admitted ♦ it ' by a curt * yos,' and followed her into the parlor. 3* sat down on a chair without leaning back, placed his .hat in his lap, and clasped bis hands over his knees. Bhe sat on the far side with her hands lying idly one in the other. After a lapse of fourteen minutes he opened the conversation : 'Folks well?' • All 'cept pap ; he's down with roomytiz. Another long and ominous silence — perhaps twenty minutes. ' Goin' to begin harvestin' tomorrer ?' he asked.. 1 Dew tell ! Mu3t hey airly crop*,' from her. Then the clopk had the floor for another seventeen minutes. ' Hoss is sick,' she said. •Waal, I'll be durn. Which un? he exclaimed. • Bay mare.' ' Ep'zooticks ?' ' • Epizooticks.' After this outburst nothing wai said for thirty minutes. 1 Goin' to th« singin' skule Saturday night V queried Jim. • Nobody axt me,' she said. . • I axes ye,' said Jim. ' I'll go/ said she. Twenty five minutes elapsed. ' Ole Boss had a k&ff, 1 said Jim, brightening. .._, ' Law me,' she said. ,

Tweuty iniaates passed. Then Jim unlocked his hands, put on his bat, and stood up. ' Goin' ?' she asked. ' Goin I ,' he sai.l, and walked down on the porch. She followed him to the door, and they both stood thus* in silence for ten minutes. ' Mast be after 8/ be said. ' Must be,' she said. ' ' Good night, Mandy,' he said. ' Good night Jim,' she said, and shut the door as he walked oat of theyard. And yet this is the twentieth con- ' tury .