Sadie Dayre

It was a golden day in oarly September, and the doors and windows of the Widow Dayrc's old fashioncd house stood opento admit the soft, bahny air, fragrant with the old fashioned flowers in the quaint badfl of the front yard. Great lilacs shook their round, glossy leaves in the afternoon sunshine, an( the tall rows of quince bushes were laden with the riponing fruit. In the largo oool, dinmg room, Mrg. Dayre aud her younecst daughter.Sadic, were busy shining the golden pippins, reatly for drying. A young man eume up the ghady pleasant path, and standing in the doorwav, bowed low to Sadie, craving the privilege of resting for awhile williii their pleasant room. Said he: "I am Mr. Derby, of tlio grcat house of Derby & Brothers, of New York City You have doubtless heard of them?" "Yes,'' Sadie said, "1 have heard." Who had not? Then sittingdown, he discoursed ver pleasantly and piquantly of the man; interesting adventures he had met witi in his travcls. Saidhe: "My feet are blistercd from walking this afternoon. I never walked acarea ly any before in my life. I have alway been at school or college. Last spring my brothers, who have alvvays pettci me so mueh, fancied 1 was not looking so well, and advised a tour to Europe But I dosired travelling in our frontier settlements. "So I startedforth with iuy own car riage and driver, and I have dearly en joyed ruyself, nntil to-day, when ou earriage was broken in crossing a new pioce of road back here. The drive wishing to get the earriage to a shoj for repairs, I vainly tried to return to our hotel; but I do assure you I am completely exhausted." And he looked up at Sadie so carnest ly for sympathy, that that tender heart ed damsel really from her heart pitiei hini. Turning to the table within the room he saw one of the circulara of the Cos mopolitan Association lying there, an( taking it up, he said: "So you have one of our circulara?' "Yes,"' replied Sadie. "üurmeruhan gave it to me." "Would you not like to become a member of our society." Sadie thought sho would. "See, here is onr Art Journal. I wil send it to you for a year. Let me niake you a member of the society Perhaps vou would draw sonie beauüful piece o statuarv. Even the (ïreek Slave, for in stance." Sache blnshed. How picasant it was to converse vfilh this handsome, darle eyp.d strargér! "How nice it would be to have a paring beef 1 have real of sueh things in books and papers. Do you thjnk your mamma wonlil allow you lo nave one, so th at I could altend?"1 Again lier dark eyes we re bent upon her, and she could not refuse. "What lovely apples! We never see such as these in New York. Oh, Mrs. Dayre would you be be so kind as to sell me a carlead of tliem to send to my brothers" Mrs. Dayre was weli pleased to sell her apples, and she told himsheshonld only be too glad to. Then Mr. Derby was lookiüg at the pretty home made carpet which covered the diningroom floor. and he said: "How of ten I have read of all these things. and dreamed of the quietness and bliss oí a rural life! There, seduded from tbc! great world, and far awa' from all itfl sin, with the lovely being whom I should deliglit to own as my wife, how happy ana blessed 1 staoula be!" Again he turned his dark eyes lanfuisnly npon Sadie, whose hert was uttering, the color coming and going in her cheeks, vs she tüonght: "Perhaps he cares for nu;." She had rcad Oi such things -how inch roung men had gone out away trom the city lo woo and win country maidens. "Would she ever be Mre. Derby, aml ride in her own carriage. live on Fifth avenue m a brownstone front, andwear diamonds and satins?" Mrs. Dayre, who was clated at thl prospect of selling hor apples at high priees, now commenced bustling abouL at getting suppcr, and Mr Derby said : "I guess I will go out where tbe men are plowing for wheat. I like te sec nature in all her varied aspects." And bowing low to the pretty Sadie, he went out. Sadie watched him as ho went through the great orchard - saw him as he stood talking with the men. There was the hiredman- faitliful, patiënt Rob. How tall and strong lic looked besidc this genteel Mr. ]Jerby! How long ho Had loved her, striving in eveiy way to niakc life sweet and beautiful for her! How truc and noble lie was! How lic liad always striven to help lier, and cavry her, as it were, over all the rough places! And how she had tossed her pretty hcad at him, and poutcd her ruby lips, and made him ten times more her slavo than ever! Thcn she wondured what they could get for snpper that would be good enougli forsuch a grand, exalted bing as Mr. Derby. Mrs. Dayre bustled about, making cream biscuits. While Sadie dreamily brought a golden roll of butterfrom tho milk house, and went down the oeCtf for a dish of amber jelly and canned strawberries. Then Mrs. J)ayre sounded the old tin horn, while Sadie laid the napkins of snowy whiteness and put on the delicate linishings. ïhenTiob, and her brothcr Har!ey came in. "Where is that young fcllow Derby, that went out to see yon a spcll ago?" inquired Mrs. Dayre. "Oh, your nephew, yon mean? Why, ho told me his name was Mardon, and that he came from Iowa. Said he had a lot of goods down at the depot, and had nothing but a large cheque on the bank, and that the cashier said they had not monev enousrh without sencling ofl to the City to cash it," and Rob, looked wonderingly up. "Land sakes! He is a perfect camp!" cried Mrs. Dayre, in her vratli. "lle's fooled me aboul my pples. He never intonded to take Ihem at all." "Well, I did not quite finish," said iob, with a long drawn brcath. "I et hiiu have twenty dollars to accomnodale him. I never dreaniod hc was rying to fooi me. I could see yon all lic while he was talking, and I thought to accommodateyour nephew." "I ani awfu] sorry.Rob. My nephew's ïamc is not Mardon, but Munger, and vvlien hecoiues he will nol, want to botrow any money from yon. Some way that scoundrel has found out that I was expecting a nephew and so took that way to cneat. In here, lie said ho was Derby, from New York. And you Just oueht to have secn the oyes he tried to ruake at Sadie. I couldn't hcar all hc sid. but he is just a perfect cheat and luimbug, Iknow!" Rob looked over at Sadie, who was slruggling to look composed. After work wat ended, he asked her to take a walk with liini. Slie went, and as theysáuntered along under the light of the new moon, he asked her if ho had not waitcd long enougli to have an an.s.ver. Satlie began to realizo soniethiug "f the worth of a (rué, noble heart. The ileceitf ulness and foppery of the wouldbo Derby had ne:irly cured her, and shc looked up to say: "Well, Rob, ï do lhink l've bothored you long enough. I'm sorry you lost your money, and 1 ani disgustod with - with that fellow! I think it has shown me more of your real worth than anything else." She had spoken out now truthfully and womanty, as he could neverget her to before. "Then, Sadie darling, if losinsr that money has at last caused you to speak, I'm glad 1 lost it. I'd soonor lose another twenty along with it than have you back again where you was beore. New, Sadie, kiss me; and teil me yoi loveme, darling." But I shal not teil you whether shc did or not. Uut I do know that ho look ed the happiest man alive, nexl norning and before the firet snow feil they wort, housekceping in their own eosy httli cottage. Rob. says to this day, that tvent dollars was the best investment he cvei made, for it gaye hini a gümpse a Sadie's heart. Tliej' nquircd at the hotel wheix Derby was boarding, but were informei that he ran away, leaving liis board bil unpaid. Afterward, they found out that he was the drunken son of a worthles dentist, living near the Erie Canal. Sadie nevcr told Rob how near he Jioad carne to leing turned with hi flattery. Yet ho was satislied with the love of bid pure, sweet young wife ani was content. Girls, just let me whisper a worl in in your ears: The true, honèst love o a plain, good man, of whoni you know - ono who is steady and industrious - is better than all the line sayings of malo flirt, or the languishing eyes ani simple nothings they have to lavish up on you. This story is a simple, true story o country lifo. All the characters are from real life. Only the names are changed, as the parties are still living near the home of the writer.