A SEPTEMBER IDYL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1984, 7 May 1885, Page 2

A SEPTEMBER IDYL.

A merchant travelling in Indiana during the hot spell met a good-looking country woman on the train, and, feeling lonesome, began to talk with her. 'This is awful hot weather,' ho said as a starter,

'Yes,' she answered, surveying him critically, 'it's pretty middlin' warm fur September. I s'pose yer don't find it necessary to open the pores uv yer skin with prayer, do yer?' 'Well, scarcely,' replied the stranger slightly abashed. 'May I inquire what effect the heat is having on the:crops?' 'Sartin, stranger. There.ain't™ harm in that.' Then she. turned round and looked at him. A

' Well,' he continued, 'what is the effect?'

' Purty good, considering "Yer see, it hez bin so warm up our crick {lias I hain't lied to do a bit uv cookin' fur a: week. I jis' send John-he's my in the field, and he gits the corn 'already roasted, the punkins baked, and the chicks smothered right on their feet. We made a right smart spec on our icetoo, That's how I'm takin' this trip.' H 'How was that, ma'am?' ' Wy, we set a chunk out on the steps an', would yer believe ? in two hours ev'ry drap uv water wuz dried out uv it, an' there it sot, like a big limp uv alum, and John hesole it for ten cents a pound; and tuk the money fur this spree.' : . : ; 'Ah! most remarkable. Have you noticed that heat affected trade any.?': ' Yes, a good deal, I kerd a neighbour uv mine say as how the grocerman. had told her she'd have to put a label oh her butter so's he could tell it from caster ile, because mistakes wuz liable to happen. and them kind ud ruinate his bizness.' 'By this time the traveller had become better acquainted, and he slipped down off the arm of the seat and sat by her side. She looked at him pretty sharp-, ly, and he put in another question, -j "You country poople, you know, We posted on the signs of the weather, and I'd like to ask if you think it will be any hotter than it is now' 'l'm a-thinkin' it will, stranger.' 'Will it be local or general, do you think?' -J, 'How?' ff, 'Will it bo all over the country-or .just around here!' . 'Most principally 'round here, stranger.' ,Why do you think so' ma'am?, 'Why yer see, stranger,. John, that's my husband, is on the forrard 'k'eer, an' when he comes back here an' finds yer a-settin' plunk up agin me hc'llmost likely make it so hot fur yer that yer'll think the last ten days waz jisfc the beginnin uv the warm spell like'.

The traveller gave the train boy twentyfive conts for a five-cent fan and went back and sat down by the wator-cooler.