The gates ajar. By Elizabeth Stuart Phelps.

178 The Gates Ajar.
garden bench beside her. After a singular
variety of efforts to take the most uncomfortable position of which he was capable, he succeeded to his satisfaction, and, growing then
somewhat more at his ease, answered her
question.
"Flowers are sech gassy things. They just
blow out and that's the end of'em. I like
machine-shops best."
"Ah! well, that is a very useful liking. Do
you ever invent machinery yourself "
"Sometimes," said Abinadab, with a bashful
smile. "There's a little improvement of mine
for carpet-sweepers up before the patent-office
now. Don't know whether they'll run it
through. Some of the chaps I saw in Boston
told me they thought they would do't in time;
it takes an awful sight of time. I'm alwers
fussing over something of the kind; alwers
did, sence I was a baby; had my little windmills and carts and things; used to sell'em to
the other young uns. Father don't like it.
-He wants me to stick to the farm. I don't
like farming. I feel like a fish out of water.
- Mrs. Forceythe, marm!"
He turned on her with an abrupt change of
tone, so funny that she could with difficulty
retain her gravity.