"You teach Bubble Chirk!" he said. "Why, what would your fine friends
say to that, Miss Huldy? Bubble ain't nothin' but a common farm-boy, if
he _is_ bright; an' I ain't denyin' that he is."
"I don't know what they would say," said Hildegarde, blushing hotly,
"and I don't care, either! I know what mamma would do in my place; and
so do you, Farmer Hartley!" she added, with a little touch of
indignation.
"Waal, I reckon I do!" said Farmer Hartley. "And I know who looks like
her mother, this minute, though I never thought she would. Yes!" he
said, more seriously, "you shall teach Bubble Chirk, my gal; and it's my
belief 'twill bring you a blessin' as well as him. Ye are yer mother's
darter, after all. Shall I give ye a swing now, before I go; or are ye
too big to swing!"
"I--don't--know!" said Hildegarde, eying the swing wistfully. "Am I too
big, I wonder?"
"Yer ma warn't, when she was here three weeks ago!" said the farmer. "She
just sot heer and took a good solid swing, for the sake of old times,
she said."
"Then I will take one for the sake of new times!" cried Hilda, running
to the swing and seating herself on its broad, roomy seat. "For the sake
of this new time, which I know is going to be a happy one, give me three
_good_ pushes, please, Farmer Hartley, and then I can take care of
myself."
One! two! three! up goes Queen Hildegarde, up and up, among the dusty,
cobwebby sunbeams, which settle like a crown upon her fair head.
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