The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

elf you had noticed that man I might
have borrowed the money and held on
little longer; but when I saw that you
did not turn to look over your shoulder,
or drop the face of your cards, l knew
you had pure hand" A few days
after that, the huncbback invested fifty
dollars, borrowed from Basset, in a
miners outfit, and started for the dig.
gings, where he died in month, help
less pauper.
+ That Blessed Baby's Shirt.
eve we're all preparing" said Mrs.
Jones, "to go to the wedding" I was
going father was going, and we was
going to take the baby. But come to
dress the baby, couldn't find the baby's
shirt I'D lain a clean one in one of
the drawers a purpose /; knowed jist
where I'd put it-but come to look for
it, twas gone.
"For mercys sake, says I, gals. says
/, has any one on ye seen the baby's
shirt?
"Of course, none on 'em had seen it !;
and l looked again, but 'twant no
where to be found. It's the strangest
thing in all natur says L here l had
that shirt in my hand not more n ten
minutes ago, an it's gone no body can
tell where. never see the beat Gals,
says I, do look around. cant ye? But
fretting, wouldn't find it; SO I give up
and went to the bureau and fished up
another shirt, and put it onto the baby ;
and at last we was ready for start.
"Father harnassed up the double
team-we drove the old white mair then
and the gals was all having good
time, going to see Mary Ann married /;
but somehow I couldn't get over that
shirt! 'Twan't the shirt so much, but
to have anything spirited away, right
from under my face and eyes so, that's
provoking.
"What are you thinking about %
says Sophrony, "what makes ye so
sober % says she.
"I'm pestered to death thinking about
that shirt, says l. One of you must Of
took it. I'm sartin, says l.
"Now ma" says Sophrony, says she,
"you needn't say that" says she !; and
as I'd laid it onto her good many times,
she was beginning to get vexed ; and
so we had it back and forth about that
baby's shirt, till we got to the we'd
ding.
"scaing company kinder put it oul
of my mind, and l was getting good
naturod agin; though l couldn't helE
, saying to myself every few minutes
, what could become of that baby's
shirt till at last they stood up to bt
married, and ] forgot about it. Mar,
| Ann was real modest creeter, and wa
more'n half frightened to death whel
r she came into the room with Steven
5 and the minister told 'eln to join hands
She gave her left hand to Stephen.
5 "Your other hand" says the minister
: says he; and poor Steve, he was 81
: bashful, too he didn't know what he wa
about; he thought twas his mistake
and that the minister meant him, so h
gave Mary Ann his left hand. Tha
wouldn't do, any way, a left handet
marriage all round; but by this tim
they didn't know what they were about
and Mary Ann jined her right han'
with her left hand, and then the LEI
hand with his right, then both thei
left hands again; till it was all of
iget, and thought they never would ge
: fixed. Mary Ann looked red as tur
y sy, and to make matters worse, she be
gan to cough to turn it off, suppose
and called for drink of water. Th
: minister had just been drinking and tn
: tumbler stood right thele, and as wa
so nervous, and in such a hurry to Sc
IS it all over with, ketched up the tuu
bier, and ran with it to her; for
J thought to goodness she was going
y faint. She undertook to drink don
s know how it happened, but the tumble
le slipped, and gracious me if between
IS both if we didn't spill the water all ovt
her collar and sleeve. was dre'f'
T. hustered for it looked as if was my fau
e. and the fust thing did was to out wit
~ my handkerchief, and to give it to Mar
AZ Ann. 1t was nicely done up; she toe
y it and shook it out the folks had he
n in purity we'll up to that time, but The
y such giggle and laugh as there wa
y l didn't know what had given them sue
y start, till / looked and see Id give
III Marry Ann that baby's shirt.
IS Here Mrs. Jones who is a very flest
IN woman, undulated and shook like
g huge jelly, with her mirth; and it W
w some time before she could proceed wi
y her narrative.
y why" said she, with tears of laug
- ter running down her checks, Il tue
Ae ed it into my dress pocket for my han
81 kerchicf. That came Of being abse
p minded in fget.
ne "And Mary Ann and Stepheu--we
= they married after all ?"
OF Dear me, yes - said Mrs. Jone
M, "and it turned out to be the create
OF wedding l ever tended"
ch .'And the baby's shirt, Mrs. Jones
80 LA me p' said Mrs. Jones, "h,
IS, young folks do ask questions. Eve
no body agreed l ought to make Mary A
"s a present of it
"Well, Mrs. Jones ?"
cA "Well," said Mrs. Jones, "twas
on long fore she found use fort. A
ns .a that's the end of my story"
W. W.. H a Grim. con. case of an unus
M ~ character came up before the Supre