The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-04-08
Mistellaneous.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine.
THE CRUISE OF THE TWO DEACoNs.
TALE IN EIGHT CHAPTERS.
CHAPTER ".

That house belonged TO the other Deacon.
The commentator was the other Deacon's wife.
Unlike Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Townsend sat in the
'keepin' room through the afternoon, with an
evident sense upon her of having slicked up cv-
cry thing right after breakfast, and Of perfect
confidence in the power other red headed help
10 carry on the double operation OF pies and
ironing without any intervention OF her own.
Unlike Mrs. Allen, too, in respect to looks, es-
pecially : for whereas that excellent woman
was blue eyed one, with a face that must have
once been quite pretty though prosaic book,
and still showed little of its old gilt-elgc when
she smiled, though the leaves thereof had been
much thumbed by time, and the spirit OF 'wor-
rying to keep men folks kinder decent had
rumpled il about the margin, Mrs. Townsend
was a lady with untroubled eyes OF light,
cool gray and at the most juvenile period OF
her cOurtship must have retained the Deacon's
heart rather by the marked force OF her char.
actcr than any eyanescent prettinoss. This at-
ternoon, in the 'keepin'- ROOM she sat with
great cleanliness and self-possession upon y
Boston rocker, whose vibratory capability she
made no use of, and with snowy muslin cap
strained tight over her smooth gray hair, Knit
around blue stocking OF the Deacon's after
such self.sustained. gliding manner that 1t
would have required an acute observer to say
when she changed needles.
Doing some little piece Of pretty woman 8
work-a collar for meetin' or something SINH
lar, which answers to the refinement OF crotch
citing tides in the more refined circles beyond
Muskeogue-clOse BY the Deacon's wife, ut the
same spOtless window curtain, sat the Deacon s
daughter. And his daughter she certainly was
much rather than her mothers For her eyes
were hazel that might easily have made believe
black in the shade ; her nose had the least little
saucy peak to ii at the extreme end~ and her
hair waved, or, as she said, crinkled, in sort
of indecisiOn whether il wouldn't be best to
make tight curls of itself. all adown that white,
broad forehead and those plump, smooth,
healthy tinted cheeks of hers. All of which
belonged in measure to Dea.
con Townsend's eyes, nose, and grirzled locks,
not Mt all to Mrs Townsend's, whose effect was
Roman but for the cool gray of the iris. y
rosy, good humored, varying mouth, white
teeth, and certain prophecy OF dOuble-chin,
finished very attractive face for Becky Town
send and her form, 1.-the, ful-curyed, and ex'
pressiye in all its motions of fresh power, by
nature, had been left so By fashion, who sailed
past the barbiric MuskeoSue
with her cargo of stays and laces to break bulk
for the first time at New York.
Let us listen this afternoon rs mother and
daughter sit talking over their easy work by
the breezy window Of the keeping-room.
IL give you my advice, Rebecca; a mother
can't do more'n that when her daughter has
grown up 10 years Of discretion. II would be
very silly in me to talk about commanding
YOU; s'pose could say the words, but then
couldn', give YOU my experience to act on EN-.
Young people always look very different Mt
marrying from what they do when they grow
older aud has the care of family. You had
Jest as lief settle down here in Musseosue for
-. 4 1aN a,I II atI NJ
aud f.le out like an old bandanner handker-
chief. if you only thought you was doing II Tor
somebody YOU called yourself IN love with. =
That's TO say. you'd as lief start out to do 1t,
but when il came to-the shaving, and the wor-
ryinC, and the fading out, you'd find you
weren't quite 80 willin' after all. Aud then il
would be too late to talk OF backing out
But. mother, you hev been dom jest that
same thing. You married in Muskeogue;
you've settled down here; you've been dom
lest what you call woi yiu' and slayin', though
you're l.ng way from the iadin' out I'm
glad to say
4 know did, Rebecca; know l married
into Muskeogue. Before forget It, wish
YOU wouldn't say her,' 'haye' Is the good
grammar of il. and with all the pains I've taken
for your edication il does seem as IL you might
talk little different from them Yankees. did
marry into Muskeogue; but lived up Brook
lyn way then, aud Muskeogue was jest as like.
Ia 10 be fne city then as Brooklyn. Your
father was good, smart young fellow, that
hail learned the carpenters trade boat car
pcn,er, that is, which is great deal better
than house business. because there haint so
many that knows il. Aud as was young
though must say was great way from hav-
inc sich an easy turned head rs you've got
AMI I saw he was man OF character, besides
heinz a professor and very stiddy, so says to
myself, can't do better any way. And took
him.
'But didn't you lore him, mOtherr
Love him! OF course loved him. There
was two beaux that | gave up for him and
don't know what they wouldn't have done 10
have me. But saw he was stidiy, rs said
and they didn't look rs il they either Of 'em
ever would settle. One Of 'em was Josh Per-
kins, since turned out poor ragamuIiin, that
kept a little tin-shop down on Atlantic street
and drank up all he made, till his wife aud six
children had to come on the town. The Others
Jim Ferguson: he's gone oil and been apreach-
err out West somewhere, where they have enough
funerals 10 keep him busy all the time, the fever
i 50 bad, and no weddings to speak OF, because
they pay 1 s'pose-and he never was iorcor-
dained To have any luck but they were both
mighty likely fellows those times. SO mar
ricl the Deacon. not that he was the Deacon
then, aud came down TO live in Muskeogne.
OF course l loved him There wasn't a more
well-to 10 young fellow in all the village OF
Brooklyn ut that time than your father. And
if Muskeogue hal grown TO be city. aud boat
building had been n stiddy business there, an
YOUR father could ha' stuck to Il, and had put
his little capital into shop aud stock, and kept
a going on, why there's no end TO the money
he'd have had now . Loved him! OF course
loved him. But IL wasn't baby love, that shets
lis eyes and puts its hand into mans that's
as blind and dizzy-headed as you are. aud lets
him lead you where he's the mind. or the luck
rather. H...U. r. DO,
Beeky. though not sentimental girl. but
one who ate her regular three meals day. and
slspt As soundly as anybody in Muskeogue,
leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as
IN she thought that silly attitude not quite ms
melancholy a one as her experienced mother
n,inted IL. providing the hand were also In the
con6iinr position described. And then, as II
she had been caught acting her thoughts aloud
by those cool gray eyes. which she and the pea-
con fnIly believed 10 be capable OF realing their
innost secrets, she straightened hcrselfup again
With n half. Jerk aud began sewing away as II
her reputation as n practical young woman for
ali her mortal life depended ON IL. uin
NOW you're young yet. and you can make
yourself' or YOU can spite yourself, the cloth s
all ready TO be cut right before you. But rs
You cut, so you must sew. There's no pattern
ing out q meal-bag in this world, and then,
bymby, when you find you don't want the meal
bag. making a rufled night-gown OF 1t. I've
got views for you---and there's no reason Why
they maynt be carried out. II you'll only feel
you're young and need to be led ngEI
Becky stopped herself in the act OF mentally