The Portland daily press., 1867-11-30
selected story.
Accepting the Situation

basket by the Stove.
9If l ever saw the beat~ said she.
Miss Silence Dumme looked up from the
little canary colored frock she was embroider-
ing. raising her black eyebrows like the Top of
an interrogation mark, which was a good deal
for her to do. So, without waiting for any
more positive expression of interest, MIS-
Fascett went on: t4ss
"While was out spreading that last oa.c ,l
OF berries to dry heard the sound OF no' 80
hoois coming over the covered u,luo Ao %nn
says to myself says l, ~ Jtst f.bare arc anv
to the cucumber vines ana see II Lneie aie any
cucumhers biq enough to pickle Il kneso there
yyasn,t we'll as wanted to, for John picked
them last night. and John is always pretty
tborouoll about what he sets out to do). But
I vent and stood there fumbling among the
vines lust in time to see such sight as was
never seen in Meadows BEFORE" IlatFE
Possibly Miss Dummies curiosity was not
very lively, for Mrs. Fascett was always seeing
wonderful and unprecedented sights, bat the
interrogation mark ON her face heightened
and deepened sensbly; and Mrs Fascett rub
bling her noseup and down as though it was
pump-handle, went on:
just as sure as you sit in that chair, Miss
Dummie, it was Isabel Hubbylthorne riding
with Mr.. Hamilton, and not three months
since Mrs. Hamilton was around as well as
any of us are to-day! No, it isn't three
Ahohtho. IL ID SCdttciy WV 1AAOhtuo oiuSC
she was buried. know you can't never tell
where to find these men-persons; but i
wouldn't have thought Isabel HubbyIthorne
would do such thing, if it was only for the
speech of people. did think she was a girl
Of more propriety and good taste. Now, did
MT you, Miss Silence ?" = a.tsrl seE
Miss Silence Dummie was something like a
funnel-exceilent to pour into, but quite un-
satisfactory to dip from; she listened patient
ly to whatever one was pleased to tell her,
and then that was the end of the converse
ton. $50 now, her object In life, apparent.
iy being how not tor say it, she repiied. g II.
abel Hubbythorne and Calvin Hamilton (! i
want to knoww And then she took q fresh
piece OF braid and began embroidering it up
ON the gay merino for the little Faseetts, who
We're cooking mud-cakes in sand-Oyen be
hind the house, as complacently as though
there was nothing more which could be said
''Well, WE'LL but this isn't making my pies
is itp" exclaimed Mrs. Fascett lifting herself
up by bracing her hands against the basket.
handles, and going into the buttery, rolling
up her sleeves as size went On the way she
stopped to look at the long trail of black
grape-yines Miss Dummie had already left be-
hind her busy fingers ON the yellow cloth
That will smarter up the little tykes. / dc
like to see them look spry,n said Mrs. Fascett
who had an eye for color. 80 ~
She had palate as we'll as an eve, so she
mixed her pie-crust, and brought pans of Gin
namon rolls and sugar gingerbread into being,
talking away meantime as though her tongue
was the motive power her bands depended
on; and Miss Silence stitched and stitched
like an improved Wheeler and Wilson THAT,
is, perfectly noiseless one;) while Miss
Isabel Hubbyithorne, in quite another part oil
the village, sat on the foot of her sisters bed
and worried. & @to''4 st 4l's 'a-
Now, you needn't laughh at me, Clara
can take ajoke as well as apy bodv as !
general thing, but in such case as this If i
different; it seems sacrilegious, Calvin is a
clear-headed man, and he ought to have
known better than to ask me to ride; but
what could do? He knows I am not well,
and am particularly fond Of riding, and was
always in the habit of going with him and
Julia. And, suppose, he can't see why he
shouldn't treat me the same as ever. But he
has no more idea of any thing serious than
anunwe aued baby, and wouldn't give occa-
sion for sighting remark on any consider
alton. | am actually distressed for what can
l do if he asks me again? How can refuse
without wounding his feelings2 I've great
mind to tell him candidly I do not think it
is proper; but do you suppose I could get up
the courage? 1t would reflect so on his dis
cernment. Itwould be a delicate matter.
Now, don't laugh at me, or am afraid shall
take dislike to the man, and that would be a
pity, for heis person value as friend
shan't like it il you make fun of me, say.
Now, stop it!D 5sJt ,il.- 7 !
Il am not laughing at you, Isabel. Look
behind you" replied Clara t55i.i,.s.. sst... 4
So Isabel looked, and saw the stout figure
OF her brother.in-law, Clara's husband. who
supposed he had a right to go wherever Clara
went, standing in the door listening to Isabeps
perplexity with his great mans ears and his
small mans sympathies. ~
Why, bless youw he cried, in his rough man
fashion, II know what you'd either one of
you o-demurely get into the wagon. /
know you woman folks as well as though /
had made you" s'AaA so 81
Great, complacent, foolish mani Isabel
asdnt get into the wagon the next time Cal
vim Hamilton asked her, though the wagon
was an elegant carriage, and the horse was
-span. No, she was so insensible that she
never budged an inch, and SO unerateful that
she SAID she'd rather not. There's selfdenial
Tor you! She refused also to take the place.
OF his dead Julia, although he begged her
with tears in his honest blue eyes.
And SO he married the Widow CLANCY, and
dropped out of our story ~ -
But before six months was over Mrs. Fas-
cett had seen another sight. !:
"Fascett," said she to her husband, "what
do you think saw down in the south spring
pasture? f'"s
Mrs. Fascetts husband was mar, very
tall OF his age, and very thin of his heipflf.
with face about as animated and ftlllot ex-i
preston as slice of boiled pork, and eyes like
piece OF lightrblue glass; a 8 Ell
Il don't Know said he He usually din mt
know ;but then his wife could always tell him :,
and so it did not make much difference.
'Fascett, as sure as you are sitting iu that
n al 10
form of adjuration), with these two ewes +
saw James Hamilton sitting on a maple loo
swinging Ills legs and chewing shaving. and
Isabel Hubby lthone Sitting on the other end
OF the self-same log"
did you hear what they were talking on ?v
asked Mrs. Fascetts husband, bis ewes TRYING
to sparkle, and looking as animated as heads
in the sunlight.
'0fcourse not! Do you think would de-
mean myself to be around barking, Fascett ?'
returned his wife, virtuously. "There wasn't
any need OF it this time, to be sure, for James
showed in the very crook of his elbow inst
what he was saying, and Isabel she Showed
she was saying No to it, 1t stood out all
around them both as plain to see as fog over
a brook
"Sho" replied Mrs Fascett's husband.
And 'shoY it was. GEs <
Il have never suspected you could have
such an idea, Jamie. L have often said your
family came next to my cousins-and with me
my cousins come next to my brothers and
sisters-but have neve- thought of your he
ing any nearer I am so sorry,Y. said Isabel
from her end of the log. sbtRfGtk
"Then take little time to think Don't
answer me now" pleaded Jamie, eagerly.
"Iime would make no difference with nv
answer. Ishall always say the same" REPLIED
Isabel, decidedly.
And simple Jamie took her at her word. TO-
nofant that patient continuance will worry
girls out OF twenty into any sort of
allance or misalliance, and 1 dare say the
Gus enough.
SO they left the log, and went their ways.
farther and farther from each-other. Jamie
sighed few days and nights like pine-tree
on a hlll-a cheerful sound at all times, and
one suited to make acknowledgements per-
son titN~to jump into the well. He really
thought the sky had fallen, but it proved to be
only rose-leaf; and after a while the stars
began to twinkle again just as much like dia-
monds as ever
BY that time, though, it was full year, and
from Oregon.
And what did Horatio do, but straight
way toilows,in the footprints OF his brothers.
Il guess" said Mrs. Fascett, whether or no
Isabel Hnbbyltholne and Moratio Hamilton
wont make match of it. Horatio is pretty
vide awake, but don't reckon that will hurt
MN any iol Isabel, and guess that will be
uaa'ch, 10 my certain knowledge they have
I'm 1 l together. l happened as good luck
ton " d Ease II, To- be picking fiandelion green's
lUa f,aseett, he's great on dandelion
sreens-and hearing voices, makes it, in INV
way 10 go 10 the brow of the hill whore I
could oVerlook the road; when 10 and behold