Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-04-15

had rather see sitting in Liddy's chair and
wearing Liddy's things than yourself"
"Dear me, Captain Lundy l couldn't
think of ii. Paul's folks expect me to stay
with them while the boarder-season lasts,
and Eve as good as promised Jacobs wife
III spend the winter with her."
Saint that a hard life you are laying out
for yourself? and then bum BY you will get
old or sick ma be, ard who is going to
want you around then? Every woman
needs a husband of her own to take care of
her."
''I'm able to take care OF myself as yet,
thanks to goodness And / am not afraid
my brothers will see me suffer in case of
Sickness" returned Miss Doolittle, her
cheeks flaming up like sumach in October.
but hadn't you better take little time
to think it over? Ma be it came sudden to
you" pleaded Captain Ben.
mo thank you. Some things don't
need thinking over,' answered Miss Doolit
lie, plucking at the barberries more dill
gently than ever.
81 wish Liddy was here She would con-
vince you you are standing in yonr own
light" returned Liddy's widower in per-
picked tone.
81 don't need one to come from the dead
to show me my own mind" retorted Miss
DooliItle, firmly.
"Well, like enough you are right" said
Captain Ben, mildly, putting few stems
of barberries in her pail; ina be 'twould-
MT be besi don't want tc be RASH"
And with that be moved of, on the whole
congratulating h:mselfhe had not decided
to marry Miss Doolittle.
81 thought, after she commenced her mis-
erabe gift Of the CAB, that Liddy used to be
free to admit she had fiery tongue, for all
they we're such friends And Tn all for
peace myself guess, on the whole, ma
be she amt the one for me, perhaps, and it
is as well for me to look further. Why!
what in the world! WE'LL there! what have
| been thinking of? There is Mrs. Daviis
as neat as new cent, and the master hand
to save. She is always taking on; and she
will be glad enough to have somebody to
look out for her, why, sure enough! And
there was right at her house this very day,
AID never once thought Of her! What an
old dunce!
But, fortunately, this not being sin of
commission, it could easily be ret tilted and
directly Captain Ben had turned about and
was trotting again toward the red house on
the beach.
"Pound for pound of the best white su-
gar" he heard Mss Tame Say as he neared
the door.
"White SUGAR. repeated Mrs. Daviis,
her usual sigh drawn out into little groan.
white sugar for cyamberries! Who ever
heard of such thing? I've always con-
sidered l did we'll when had plenty of
brown"
"Poor creetar!" thought Captain Ben
"How she will enjoy getting into my pantry.
Liddv never complained that she didn't
have enough of everything to do ,ciM."
Ard in the full ardor of his intended be-
nevolence, he went right IN and opened the
subject al once. But, to his astonishment,
Mrs Davids refused him. She sighed, but
she refused him.
1--WE seen trouble enough a ready, with
out my rushing into more with my eyes wide
open," sighed she.
"TIouble? Why, that is Just what was
meaning to save you!i exclaimed the be-
wildercd widower. Pump is right in the
house, and stove e'epamost new. And Lid
DIV never knew what it was to want a spoon
ful of sugar or pound of flour. And such
a handy buttery and sink! Liddy used to
say she felt the worst about leaving her but
tery of anything"
"Shoud thought she would answered
Mrs. Davids, forgetting to sigh. "ilowev.
I H. I al bo,, ,l-ar, e.
ter marrying IA but;ery. without the trouble
of getting set up in new place
''Just AS you saw" returned the rejected.
II amt sure as you'd be exactly the one.
uas a thinking Of looking for somebody a
little Younger
"Well, here is Persis Tame. Why don't
you besreok her? Sheis Younger, and she
is in need Of Il good home. | can recon-
mend her. too as the first rate of cook"
remarked Mrs Davids, benevolen,ly.
Miss Tame had been sitting little apart
by the open window, smili g by herself.
But now she turned about at once
"Hm!" said she, with contempt 81 should
rather live under an umbrella tied to a stake.
than marry for a hum.'
So Captain Ben went home without enga-
ging either wife or housekeeper.
And the first thing he saw was Captain
Jacob Doolitle's old one-eyed horse eating
the apples Loizah Mulers had strung and
festooned from nails against the house, to
drv
The next thing he saw was. that. having
left window omen. the hens had flown in
and gone to housekeeping on their own ac'
count. But they were not, like Mrs. Da-
vids, as neat as new cent, and not, also,
such master hands to save.
"Shoo. shoe! Get out. Go long there
with you!' cried Captain Ben, waving the
dish-clo h and poker. IL declare for I!
most hadn't ought 10 have left that bread
out on The table They've made a pretty
mess of it, and il is every spec there is in
the house, too. Well. must make dough
ofpotatoes for supper with bit OF pie and
a mouthfrl of cake"
Accordingly, he went to work building a
fire that wouldn't burn. Then, forgetting
the simple matter of hampers, the potatoes
wouldn't bake. The tea-kellle boiled over,
and cracked the stove, and after that Boiled
dry and cracked itself. Finally. the pot atoes
fell TO baking with SO much ardor they over
did it and burnt up. And, last of all, the
cake-jar aud pie-cupboard proved to be en-
trely empty. Loizah had left on the eve OF
bakin-day.
"The old cat. Well, I'd just as socn live
on slapjacks SPELL" said Captain Ben,
when he made this discovery.
But even slarjacks palled on his palate,
especially when he had them always to cook
for himself
"Tain', no way to live, this ain't,' said
he at last. Pm a good mind to marry as
ever had to eat
So he put on his hat and walked out
The first person he met Was Miss fersis
Tame. who turned her back and fell to pick
ing ,horoug hwort blossoms as he came up,
"Look here" said he, stopping short.
an, dreadfnlly put tot. ca"'t get ne'er
wife nor house keeper. and am e'ena-
most starved to death. | wish you mould
consent to marry with me, ifyou feel as il
You coult bring your mind to il. | am sure
It would have been T.iddys wish"
Miss Tame smelt Of the thoroughwort
blossoms.
.'It comes pretty sudden cn me-" she re-
piled. IL hadn't given the subject any
thought. But you are to be pllied in your
si!uation.'
ayes. And Tn dreadful lonesome. I've
always been used to having Liddy to talk
things over with, and miss her a sight
Aud don't know anybody that has her
wavs ,,ore than you have. You are a good