Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-10-28
STRATAGEM IN LOVE.

Mrs. WooDCocK sat in the middle of the
room, with her feet on the rrlng of her
chair and her fingers in her ears.
like to hear thunder we'll enough /
don't know but what l do. | am not
afraid of that. But be some scarf of the
lightning, said she, starting as the
heavens blazed over with sheet of flame
in instant glory, with a crash and roar
that found its way through her fat fingers
and through two wads of pink cotton,
bursting on her ear like the trump of doom.
Mercy on me! shrieked Mrs. Wood
cock, "that struck. Now you may rely
upon it, as true as you are living creature,
that struck"
Mr.. Spofford's old'sorrel horse, the only
living creature in sight, made no reply, but
kept on nibbling away at the white clover
on the green before the door He only
turned his back to the driving rain, that
flew from -west-to east so fast and so heavy
that it was more like bank of fog than
moving drops of water; and gave pass
ing shiver when the rainfall changed to
hail, and ratified down in stones as large as
birds eggs.
But Mrs -Woodcock was above the blind
trust of the beast; so, pale and trembling,
she pressed her hands tighter over her
darkest corner of the room as steadfasty
as if she were sitting for her photograph.
The thunder growled itself to sleep at
last, the lightning flashed itself away, and
the sun broke out like sudden smile on a
baby's face. Still the unconscious Mrs
Woodcock held on to her ears and gaZed
at the spiders web until the door was flung
open, and the chore.boy shuffied in. He
was hempen-haired, buttermilk- eyed lad
of fifteen, who was either half-witted or
f-crazed-probably both.
Hol Aunt Prissyjp he cried, 'swbat are
you keeping Independence for the day af-
ter the Fourth? 1t has all come off clear
as new cider and you are wasting your
time sitting there like q statute. You bet
ter be mending my pantaloons."
AS he spoke a sudden sunbeam darted
through the western window, and flashed
athwart the corner.
''If there isn't a cohweb right in my
kitchenl" quoth Mrs. Woodcock, deliber-
ately putting down her fingers and her
feet and going for wing-a gray goose
wing that hung by a strip of red calico on
a nail behind the door.
"Oh! You come, Orson? Where did it
striker" she continued, appearing to dis
cover the griming boy.
ly on DR.. Seacrest's grapeyines. l haven't
heard as the thunder struck at all, not even
on some folks ears" returned Orson, who
was mainly composed Of a pair of over
grown bare feet, blue cotton frock and
overalls, a set of broad white teeth,
and weather beaten hat with wide SLOUGH
ing brlm. >. . =. ~,
grapevines are hurt essentially, do you?"
queried Mrs. Woodcock, deaf to the imper-
thence as she had been to the thunder.
Don't know nothing about no essen.
ces," replied Orson, who was fond of long
words, but not clear as to their use. But
can tell you one thing, though. You
ought just to see the Doctors new grape
winery he sets so much by. The tendons
and young grapes are fairly chewed to bits
Yes, m. / don't expect five hundred dol
lars in gold would put it back to where it
was an hour ago
"How you talk, gasped Mrs Woodcock,
who liked to have things happen, and the
worse they happened the better she liked
it. She was kind-hearted soul, but some
thing. to talk over was worth as much as
her dinner.
"But is it SO ?" she continued, doubtful
ly. "Really and truly, Orson? Now speak
the truth Just exactly as ii is"
Orson had as mulch idea of the truth as
he had Of geology. H
"Yes'm," said he, getting bolder. "The
doctor said to me- Orson Larely,' said he,
Il wouldn't have this Management done to
my vintonage not If you had offered me
a five hundred dollar bill right in my hand.
And then he looked as sober as anything,
and walked straight into the house saw
Mrs. Seacrest through the oriole window,
and she was crying like fury. You ought
to take look at II yourself, Aunt Prissy,
if you don't believe me-" he concluded, in
an aggrieved tone.
Mrs. Woodcock did not believe him en-
tirely, to be sure, but yet there might be
something worth seeing so, after little
rejecting, she decided it would be handy
TO have a dose of salts and SIENNA in the
house, and she might as well step up to
the doctors and get it then as any time.
There was no need to wait for the grass
10 dry, for Mrs. Woodcock's chocolate and
white calico, guiltless of a pannier and inno-
cent of trail, did not even brush the
broad plantain leaves and the fairy speed
well blossoms bordering the well-trodden
foot.path that led from her doorstep
straight into the world And her heavy
calfskin shoes squeaksd TO scom the idea
of "wetting through ar'1l
So she tied on her log-eabip un-bonnet
that had pert calico bow prospecting
from the top, took her crooked handled,
green gingham umbrella, to act the double
part of supporter and protector, and set
out not to seek her fortune, but to seek
somebody's misfortune,
The way to Dr. seaorests was across the