Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-09-30

|
that neighborhOod-and in the cl2tter O
tongues, before the second rolling, Han
nah had slipped out to get tea. at frs
she did very curious thing for sensible
young woman to do She got behind th,
buttery door and hid her face in the roller
| towel, and something very like genuint
sob shook her bosom, while soma bite
tears were absorbed into the crash. TIL,
truth is Hannah was jealous The Sigh
Of Aleck devoting himself TO that gir
| from Hillsdale, whom she had begun t
detest, woke her up to the state OF bel
own feelings, and perhaps nothing bu
that would ever have done the work.
| Nevertheless, there was tho spOngecakC
to cut, and the best doyley to be got out
and the ivory handled knives to be taker
! down from the top shelf of the closet
| She had to calculate how much of the
| strawberry preserves it would take to &C
| round and not look skimpy, and who
| should sit by the glass dish, and how many
custard cups would be required to fill the
middle OF the table. AL these things
Hannah performed with as much accuracy
IS if her heart had not been smarting with
disappointment and vexation.
Mrs Ashley was never moro in her ele-
ment tnan when she presided al femi-
A4Ib ttd party.
"We won't have any of the men folks
round to bother, girls" said she, as they
settled like flock of doves about the
table, which Hannah had so temptingly
spread "It's busy times on the farm
now, and the Deacon likes bite of
something hearty for his tea, and SO /
told him he and the boys might wait.
Ahem, Salina, do you take sugar in your
tea" as she poured out a cup of the deli
cate, green-fsvored beverage, that diff.
fused an appetizing fragrance through
the room.
ooh, Miss Ashley" cried Nancy Duffy,
you'll tell our fortunes, won't you ?
There isn't soul here to know about it,
and we'll keep as whist as mice.
Nov, girls, don't make me appear
| simple" said Mrs. Ashley, leaning back
and wiping her red snd smiling face free
from the steam of the teapot. "If Miss
Whitcomb should get hold of it she'd say
1t didn't become deacon's wife"
"NeYer mind Miss Whitcomb," broke
in susan Drake. "She thinks she's ar
rived at perfection, and such folks are al.
ways disagreeable. Here, do look at Sa-
lima JTeadEelPs cup. II I'm not mistaken
there's an offer in IL"
'Of course there isl said Mrs. Ashley,
taking up the cup with professional inter
est. Don't you see that ring almost
closed, with heart inside? And she's
going to accept. It's coming from light
complicated man. Looks like Sile Win
| thtOp, down st the Corners"
Oh, Miss Ashley, how you do talk "
cried Salina, mincing her biscuit and
blushiug up on her cheek bones.
He amt sgoing to live long, whoever
it is" the DesCon's wife went on, twirl-
ing the cup, with the girls hanging over
her shoulder, and her eyes dancing with
fun. " Yes, Sslins, you will be left Wild
der"
what a sad thing it must be to lose q
companion" put in sentimental Ann Ds.
Wis. should hate to be left relic"
"Never mind, Salila," the Deacon's
wife continued, with wink. "If I'm
not mistaken, you'l console yourself with
number two. Look there, girls, at the
true-lOYers' knot and the bow snd ar
rers"
Miss Treadwell held up her hands in
mock horror, and affirmed that she didn't
believe word Of it; but it was aoticea-
bic, SIS Mrs. Ashley said, that she was
"chipperer" all the rest of the evening.
Come, now tell Hannah's," cried Het-
ty Sprague. So Hannah passed along her
cup;
why, child, you're going to shed tears ;
and there's little cloud OF trouble round
you; but it viii clear away, and you'll get
your wish in spite Of everything"
"Don't you see saddle bags and pill.
boxes tbeEe?" inquired Nancy Duffy.
GO along with your stuff and nom
sense, girls !" exclaimed the Deacon S
wife, waving away the cup. fhusband
should get hold Of it, he'd asy was tri-
ding"
That evening sfter DR.. Bingham had
fooled a good deal with Hannah-had
pressed her hand at parting, and whis-
pered he should hope to see her next
evening at the singing class she remem-
bered her fortune, and did let some bitter
tears soak in the pillow. She was not wise
enough in worldly ways to suspect that
the Doctor, town bred msn, had set
Hetty Sprague's silly little heart flutter-
ing while he walked home with her under
the warm starlight, although, in very
truth, he did not care ftp for either OF
them. Hannah was content to play him
off against Aleck, let the consequences be
4 hat they might; and more and more as
che thought the matter over, she blamed
b4A7ae NsN94f Ling b-lAA AAbLA AALl49AIlVs
The next night set in with a mild driz-
zle and in spite of Mrs. Ashley's protest
tiOTs, H2nnah was OFF for the singing
class. The class had been established to
improve the church music, which, as the
Deacon said, ssdly needed "tinkering :"
sud gradually it became q resort for The
young people of the village, while its
functions were stretched to oinclude good
nj mild HIrta AIaV /, ss,,-
ing, looked mildly around to discover the
Doctor; but, strange to say, he was ab-
sent. Aleck, who belonged to the choir,
sat in his usual place alone. Neither Jane
nor her young lady visitor had accom-.
panied him. These facts Hannah ascer-
tanned before she let her eyes drop on her
notebook. She watched the door keenly
al through the hour of practice; but the
doctor did not make bis appearance, and
her indignation grew apace. She hoped
TO slip away little in advance Of the
crowd before the exercises were quite
over, and the Gordon Of young men had
formed about the entrance. But lust as
she was stepping OFF into the darkness,
with the WSrm summer rain falling stead
lily, hand touched her arm.
LET me walk home with you, Hannah?
l have an umbrella, and you are unprO-
yided." II was Alexis voice, and Han.
nah was nettled TO remark not even a
touch OF penitenoe in his tone.
"NO, l thank YOU" she returned, stiff,
~. ~ prefer to go alone"
"But you cannot refuse my company
for few steps, at least" said he, pushing
up his umbrella and shielding her whether
or MOI for l have brought an apology
from Bingham. am going to tell you as
a great secret" Aleck went on, confiden-
italy, while Hannah kept still from sheer
astonlshment, " that the Doctor and that
forty''leveath cousin of ours from Hills.
dale, We're engaged once. The Doctors a
capital fellow, but there's a Jealous streak
in him He wants to keep loose foot
and wasn't willing Mary should do the
same. She's an uncommonly pretty, live.
ly girl "a sharp twinge in Hannah 8 side
=" and, OF coarse she wasn't going to be
cOoped up, and the result was, they quar-.
relied. But they did really care for each
other and now the thing Is made up and
guess they have found out what sneak
ing, unrighteous thing jealousy is"
Where might be cause for it," return.
ed Hannah, talntly, as she felt her spirit
OOzinC away