The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-05-05

CO JOu udFC SOiuC Halh lhChJ 40 HSil
as myself / don't suppose you can
get housekeeper to keep her long"
said she, dismally.
"Abel Grimes tells me it is enough
sight easier getting wives than house
keepers, and Pm some of a mind to try
that tack" replied CAPTAIN Ben, smiling
grinly.
Mrs. Davids put up her hand to feel
of her back hair, and smoothed down
her apron; while Miss Persis Tame
blushed like withered rose, and turn
ed her eyes modestly out of the win
dow.
81 am so. But the difficulty is, who
will it be? There are so many to Sc
lect from it is fairly bothersome," con-
tinued Captain Ben, winking fast and
looking as though he was made of dry
corn cobs and hay.
Miss Persis Tame turned about ab-
rubtly. "The land alive!" she ejacu-
lated with such sudden emphasis that
the dishes shook on their shelves and
Captain Ben in his chair. at makes
me mad as a March hare to hear men
go on as though all they'd got to do
was TO throw down their handkerchers
to woman, and, no matter who, she'd
spring and run to pick it up. 1t is al
ways who will / marryi' and not
Who will marry me?"
"Why, there is twice the number of
widders that there is OF widderers here
at the Pint That was what was in
my mind," said Captain Ben, in a tone
ofmesk apology. "There is the Wild
der Keens, she that was Azubah Much
more. | don't know but what she
would do; Lyddy used to think every
thing of her, and she is first-rate sort
of housekeeper."
"Perhaps co." aSSented Mrs. Davids,
dubiously. "But she is troubled
sight with the head complaint; l sup
pose you know she Isl That is against
her."
eyes," assented Miss Tame. "The
Muchmores all have weak heads. And,
too, the Widow Keens, she's had fall
lately. She was mp in chair cleaning
her top buttery shelf, and somehow one
of the chair legs give way,-it was
loose or something, | eIpect,-and
down she went her whole heft. She
keeps about, but she goes with two
slaves"
81 want to know if that is So" said
Captain Ben; his honest soul warming
with sudden sympathy. "The widder
has seen a sight of trouble"
eyes, she has lived through good
deal, that woman has. | could MT live
through SO much, pears to me; but we
don't know what we can live through"
rejoined Miss Tame,
Captain Ben did not reply, but his
ready feet began to move to and fro
restlessly; for his heart, more ready
yet, had already gone out toward the
unfortunate widow.
lit is so bad for a woman to be
alone" said he to himself, shambling
along the shingly beach a moment af-
ter. "Nobody to mend her chairs or
split her kindings or do chOre for her;
and her lame into the bargain 1t is
too bad"
!'He has steered straight for the Wild
ow Keen's, as sure as A is apple-dump-
ling" remarked Miss Persis, peerlng
after him from the window.
"Well, l must admit would MT
have thought of Captain Ben's being
EN- "a mored after such a sickly piece of
business. But men never know what
they want. Won't you just hand me
that gum -camphyer bottle, now you are
up? 1t is on the chest of drawers be-
hind you"
"No more they DON'T" returned
Miss Tame, with plaintive cadence,
taking a sniff from the camphor-botte
on the way. "However, | don't be-
grutch him to her,-I don't know as
l do. 1t will make her good hum,
though, if she concludes to make ar
rangements.
Meantime, Captain Ben Lundy's bead
was well nigh at Mrs. Keen's door, for
it WAS situated only around the first
sand-hill She lived in little bit Of a
house that looked as though it had
been knocked together for crOckery-
crate in the first place, with two win
dows and a rude door thrown in as
afterthoughts. In the rear of this house
was another tiny building, something
like a grOwn-up hen coop; and this
was where Mrs Keens carried on the
business bequsathsd to her by her de-
ceased husband, along with five small
children, and one not so small. But,
worse than that, one who was mot
altogether there" as the English say.
She was about this business now,
dressed in primitive sort of blOomer,
with a wash-tub and cothes-wringer
before her, and an army of bathing.
suits of every kind and color tapping
wildly in the fresh sea air at one side.
From little farther on, mingiRg
with the sound of the beating surf,
came the merry voices of the bathers,- -
bearders at the great hotels on the hill
"Here you be! Hard at it," said
Captain Ben, putting around the corner
like portable west-wind. GIVE under
stood you've had hurt. Is that sol"
ooh no! Nothing to mention," re-
turned Mrs Keens, turning about a
face hrinht and cheerful as the fnll