Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-08-12
SAN NSON on COUKTlN'.
BY HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.

81 member used to lead the sinsin in
them days, and Mry she used to sing coun-
ter, SO we set putty near together in the
singers seats; and l used to think. Sunday
mornin's when she came to meetin' in her
white dress and her red cheeks and her
bonnet all tipped off with laylcck, that twas
for all the world jest like June sunrise to
have her come into the singers seats.
Them was the days that l didn't improve
my privileges, boys said Sam, signing
deeply. There was times that eff I'd
have happened, cause you see boys l was
better 10 kin in them days than be now.
Now you mind. boys, when you grow up, el
you get TO waitin' on a nice gal, and you're
most mind to speak up to her, don't you
90 and put it of, cause ef you do you may
live to repent II.
Wal you see from the time that Bill e.
derkn come and took the academy, could
see plain enough that it was time for me TO
hang up my fiddle. Bill he used to sit in
the singers seats, too. and he would have it
that he sung tenor. He 10 more sung teuor
than skunk backbird, but he made be-
lieve he did, Jest to git next to Mry in the
singers seats, and then they used to be
writln backward and forward to each other
till they tore out all the leaves Of the hymn.
books, and the singn' books besides. Wal
| never thought the house o the Lord was
lest The place To be courtin' in. and | useu
to get con id able shocked at the way thing
went on atween em. Why. they'd be a
writn' all sermon.time; and I've seen him
a lookin a; her all through the long PRAYER
in a way that wa'ut right, considering they
was both professors of religion. But then
the fact was, old Back H0ss John was t.
blame for il. cause lie never let 'em have
no chance to home. You see old Black
Ho>s he was sot ag'in Eld,,kin cause he
was poor. You see his mother, the old
Widdah E'de'kin, she was lest alb ut the
poorest, peakedest old b, dy over to Sher
burne and went out to days works, anJ
Bill Elderkin he was all for books and arn-
in. and old Black Hoss John he thought it
was just shifllessness; but Miry she thought
he was genius, and she got it sot in her
mind that he was goin' to be President Of
the United States, or some sich.
Wal old Black Hoss he at none too
polite to Mirys beauX in gineral, but when
EIderkin used to come to see her he was
snarlier than a saw; be hadn't a good word
for him noways; and he'd rake up the fire
right before his face and eyes, and rattle
about fastening up the windows, aud tramp
up to bed. and call down the chamber
stairs to Mry to 90 to bed, and was sort o
aggrava,in' every way.
Wal, ef folks want to. get gal set on
havin' a man, that ares the way to 90 to
work. Miry had a considerable stiff will Of
her own ard eff she didn't care about Tom
Beacon before she hated him now; and ef
she liked Bill Elderkin before, she was
clean gone over to him now; and so she
took to gon' to the Wednesday evening !ect-
ure, and the Friday evening prayer meet
ing, and the singiu' school, jest as regular
as clock, and so did he; and afterwards
they always walked home the longest way.
Fathers may jest as well let their gals be
courted in the house peaceable, cause if
they can't be courted there, they'll find
places where they can be; it's jest human
natur'. Prom the 1tlaatic Monthly fer
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