Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-15
Don't Tell Betsey Jane.


janet
Mr.. Nicodemus Harding, having ut
tered this caution in n low, earnest tone
Of voice, alighted from Concord wagon
in front of his own farmhouse door, and
stood there a few moments in a brown
study, watching the figure of his bother
in-law and lawyer as he drove back to-
ward the village of W, whence the
two men had just come.
Don't tell Betsey Jane"
Now, Betsey Jane was Mr.. Nicodemus
Hardings wife, a stirring, notable soul,
who made more butter and cheese, and
took more eggs and fowls to market in
the course Of the season, than any other
woman formiles around. Strong, healthy
and hearty, she made the houseworl'
fly, to use her own energetic expression;
and if Nicodemus Harding owned his
farm that day, and was a well-to-do, in
fact, rich man to boot, it was owing in
no small measure to the skill and en-
ergy, and economy and general goahead-
ativeness Of his Betsey Jane. What was
it, then, that the. ungrateful man was
not about to tell her?
1t would never do, neverl " thought
Nicodemus to himself, shaking his head.
"She'd be wanting new carpet, or a
silk gown, or the house all painted over,
or some such nonsense. No, the wo-
man is the weaker vessel, and it won't
do to trust one too far. Their heads
won't bear it.
So Mr.. Nicodemus passed through the
house and toward the barn with the pre-
occupied air of hen who has an egg to
lay, and don't know where she can hide
it from the eyes of mankind to the best
advantage. The kitchen was empty and
silent as he went through it. But hol
if he could but have seen the buxom,
good-looking female, who stole silently
out of the pantry, and as silently fol-
lowed him on his way toward the barn.
Mrs. Harding came back in about
twenty minutes or so, with face red
with suppressed laughter.
Don't tell Betsy Jane, she said,
giggling into her gingham apron. You
are very smart man, Nicodemus, and
my brother, Tim Noyes, is another, and
a lawyer in the bargain. Don't tell
Betsy Jane, indeed You wretches, you
deserve all you'll get pretty soon"
Betsy Jane said no more, but bided
her time. A week passed away, and
then brother Tim wagon drove up again
to the door, and Nicodemus stepped into
it, and was off to the village once more
Betsey Jane had asked in vain to 60
Nicodemus was bound on business
business which woman could not un-
derstand," he loftily exclaimed. He,
lord and master, went out of sight, Bet
sey Jane went about that business wo-
man could understand, with merry
twinkle in her bright black eyes.
At4p.m. Nicodemus returned hcme
again, looking quite as important as be-
fore. He tip-toed along through the
kitchen, Betsey Jane watching him from
the corner of her eye the while. He
passed out into the shed. A fragrant
smell of smoke came forward to greet
him-an odor of burning corn and gradu-
ally curing ham. rfls,s.
Nicodemus turned deadly pale, and
ran frantically forward to a large fire
smouldering in the ash house, and a
large ham or two covered over by blan-
kets, hanging placidly there. The yell
he gave brought Betsey Jane from the
house instanter, to find Nicodemus grow
ellng and tearing his hair, and uttering
yell after yell of despair.
"Why bless mel what's the matter
are you in a fit2 Let me run for the
camphor2" shrieked Betsey Jane.
Camphorl Bring arsenicl Bring
poison of some kind, poison" yelled
Nicodemus, frantically. woman, you We
ruined mel Twelve thousand dollars in
Government bonds did put in that ash
hole for safety, just week ago, and
you've gone and burnt them to cook that
cussed bacon. Poison Poisonl ard let
me out of this dreary world. /"
"0h-so that's what you were not
going to tell Betsey Janel Aren't you
ashamed of yourself, Nicodemus Hard
ing2"
Nicodemus could not answer. He laid
PROSTATE in the ashes and howled.
"Get up-don't be fool" said Betsey
Jane, amiably. 81 heard you and brother
Tim conspiring at the door that day, and
| watched you 60 to the ash hole, and
soon found out what you had hid away
there. Woman is the weaker vessel no
doubt, but she don't put twelve thousand
dollars where the first match that comes
handy can burn it upi Here are the
bonds, Nicodemus-for ten thousand;
I've kept two for my honesty"
Poor Nicodemusl He gathered him
self up out of the ashes, and took his
bonds-what was left of them. He rather
thinks it pays best, on the whole, now,