Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-04-11
NO. &c..
"DON'T TELL BErsEYJANE.n

"And for your life, don't tell Betsey
Jane!r5 -. IA - 80
Mr.. Nicodemus Harding, having utter
ed this caution in a low, earnest tone Of
voice, alighted from Concord wagon in
front OF his own farm house door, and
stood there few minutes in a brown
study, watching the figure of his brother
in-law and the lawyer, as he drove back
toward the village of W whence the
two men had just come. beisss ss
Don't tell Betsey janet bs.,aei..s.
Now, Betsey Jane was Mr.. Nicodemus
Harding's wife, a stirring, notable soul.
who made more butter and cheese, and
took more eggs and fowl TO the market in
the course of the season, than any other
woman for miles around. Strong healthy
and hearty, she made the house work
fly 10 use her own energetic expression;
and if Nicodemus Harding owned his
farm that day, and was wellto-do, in
fact rich man to boot, it was owing in
no small measure to the skill and energy
and general go-a-headativeness Of his Bet
sey Jane. What was it, then, that the un-
grateful man was not about to tell her
at would never do, never! Thought Mic
odemus to himself, shaking his head.
'She'd be wanting new carpet, Or
new silk gown, or the house all painted
over, or some such nonsense. No, the
woman is the weaker vessel, it won't do to
trust one too far. Their heads won't bear
it. HOTTER -@# ssT
So Mr.. Nicodemus passed through the
house, and out toward the barn with the
preoccupied 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 adj
vantage. The kitchen was empty and ST.
lent AS he went through it. But oh il he
could have seen the buxom, good looking
female who stole silently out of the PAN
try, and rs silently followed him on his
way toward the barn. 3nas3 Hslagssa
Mrs. Harding came back in about twen-
ty minutes or so, with face red from sup
pressed laughter.
Don't tell Betsey jane" she said, gig
Cling into her gingham apron ..You are
very smart man, Nieodemus, and my
brother, Tim Noyes, is another. and q
lawyer in the bargain. Don't tell Betsey
Jane, indeed Two wretches, you de-
serve all you'll get pretty soon.' . aA
Betsey Jane said no more, but bided
her time. A week passed away, and then
brother Tins wagon drove up again to
the door, and Nicodemus stepped into it,
sey Jane had asked in vain to go.
Nicodemus was bound ON business
business which woman could not un-
derstand,n he lofty exclaimed. He, lord
and master, well out of sight, Betsey Jane
went about that business 4 woman could
not understand, with merry twinkle in
her bright black eyes.
At four p. m. Nicodemus returned
home again looking quite as important as
before He tip-toed along through the
kitchen. Betsey Jane watching him from
the corner of her eye all the while. He
passed out into the shed. A fragrant smell
of smoke came forward to greet him-an
odor of burning corn cobs gradually cur
ing ham. - bae saF ssi gaosAl
Nicodemus turned deathly pale. and
ran frantically forwards to large fire smOul-
dering in the hash house, and q large ham
or two covered over by blankets, hanging
placidly there. The yell he gave brought
Betsey Jane from the house instanter, to
find Nicodemus grovelling before the
ash-house door, weeping and wailing and
tearing his hair, and uttering yell after
yell of despair. loa i.1 97 = a9afis
"Why bless me! what's the matter
are you in fit? Let me run for the cam
phor!" shrieked Betsey Jane
"Camphor! Bring arsenic Bring poi
son of some kind, poison-poison p YELL
ed Nicodemus frantically.
woman you've ruined me! Twelve
thousand dollars in government bonds did
put in that ash hole for safety just week
ago, and you've gone and burned them to
cook that cussed bacon. Pison! Pison !!
Pison And let me get out of the dreary
world"
"Oh-so that was what YOU were not
going to tell Betsey Jane! Aren't you
ashamed of yourself, Nicodemus Hardi
ing?" .3a: 50. {ssaa4
Nicodemus could not answer. He laid
PROSTATE in he ashes and howled.
"Get up and don't be fool !" said Bet
sey Jane amiably. II heard you and
brother Tim conspiring at the door that
day, and l watched you go 10 the ashhole.
and soon found out what You had hid away
there Woman is the weaker veessi. no
doubt, but she don't put twelve thousand
dollars where the first match that comes
handy can burn it up here are the bonds,
Nickodemus-for ten thousand. I've kept
two for my honesty" ''s '''itI
Poor Nickodemus 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, to tell Bet
sey Jane. af1 fs' 3'