Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-08-31
TmE DEACON's PLOT.

A reasonably good man was Dea-
con Pilsey, as times went, but II he
had a weakness it was for making
things in general go about as he
wanted them to. Not an oVerbear-
ing man by any means, and certain
ly not q violent one, but with Won
derfully cute and quiet and subtle
ways of his own, by which he
brought matters about without let
ting other folks know how the thing
was done. When man is accus-
toned to have his own way, he
makes up his mind pretty easily,
but there was one point of all 9TH
ers upon which Deacon Pilsey had
been set and fixed for years, and the
care of which lay heavy on his
mind, for the time had como when,
in his Judgment, something deep re-
quired to be planned and all his skill
exercised in carrying it out. To
mind like his, that had taken a per-
feet measure of every other in the
village, and for miles around il,
there could be little difficulty in Sc
lecting his tools and assistants, and
he had no need of eounsellOrs. That
was how he came to be talking so
oonfidentially with Joe Gaines, as
the two stood by the yard-gate.
"Why, deacon" said Joe, 81 al
wavs thought you liked Bob Hum
phrey. He's tip-top fellow, and a
good ne match for any girl | know of"
$50 he is, so he is" replied the
deacon. Cant say a word agin
him. Know him from boy. Can't t
forbid him the house, or any of that
sort of nonsense; but, then, he can't
have Irene Wyer."
az don't see how you'll help it,
deacon. YOU'RE only her guardian,
and she is about of age"
"Not for year yet-that's how
the will reads-and she's in my own
house, you know. / guess | can fix
some things, Especially if you'll
turn in and help me. You're law
yer, Joe Gaines, but you're a young
one yet, and Pll give you the fattest
fee you ever dreamed of if you'll
only hitch teams with me, and see
that Bob Humphrey don't get the
upper hand"
'aWell, if that's what you're after,
so it's all right and square, I'd as
lief earn fee one way as another
! What's your programme"
"Well, YOU know there's nigh on.
to thirty thousand a coming to Irene
Wyer, in her own right, and Pvt
took the best kind of keer of it
It's been q mighty sight of trouble
and all along Pve thought of m!
son Scott"
"Scott PnseyF" interrupted Joe
"Why, he's in California"
"He won't be long. He's comm
home inside o. six months, and
want to keep Irene safe for him
They used to be wonderful thick
and he writ to her reglar ever S
long arter he went away, and so di
she to him"
.Do they correspond nOw?" sal
Joe.
That's one reason / IN looking oU
so sharp arter Bob. Now, l wal
YOU to iust take holt and try an
, keep Bob off till Scott gets bacl
5 'Twon't be for long, and Irene ain
, such bad company, nohow."
> al don't know" said Joe. "TheI
is Maggie and her mother. cOuldn
be particularly attentive to Irer
q without their knowing it. An
. Bob Humphrey I'll be sure to /
around most of the time, and
won't be long before l have II
, whole village talking the matte
up"
"Never mind that, Joe, nevt
> mind that. It'll be all right whC
Scott gets home. Pll give you Il
n biggest kind of fee.
!. "Well, Deacon" coOlly replied Il
i young lawyer, ''it's pretty toug
Q ease, but I'll take it on one cond
n ton"
n 'What's that?"
$ "Why, so long as it's only fu
Is and all that, I'll go ahead, but if
,g seems as if l was doing any harI
n anything real bad; you know, Z
Is to be at liberty to back out"
"Wen, l don't mind so long
YOU let me know in time"
B, And so the deacon and the la