American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-05-25
Miscellany.
THE DEACON'S PLOT.

n REASONABLY gOOU man was Deacon
Pilsey, as times went, but if he had a
weakness 1t was for making things in
general go about as he wanted them to-
Not an overbearing man by any means,
and certainly not violent one, but with
wonderfully cute and quiet and subtle
ways of bis own, by which he brought
matters about without letting other folks
know how the thing was done. When
man IS accustomed to have his own way
he makes up his mind pretty easily, but
there was one point of all others 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 come
when, in his Judgment, something deep
required to be planned and all his skill eX-
ercised in carrying it out. To mind like
his, that had taken perfect measure of
every. other in the village, and for miles
around it, there could be little difficulty in
selecting his tools and assistants, and he
had no need of counselors. That was how
he came to be talking so confidentially
with joe Gaines, as the two stood by the
yard-gate.
thought you liked Bob Humphrey. He's
a tip-top fellow. and good match for any
girl know Off
$50 he is, so he is" replied the dea-
con. Cant say word agin him.
Know him from a boy. Can't forbid him
the house, or any of that sort of non
sense; but, then, he can't have Irene
Wyer."
You're only her guardian, and she is about
of age"
Not for n year yet-that's how the
will reads-and she's in my own house,
you know. 1 guess l can fix some things,
specially if you'll turn in and help me.
You're a lawyer, Joe Gaines, but you're
Al. e.
test fee you ever dreamed of if you'll
only hitch teams with me, and see that
Bob Humphrey don't get the upper
hand"
"Well, 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 onto
thirty thousand IL coming to Irene Nyer,
in her own right, and I've took the best
kind o. keer of it. It's been a mighty
sight oftrouble, and all along Eve thought
of my son Scott"
'Scott Pilsey:" interrupted Joe. "Why,
he's in California"
''He won't be long. He's comm home
Inside o. six months, and l want to keep
Irene safe for him. They used to be
wonderful thick, and he writ to her reg
lar ever so long arter he went away, and
60 did she to him."
'Do they correspond now?' said Joe.
"No, not now. There's the rub. That's
one reason I'm looking out so sharp arter
Bob. Now, want you to just take a holt
and try and keep Bob off till Scott gets
back. 'Twon't be for long, and Irene
amt such bad company, nOhow.'
Il don't know" said Joe. There's
Maggie and her mother. 1 couldn't be
particularly attentive to Irene without
their knowing it. And Bob Humphrey'll
be sure to be around most of the time,
and it won't be long before 1 have the
whole village talking the matter up"
''Never mind that, Joe, never mind
home. I'll give you the biggest kind of
fee"
well, deacon" coolly replied the
young lawyer, Its a pretty tough case,
but III take it on one condition"
whats that?"'
''Why, SO long as it's only fun, and all
that, I'll go ahead, but if it seems as if
was doing any harm, anything real bad
you know, I'm to be at liberty to back
out"
well, don't mind, so long as you let
me know in time"
And so the deacon and the lawyer dis
cussed their plot to their satisfaction, and
when all was settled the latter took his
own way down the broad and grass grown
1.-The old shark ~ he muttered, as he stroll
ed leisurely on. "What on earth put it into
his plotting old head to pitch on me for
his tool. He never was more'n half de-
cent to me before. l reckon I'll earn my
fee, but I'll be fair and square with Bob
Humphrey. What would Irene say If
she knew what was up? Wouldn't those
black eyes of hers strike FREE"
Now, it happened that of late, I'M
known, perhaps, TO the deacon, there had
been growing up more than a little close
M SO of intimacy between Joe Gaines and
Bob Humphrey, and thus it was treach-
cry to his friend as well as unfairness to
lawyer had allowed himself to be bribed
by the deacon's promised fee.
A deep fellow was Joe Gaines, and a
marvellous manipulation of social affairs
Again and again, as days and weeks and
months went by, did Deacon Pilsey con
graduate himself on his admirable sclec-
ton, and chuckle in his Utmost being as
he witnessed the well -contrived success
of Joc's manpuvres. There were picnics
and drives and parties, and entertain
ments of various kinds but in vain did
Bob Humphrey invite or propose the
young lawyer was sure to be beforehand
with him, and it almost seemed as if
sweet, unassuming quiet little Maggie
Pilsey herself, the deacon's daughter,
had Joined the secret league against her
friend Irene, so often was some excuse
devised by which she was made TO appear
in the latter's stead.
Then, too. there were the home even
ings at the deacon's house, when the sub
tie minded old plotter could have Rugged
himself with satisfaction as he sat by and
witnessed with his own eyes the admira-
bic manner in which Joe Gaines worked
for his fee.
&c 1t takes a lawyer, after ALL" he said
to himself. 81 don't care much what he
charges. / only hope he'll keep itup that
way till Scott gifts home. And then to
see Bob Humphrey Why the feller's
got the perseverance Of the saints, but he
amt nowhere with Joe Gaines.
As for Irene Wyer herself, her red lips
laughed and pouted, and her bright black
eyes sparkled and deepened, and her life
seemed flowing onward very pleasantly, as
ifno deep-laid plots and SCREENINGS hadany
power over her or her happiness. More
over, through it all Joe Gaines seemed to
maintain the most complete external sem
blance of frank-hearted friendship with