The Van Buren press., 1873-06-03

housekeepin'. I'm savin up half doz
en- solid silver teaspoons for her, and
shall give her my gold beads. too, )" TAX
ing held Of that string of ancient adorn'
msnts which encircled her great fat neck
" Shall you 90 right to keopin' house ?
q tell you I'm not going t. be mar
ried, " he screamed, SO loud it seemed te
him all the neighbors must hear
"Of course you want home to b'
happy, anybody does, and ! always die
believe in young folks goin' to heus'
keepin' as soon as they was married. "
You're altogether mistaken" h
screamed in hor ear, the por.piratior
starting from every pore.
1.-The house already taksnr Now
never. And to think they was trying t.
keep it from me, and yoh'vs told me al
about it | shan't tell en-, though, no
anybody else, SO you needn't be grair
afraid can keep secret if | am al
old woman, "
Il wonder who grandma is talking
with p said Lucy, as a lull in the clattel
Of dishes brought tue sound Of voices &c
their ears
Father, probably replied Belinda
" have heard no ono come in, "
Lucy put her last loaf Of bread down
to rise, washed her hands, took off hel
big apron, and appeared in the sitting
room, much to Mr., Mays relief, just ar
ter grandma had pledged herself to Sc
crecy. She started in surprise when she
saw the guest
why! Mr. May! you here! Come
into the parlor," and Lucy led the way
leaving grandma alone. "You must have
had an interesting visit with grandma. '
IL think did," replied the gentle
man, wiping the perspirstion from his
brow, shes very hard OF hearing
isn't shop
"very," said Lucy; "but she doesn't
realize it."
81 see it is so. couldn't make hel
a word yet from the answers
she gave me | saw she thought she un
it all. l guess she'll conclude
I've told her some strange stories. "
Never mind, " said Lucy; "she's al.
ways making blunders, Of course. "
Meanwhile grandma had recovered
from her speechlcss indignation at seeing
Lucy carry off Belinda's beau TO pri'
vate conference, and wsddled out into the
kitchen.
Belndy," she squesled, taking the
scrub cloth from her hand, "go right in
to the porlor. Mr.. Mays in there with
Lucy. y
NO matter, grandma, laughed Be
linda, wondering much at her evident
frame Of mind
I'm finish up here Jtell you Yst
go right along, aud grandma went &c
scrubbng at the shelves, while Belinda
to please her, went into the parlor
Later in the afternoon, as The girls were
in tho kitchen getting supper, fer they al
ways worked together, Deacon Stills
worth called to see Mr Freeman on bus
mess
"Walk right into the sitting room, ,doa'
con. said Lucy. Father will be in di
rectly." 80 in the deacon went.
"Aro you pretty well, this spring p
hc shouted to grandma,
ooh la, yes, our well and spring both
hold out wonderfully, though some Of the
neighbors was plagued for water most oil
winter How's your folks ~
"Well as usual, nodded tho deacon
50 You haven't got out to meeting much
the winter, have your
Don't ses much of Belindy? Well
she's pretty steady and Industrious, and
aint alters gaddin' like some. Virtue is
its own reward, the writing books used
to say and Lucy will have to dance in
HE pigs trough, for she's two years the
eldest you knew, and Bclindy's goin' to
be married first"
"She" said the deacon. looking sur
prised,
"Yes, Belindy's goin to be married
in meeting next Sunday morning to young
Mr., May, that's readH' law with Squire
Willard A drefrul nice young man hs
IS, pooty as pink. Now he came in
here this afternoon whom tho gals was to
work in tho kitchen, and just sot down
and visited with me as petite and atten.
live, talked over all his affairs just as open
hearted. He's rot house all engaged
and they're goin' right to housekeeping.
The deacon's ears we're all agaps to
hear further particulars, but Mr., Free
mans entrance just then cut short tho
yarrulous old lady, and a. her son made
no allusion to the coming event in the
which followed, tho deacon
would not seem inquisitive aud 80 rcceiv-
cd no more Information.
1--WE heard some news" hs said to
the family when he got homo, Belindy
Frceman's going TO be married. "
'Whcn1 who to?' Tho questions
rained down.
Next Sunday morning in church, 10
hat May fellow. He's got n house al
ready engaged. ! didn't ask what one,
but presume its the Cox house, right
next to the law oillce-that's empty now,
Hes called on the girls, and waited on
hem too, said his daughter, Nancy
Jane, but didn't suppose there was
serious as yet
We'll, it appears its all settled. Tho
old lady gave me full particulars, She
seemed ~ pleased as a child and told me
now sociable Mr.. May was with her. Old
folks like to be noticed, you know.
When Nancy Jane went over that after.
aoon to carry Jsrusha Speedwell, the
her daily pint Of milk, She
old the news.
Il guess il must be IA mistake, said Je.
,usha, d0ubtfully.
ooh, no, 1t isn't persisted Nancy