Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-10-16

slipped off between us. And / found my
self widow, with the ill-fared. wasted
farm on nay hands, and Mother Plumber
drilling and Numbering after jess in a
way to break my heart.
But kept my spirit up yet and | adj
VI -tised half TIE place for sale at the
courthouse; for if could sell it we
should skin through somehow on an acre
or two, thought.
Well, who do you suppose came over
one sunny afternoon as was sanding in
the kitchen? Who, to be sure, but John
Stringer, large as life-a little gray, may
hap, and little more angular, but keen
and strong as ever. He'd use for that
bit o'9land, 1t seemed, and had had his
eye on it along back. "Always was want
ing what wasn't HIS" Mother Plumber
said. She owed him grudge for being
more forehanded than Jess.
1t took deal of looking after lawyer
ing and surveying and the Lord knows
what to settle it; and I used to see John
Stringer's STOPPING shoulders and broad
felt hat down just beyond the rise of the
meadow time and again. But he scarce
ever came near the door, till one day
can't tell how it was-when the settle
ments were to be made, just took baby
up stairs and had good cry, for that
bit o. land had been Jesse's favorite
piece, and Mother Plumber had been har-
rying me all day about it.
"The ways o. Providence are so stranger
said Mother Plumber, laying her specs
down atop o. the big Bible, and putting
on that awfully patient air which was
wearing me to skin and bone-"past find
ing out Now if Jess had married Sophie
Mills that was, and YOU"
But did not wait to hear any more
AS say, just caught up baby and went
off to the garnet. And while sat by the
cobwebbed window Mrs. Barret-Sophie
Mills that was-went riding by in their
new spring wagon, she and her half dozen
children, round and rosy as barrel OF
apples. Sophie nodded and smiled to
some one coming up the road and look.
ing along, saw John Stringer walking,
thoughtful like, right up to our gate, just
as he used to come in counting days-for
John never had any foolish ways about
him. / saw Sophie look back at him as
she and the children, with their fluttering
ribbons and gay ginghams, disappeared
at the turn o. the road. Then | smoothed
my hair and washed my face and went
down. The time of settlement had come,
/ knew.
MARY Ann" said John, gravely, "the
lawyer will be here presently; but
reckon we can make it all clear in our
own minds without his help. And Pye-
I've settled it, in fact, that there are Ger.
tain condition ON which I'll take the land
If you agree.
Then flew into passion "Yov've
been long enough making up your mind, y
says l. 81 dontt throw my land at any.
body's feet, and haven't asked any favors
of you, leastways, John Stringer."
"Softly, there, softly" says John, put
ting out his hand Don't be in fury,
little woman"
"John Stringer," says l. all in a heat
you're just the same man you was years
ago when you thought was always firing
up every time you got out o. temper your
self"
"And weren't you, little woman" said
John, quite gravely Don't women folks
like their own way better than anything
else?"
"You don't know anything about
women" l cried, "any more than you did
then. You thought | wanted silks and
furbelows more than-than-"
Than you did me-" said John; "and
right enough you was, too, if you could
ha' got 'em. always said so, Mary
Ann"
"Any man with half an eye would have
known better" says l, holly.
"How." said John. His great hulkine
figure lifted itself up, and he looked a.
me with those sharp brown eyes that used
to give me start in the old times
"How" he repeated, softly. "Do you
mean to say was mistaken years ago?
His big brown hand was all of tremblt
as he held it out to me. Little woman
little woman" says he, "lets ha' done
with it all now, and let it all be as if il
never was"
Presently Mother Plumber put her heao
in the door "'Pears to me that lawyers
making long spell of it," says she
''Bent you Almost TIED o. waitin' for him
Mr.. Stringer?'
II guess we've settled it pretty much
without the lawyer" says John, rising
land that is the condition had to pro
pose, Mary Ann-to take you and the
meadow land together"
And he did.