Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-06-11

way, for [ know he means lust what he
says, in its best and fullest sense. [ don't
care" she added, with a little defiant toss
of her head, eff Mira does slur him Just
because he's man enough to treat his wife
as his equal. [ guess she'd be glad
enough, poor thing, if her husband would
treat her with little more respect than he
does his hostler."
This was the nearest that the warm
| hearted little woman ever came to blaming
her elder and somewhat uncongenial sis
ter, who, as the landlady of the only pub
| lie house at the Corner, was, in her own
as we'll as her friends estimation, per-
son Of wide experience, and, as such
capable of expressing an opinion upon
any subject that might be introduced, of
religious, social, or political interest.
There's your sister, Mrs. Watson, now"
remarked Mrs. Blunkett, who had been
enthusiastically setting forth the merits Of
| the new churn to her interested visitor,
"she'd be glad enough to have one o.
these, as heard her tell Crosspen the
other day. but Watson says it's all non
sense-this idea that the old-fashioned
churn amt as good now as it was in grand
mothers day. But [ tell Blunkett that
there is just as much sense in labor saving
machine for women as there is for men,
an if he buys horse-rales and shoes for
himself, he needn't begrudge me a churn
or Washin' machine that don't begin to
cost as much, an is just as much needed,
fairs [ can see."
"And that's where you're right" laughed
| Mrs. Mason, with an approving glance
at the article under discussion. ''That's
'woman's right that believe in, and"
"Just as I told Colonel Absalom this
| Sofo tod
much engrossed with her subject to no
tice her guests sudden start and change of
color, at the mention of that name. II
said to him, says I, there's my son 'Lial
| has invented new kind o. clothes-Wring-
er, tirst-rate thing, that'd make the work
O. washing twice as easy as tits now, an
he's been tryin' to get patent on it, an
| amt made out yet jest for nothin' in the
| world but because faint man labor say
in machine But I guess now" and her
worn face frightened hopefully, as she
| lowered her voice to confidential tone,
"he'll make out now, for the Colonel just
the same as promised if he was elected
to see it through
"No doubt he WILL them" was the
| heartily sympathetic response. "The
| Colonel is man Of his word, so every
body says and there isn't much danger of
his not being elected, guess. And So"
with an evident relish for the subject,
'you had a call from him, too He took
dinner at our house,
did hep" and Mrs Blunkett looked her
citation as she asked, abruptly, "P'raps he
made you a present, too?"
GA present!'
Mrs. Mason looked bewildered, and not
a little curious mo, he didn't give me
anything. What was your present?''
"Well, the present want no great thing
| of itself, but it showed his good will Jest
the same; twas bag O. seed beans of a
new kind that amt never been seen in this
country before The Secretary of War
had some sent i'm from Chiny, an he sent
a fewt the Colonel for old acquaintance
sake, an he was good enough to divide
'em and bring us half You see he and
my husbands brother, Jason, was officers
in the same reg iment, out to Mexico, and
J that's why he came to remember us. l
! s'pose."
There was a curious and not particular
ly pleasant look in Mrs. Mason's eye, as
she asked very quietly:
"Will you let me see them9 [ have cur
iosity to know how a Chinese bean looks.'
"To be sure-in jest minute" and
fastening from the room she came back
after moments absence, a smile bright
ening her homely face, and in her hand
Martha Mason looked, then rubbed her
eyes and looked again with a bewildered
stare.
There, carefully, almost tenderly, balan-
ced upon Mrs. Blunkett's broad palm
and the visitor caught her breath with an
odd mixture of Indignation and amuse-
ment-that identical "calico bag,n that
she had herself bestowed upon her part
ing guest, only few hours before
They're rather an odd-looking bean,"
remarked Mrs. Blunkett, innocently I'm
conscious of her friends agitation; and
carefully producing few from the depths
of the bag, she held them out for inspec-
ton, with such an air of proud satisfac-
ton that the comicality of the whole
affair overcame for the moment all the
others chagrin, and laughing outright she
said bluntly, in answer to Mrs Blunkett' s
look of half angry inquiry:
"Those beans never saw China; they
are some that grew in our garden, and [
gave them to Colonel Absalom myself,
this very day, because he wanted some of
them to raise himself"
Mrs. Blunkett looked first incredulous,
then angry.
"The old humbug!" she exclaimed
wrathfully; then, with a natural grasping
at "straws:" "But are you sure that these
are the ones?"
Certainly" and Mrs Mason's tone
softened, as she passed her hand with an
involuntary caress over the little satchel
"This bag was" (she paused for mo-
ment; it was not easy to speak that dear
name then and there, and she went on
hastily sit was made Of piece of one of
grandmother Mason's gowns 1 should
| know it in Guinea"
Mrs: Blunkett gave grim smile of &C
acknowledgement.
"The rascal won't make much by this
caper, tell you. A man that'll lie about
a pint o. beans, III lie about bigger mat
tiers, an | know of two men in this very
house, that won't vote for a liar no how"
Mrs. Mason nodded her approval
eff the man had had grain of common
sense, he would have bestowed his won
derful beans on somebody further off, He
might have known he would get found
out here. [ wouldn't give any more for
his wit than would for his honesty, after
| this"
That evening, as they rode home to-
gether, in the cool, purple twilight, John
| MocCn rom rly oS 70 I, 10 ,,r:+I, +o,ol>