Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-01-02
BETSY PATRIDGE,s NEW YEARS.

Likely as not" said Betsy, as she
surveyed herself from top to toe, as well
as she could in the little foot-square
mirror; surrounded by a furnished gilt
frame, the design of which might have
been of Mayhower date" likely as
not, there is somebody here to-day ~
Taking into consideration that Betsy
had uttered this same pleasant little
remark to herself for the last ten years,
and that she lived in the heart of the
country, good four miles from the
nearest neighbours, and that during
said decade not soul had crossed her
threshold on the first of January, the
most Of us would undoubtedly make up
our minds that Betsy was not only try
by this time that nothing would come
Of it.
Not so. When Betsy said, I" Likely
as not" she meant every word of it !;
but had you asked the dear soul whom
she expected, scarcely know what she
would have answered.
Betsy was thirty FIVE years old, and
never had married; consequently, &C.
cording to ancient and modern par
lance, she, was unmistakably an old
maid
Some women could not have endured
this lonely country life; but this very
home and surroundings had been hers
ever since babyhood; and, for fifteen
long years, Betsy had been sole proprie-
tress Of the estate and establishment
her parents having died that length of
time ago, and within six months of each
other.
To be sure, she had not always been
thus desolate, for Betsy had had a
brother and a sister whom she loved
had lover; but something happened,
no one knew what, and the engagement
was broken off. Betsy's sister married
and went into the wilds of the West
and her brother was lost at sea-at least
she believed him lost, as no tidings had
reached her for years. So Betsy wa:
all alone in the world. Still, Betsy had
family; and this family consisted o.
a dog, cat, poll parrot, hun.
dred or more hens and chickens, and 6
cow.
This last animal the little woman
MIXED with her own hands, and with
the cream which she made into butter
and the eggs which she sold to folks il
the village, bought all the clothes she
wore.
l wish could give an idea of Betsy
personal appearance. She was not ont
of your angular old maids, with sharl
nose, sharp elbows, and sharp voice
She was short, and plump, and fair, ant
her voice was as full of melody an,
pathos as the culver of an Eolian harp
Her hair was brown, and rippled bacl
from her face in truly artistic mar
ner; and then the three tiny curls a
the back oe her ears, although, perhaps
trife old maidish, were, neve, theles
immensely becoming. To crown al
Betsy had two of the loveliest dimple
ones eyes ever rested upon, making d,
hghtful little indentations in each chez
when she laughed; and then her hand
were plump, shapely and white, as tn
most fastidious could desire, notwitf
standing the hard work which Betsy di
almost every day of her life.
Your back hair isn't as thick as
used to be, Betsy Partridge she CO.
tinued, apostrophizing herself in tt
little mirror 90 And if you won't te
ANYBODY, found two or three stragglir
gray hairs-whlcn have no business
your head at your time of life. b
never mind, Betsy; this is the first
January, and there should be no grow
ing to-day"
So saving, she smoothed back on
more the glossy hair; tied a ruff
white apron over the plain brown me
no; tucked little blue bow to the ne.
of her dress, and proceeded to t.
kitchen. Here, everything was IN a
ple-pie order.
ance of gay. colors were woven, cover
the floor; cooking-stove, polished
the last degree of glossiness, stood
the hearth. From the oven, which
Just ajar, issued the sayory odor of foV
roasting. st the side of the stove, or
WOODEN rug, reclined large gray ca
right in front dozed Brutus, an ann
Of the canine species of Newfoundla