Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-12-30

again. But he scarce ever came near the
door, till one day. can't tell how 1t was
when the settlements were to be made,
I Just took baby up stairs and had a good
cry; for that bit O. land had been Jesse's
favorite piece, and Mother Plumber had
been marrying me all day about 1t.
1.-The ways o. Providence are so
strange - said Mother Plumber, laying
her specs down atop o. the Bible. and put
ting 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 cob
webbed 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 looking 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. l 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, 1.-THE
lawyer will be here presently; but reckon
we can make it all clear in our own minds
without his help. And I've settled it, in
fact, that there are certain conditions on
which I'll take the land-if you agree"
Then flew into a passion. You've
been long enough making up your mind, y
SAYS /. Il don't 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 baud. Don't be in hurry,
little woman"
John Strtnger," says /. all in a heat,
'.you are Just the same man You was years
ago, when you thought was always firing
up every time you got out of temper your
aelf."
"And wern't you, little woman ?" said
John, quite gravely. "Don't women folks
always like their own way better than any,
thing else -
you don't know anything about wo-
men," cried, ''any more than you did
then. You thought wanted silks and
fnrberlows more than-than-"
ethan you did me-" said John; land
right enough you was. too. if you could
ha' got EN-. Railways said so Mary Ann. "
ANY man with half an eye would have
known better" says /, hotly.
How ?'' said John. His great hulking
figure lifted itself up. and he looked at me
with those sharp, brown eyes that used to
give me start in the old time. GLOW ?"
he repeated. softly. "Do you mean to say
Twas mistaken years ago." His big,
brown hand was all of a tremble as he
held it out to me. Little woman, little
woman" says he, "let's ha' done with it
all now, and it all be as it never was
Presently Mother Plumber put her head
in the door. perhaps to me that lawyers
making long spell oft" says she. "Ben t
you a. most tired O. waitin' for him Mr..
Stringerp"
II guess we've settled it pretty much
without the lawyer" says John, rising
land that is the condition had to propose.
Mary Ann-to take you and the meadow
land together ~
And he did.