Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-12-05

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per, and Jesse didn't prosper; and Mrs.
Plumber came to live with us, to look
after things. she said and she got pity
ing him every now and then for marry
ing poor wife, and--oh, we'll, what's
the use o talking ?-sometme / couldn't
help wishing John Stringer's strong
shoulders were at the wheel, when | was
working myself to death morning and
night for nothing.
Then, when the baby grew bigger, I
took to teaching an A B G class as |
used to before | was married but what
little | knew had run wild since then,
and | couldn't keep the boys straight
somehow; and the girls didn't care about
samplers, for the sewing machine had
ridden right over everything Then
Jesse fell i'll of the fever, and with all
the tuning and frctting and nursing Of
his mother. and with all my watching
day and night, somehow he slipped off
between us. and | found myself widow
with the ill-fared, wasted farm on my
hands, and Mother Plumber drizzling
and Wandering after Jesse in way to
break my heart.
But kept my spirit up yet, and Tad
vertised half the place for sale at the
Court House; for if | could sell it we
should skin through somehow on an acre
or two I thought
Well, who do you suppose came over
one sunny afternoon as | was standing
| in the kitchen :? Who, to be sure, but
John Stringer, as large as life-a little
gray, mayhap, aud little more angu-
lar, but keen and strong as ever. He'd
a use for that bit O land, and had his
eye on it long time back. always
was wanting what wasn't his" Mother
Plumber said. She owed him a grudgc
for being more forebanded than jesse -
1t took a deal of looking after, and law
yering and surveying, and the Lord
knows what, 10 settle it; and | used to
see John Stfinger's STOPPING shoulders
and broad felt hat down just beyond the
rise Of the hie&llw tiHe and again. But
he scarce ever came near toe Uo2r till
one day I can't tell how it was when
the settlements were to be made, | just
took baby upstairs and had good cry
for that bit o land had been Jesse's IA
vorite piece and Mother Plumber had
been hurrying me all day about it.
"The ways o Providence are so
strange = said Mother Plumber, laying
her specs down atop Of the Bible, and
putting on that awfully patient air which
was wearing me TO skin and bone-"past
finding out. Now, if Jesse had married
Sophie Mills that was, and YOU
But did not want to hear any more.
As | say, just caught up baby and
went off to the garnet. And while | sat
by the cobwebbed window, Mrs. Barrett
Sophie Mills that was--went riding by
in her new spring wagon She had her
balf-dozen children, round and rosy as a
barrel of apples, with her. Sophie nod
ded and smiled to some one coming up
the road. and looking along saw John
Stringcr walking, thoughtful-like, right
up to our gate, just as he used to come
in counting days-for John never bad
any foolish way about him. / saw So
phie look back at him as she and the
children, with their Tutoring ribbons
and gay ginghams, disappeared at the
turn Of the road. Then smoothed my
hair and washed my face and went down.
The time Of settlement bad come, knew.
.'Mary Ann" said John, graycly,
"tbe 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
4 conditions on which I'll take the land
| if you agree"
Then flew into passion. "You'vc
been long enough making up your mind,
says l. Il don't throw my land at any
body's feet, and ! haven't asked any IA
vors Of you, leastways, John Stringer"
''Softly, there, softly," says John,
! putting out his hand. Don't be in a
hurry, little woman"
John Stringer," says 7, all in heat.
''you're just the same man you was years
ago, when you thought | was always fly
ing up every time you got out o temper,
yourself"
"And weren't you, little woman y
said John. quite gravely. Don't wo-
men folks always like their own way bet
ter than anything else p
"You don't know anything about wo-
men," ! cried, anymore than you did
then You thought | wanted silks and
| furbelows more than
ethan you did me-" said John; and
right enough you was, too, if you could
ha' got 'em. Ialways said so, Mary
/ Ann"
"Any man, with half an eye, would
have known better" says |, holly.
"How p said John. His great hulk
ing figure lifted itself up, and he looked
at me with those sharp brown eyes that
used to give me a start in the old time.
"How p be repeated softly. "Do you
mean to gay was mistaken years ago 2"
/ His big, brown hand was all of trem-
bic as he held it out to me. Little wo-
man. little woman" says he, ''lefs ha'
done with it all now, and it'll be as it
never was"
Presently Mother Plumber put her
head in the door. PPears to me that
lawyers making long spell of it, says
she. BENT you Almost tired of wait
ing for him, Mr.. Stringer r
II guess we've settled it pretty much
without the lawyer" says John, rising I;
"and that is the condition | had to pro-
pose, Mary Ann--to take you and the
meadow land together !" And be did.