Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-01-02

and right nobly did he do his work.
Poll Parrot, from her cage on the
broad window sill, yelled out, How
do you do, Betsy? Polly's starved to
DEATH"
You can't cheat me-can't cheat
me p screamed Polly, back again.
"Can't cheat mel Polly's starved to
deathl'
Goodness how human that voice is
once in WHILE" said the lone woman
with little shudder.
ALI of a sudden Betsy's countenance
changed, and she looked over field and
meadow, now covered with their warm
robes of snow, and glanced back again
at the comfortable room, bright, neat
and cheerful, but so lonely a choking
sob escaped her, and she leaned her
head against the pane and burst into
tears. What commotion this sob
raise1 among Baisy's companions
Brutus arose, and stretched out his
front paws, as if to see whether they
were as reliable as when he went to
sleep, walked slowly toward his mistress
and then elevated said paws to his
shoulder, looked into her face with
such sympathy apparent in the almost
human eyes, that Betsy, throwing one
arm around the black, shaggy neck,
wept afresh at his dumb token of love.
Pussy, not to be outdone. jumped upon
the table, rubbed softly against the dis
engaged arm, purring tbs while an af.
fectionate little accompaniment to the
loving motion. Poll shrieked from her
perch
"Poor Polly poor Betsy Poll is
starved to death Hurry upl'
Betsy's sense of the ludicrous and
humorous was quite as keen as the sense
of her own loneliness, and when pattin G
Brutus on the neck, she burst into a
hearty laugh. The delight of the ami
mails know no bounds-the cat jumped
over the dogs back, the dog barked and
the parrot screamed, and a passer-by
would certainly have thought from the
noise that Betsy Partridge had large
family of children who were celebrating
New Years according to their own
sweet wills.
81 suppose I might as well be setting
the table," murmured Betsy. "Just as
likely as not, somebody will drop in. l
almost wish I'd invited little company
from the village! 1t isn't just the thin G
for woman to be so much alone. One
grows morbid and awry with constant
solitude
Betsy then proceeded to the oven,
and, drawing out the two fat chickens,
as brown as berry on both sides, com
menced to drench them with but
tered gravy which filled the bottom of
the pan-all the while talking to her.
self.
You're an old fool, anyway, Betsy
Partridge Just to think of what has
steadied your nerves, and kept you
willing and able to work all these long
years Just think of it Nine weary,
heartaching years. Now another one
has commenced to roll around, and still
you wait. Great heavens for whom
for what7 For Amass Carter, you
ridiculous old maid And the last you
heard of him was that he was married
Pretty business, wasn't it? Don't you
think, Miss Betsy, that you were trife
too fast when you turned the man you
loved from your door, because you
smelt liquor in his breath-and the first
time, too, Miss Patrldge7 1 de, and
have for some years. And then to
think of poor Silas going away the same
time, and never coming backl Could il
be judgment on me for my treatment
of Amasa? Well, WE'LL Was there
ever a woman so thoroughly alone as
this forlorn old maid? ?"
Betsy drew out the table, covered i
with spotless damask, and then piled
on the good things. There were Gran
berry sauce, and apple jelly. tiny bis
cults, and all kinds of vegetables, and
at the head of the table, the twin
chickens.
"They say Swedenborgians Away
| set chairs at the table for their recen
doad l am going to make places fol
my dead and living both. There!' q
the last touch was given to the well
filed board. Brutus, I wish l ha'
trained you to carve. Upon my word
Poll, haven't the least heart for thi
dinner, after ALL"
Poll replies, in her usual manner, tina
she was starved to death; and thel
Betsy leaned back in her chair, an
thought-this time silently.
Poor Betsy Partridge! This was lone
illness, indeed; and none but Dor
saint or heroine could nave endure'
such life.
Betsy was both, according to the idea
of most of her friends and acquaintar
ces +; and one thing was certain: no VIZ
man in the county was more admire
and respected than this old maid, Bets
Partridge.
The crunching of the snow at the sid
of the cottage awakened Betsy from he
dream.
That good -for.nothing Jakel' sal
tshe. 81 said, likely as NOT somebody
be here. I'll. let the scamp sit rigf
down to the table with me, if he's an,
ways decent"
Jake was the boy who came roun
once or twice week, to do up on
side chores which were too heavy fl
Betsy.
, "Why don't the young one con
J in? He amt usually as backward
, this ?"
: Up jumped Brutus, and, with 10
l bark Of recognition, made for the door
"Who under the sun can it be?'' CO
+ timed Retsy. HBrutlls seldom behay