The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-04-17

d try, il you viii help me mother. Yo,
n know father has got to go to grand
s fathers, pretty soon, to be gone
? week, and"
e Well, just as sure as / live, the
t have gone into the pantry, and shu
: the door; they are pretending t.
3 wash the dinner dishes; but in real
ity, they are discussing that plan
And fancy that poor Mrs. Hastle,
frightened at the thought of losing
her daughter, lends herself to the
Undertaking very much as a running
vine might, through mEcn impor-
tunlty of the eompaHy, promise to
become telegraph pole.
shall We nsten at the key hole, as
: Sammy is doing, and try to over
hear their conversational Noi We
scorn the ignoble suggestionl We
will wait patiently till Aliee's plan
: develops itself, or till she tell us
| herself A woman never can keen a
secret any length of time-that we
know.
At night Mr.. Hastle returned
bringing Sammy's shoes; thick calf
skin, and that, years hence in the de-
Velopment of time, might suit him.
but which, in the meantime, must
be borne as burden. Alice's dress
was, as her boding fears had sug-
! gested, a thick delain, Albright yell
low groundwork Ia favorite color
of Mr.. Hastle's) on which green and
red nosegays disported themselves.
"a good, sound piece of CLOTH"
he said admiringly, as he unrolled it;
zone that will last her for years.
None of your fimsy white muslin,
that will tear to pieces if you touch
it. Good enough for summer or
winter,and strong enough for mans
wear.
In fact it was an uncommonly
thick piece of rep delain, for morn
ing dresses. Its gorgeous eoloring
had taken his eye, and its fine text
ure had endeared it to his heart.
Alice said not word as he held
its flaming folds up before her. But
her poor mother watched her face
anxiously. Had it not been for the
mysterious words uttered in the
pantry, she would have felt assured
that this affair would have ended in
the departure Of her child. But the
anxious mother, watching, saw a
flash of light CLEAN over the pretty
face, once during her fathers re-
marks, when he said It was strong
enough for a mans wear"
As we have said, Alice said not |
word, but poor, Mrs. Hastle gave
utterance to the sac, long complaints,
that household martyrs are wont to |
indulge in, as the gridiron heats and |
the fsggots blaze beneath them, and |
that ended with "What will folks
say TO see her with such dress on
to the picnic.
" What will folks say!" Never
did Sally call down upon her devot-
ed head a longer lecture than she
did then. can old woman like her,
old enough to be sensible, if she was
ever goin' to be and a church mem
Der, too, to think of what other folks
would say, Why didn't he care for
what folks said2 He had a mind of
his own. He cared nothing at all
for what folks said about his clothes.
And he didn't care nothin' at all
about his clothes himself, only to
have 'em whole and sound. That
was all he wanted. Why couldn't
wimmen foller his example?"
All! sharp and lengthy, indeed
was the sermon poor Sally had to
listen to. And it would have been
longer, no doubt, hadn't Mr.. Hastle
suddenly recollected, with q groan,
that he had got a letter, and must
start for his fathers the next day;
for the business that had called him
could not be postponed q minute
longer. And to have to go just as he
had got ready to paint the. barn too!
And then he was layin' out to have |
a new summer vest before he went.
But he should have to start in the |
mornin' whether or no, and Sally |
would jest have to fix that vest q lit
tie; that silk braid wasn't worth
sewin' on; it frayed out so; and |
Sally would have to do this and |
that.
But we will kindly draw veil over
the suffering Sally's efforts to get
Mr.. Hastle into his best clothes, and !
safely started the next morning; and |
over all the proceedings of mother
and daughter, during the week that
followed, we also draw a veil. But
on the afternoon of Mr.. Hastle's re-
turn we will go out and meet him,
for he thought he would walk from |
the depot, and we will walk along by |
his side, invisibly, of course, like a
guardian spirit.
Mr.. Hastle had completed the bus
mess satisfactorily. He was in
serene state of mind. He had left
his valise st the depot to be sent for,
and he was walking along happily, |
with his hands folded across his re-
spectacle back. As he neared his
house, he TOOK out his watch. "a
little past supper-time," he said, shut
of course they'll wait for me; they |
always do" He had been gone |
nearly week; of course, they would |
have something extra good-cherry
pie, may be. Wrapped in these
pleasant reflections, he entered his
dwelling. His wife and daughter |
met him pleasantly, though, to tell |
the truth, Sally's eyes wore a some
what frightened look.
But no Widespread supper-table |
met his longing vision.
"Why, isn't supper ready, Mrs.
Hastle?" he cried.
Before her mother could speak,
Alice said, with an astonished look.
Supper! Why, we have eaten
supper an hour ago"
"Well, then, get me some as quick
as you can for am half starved"
Poor Sally at this half started
from her chair; but glancing at