The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-08-13

spoons for her, and I shall give her M
gold beads, too" taking hold of tina
string of ancient adornments which en-
circled her great fat neck. "Shall yo
go right to keeping house?'
81 tell you I'm not going to be mar
ried,' he screamed, SO loud that j
seemed to him all the neighbors mus
hear.
"Of course you want home to b.
happy, anybody does; and always di'
believe in young folks goin' to house
kcepin' as soon as they was married"
You're altogether mistaken" h
screamed in her ear, the perspiratiol
starting from every pore.
"The house already taken? Now
ncverl And to think they was trying t
keep it from me, and you've told me al
about it! shant tell 'enS, though, no
anybody else, so you needn't be grail
afraid. ! can keep astice If | am al
old woman" - - = '.ssssss
g ] woifv.f19nsin1etemo Der. 1870, sMr- the
WITH" said Lucy, as -r2lied =, he clattel
oi ulSicS uIOuSut tliC SouHu VI NolSCs y
their ears.
Father, probably" replied Belinda
Il have heard no one come in"
Lucy put her last loaf of bread dowr
big apron, and appeared in the sitting
room, much to Mr.. May relief, just after
grandma had pledged herself to secrecy
She started in surprise when she saw the
guest
Why, Mr.. May! you here! Come into
the parlor;" and Lucy led the way, leav-
ing grandma alone "You must have
had an interesting visit with grandma
IL think did" replied the gentleman
| wiping the perspiration from his brow
She's very hard of hearing, isn't she?'
Very" said Lucy; but she doesn't
realize it,"
Il see it is so. couldn't make her
understand IA word yet from the answers
she gave me | saw she thought she
understood it all. Iguess she'll conclude
I've told her some strange stories"
"Never mind,' said Lucy; she's al
ways making blunders, of course"
Meanwhile grandma had recovered
from her specchless indignation at seeing
Lucy carry off Belinda's beau to "A
private conference, and waddled out into
the kitchen
Belindy," she squealed, taking the
scrubcloth from her hand, sc right into
the parlor Mr. Mays in there with
Lucy"
mo matter, grandma" laughed
Belinda, wondering much at her evident
frame of mind.
"rll finish up here, / tell you. You
90 right along" and grandma went to
scrubbing at the shelves, while Belinda,
to please her, went into the parlor
Later in the afternoon, as the girls
were in the kitchen getting supper, for
they always worked together, Deacon
Stiltsworth called to sec Mr. Freeman on
business.
"Walk right into the sitting groom,
Deacon said Lucy. Father will be
in directly" so in the deacon went.
Are you pretty well this spring:' he
shouted to grandma.
"Oh! la, yes; our well and spring both
held out wonderfully, though some of the
neighbors were plagued for water most
all winter. How's your folksy'
"Well as usual" nodded the deacon.
" You haven't got ont to meeting much
orI, MT hayn ~
=" Don't see much of Belindy? Well
she's pretty steady and industrious, and
amt alters gaddin' like some. Virtue
is its own reward the writing books
used to say, and Lucy will have to dance
in the pigs trough, for she's two years
the oldest, you know, and Belindy's go
ing to be married first"
"Show said the deacon, looking sur
prised.
"Ycs, Belindy's goin' to be married
in meetin' next Sunday mornin' to young
Mr.. May, that's reading law with Squire
Wizards. A dreflul nice young man he
is, too, pretty as a pink. Now he come
in here this afternoon when the gals was
at work in the kitchen, and jest set
down and visited with me as polite and
attentive, and talked over all his affairs
justas open-hearted He's got ahouse all
engaged, and they're going right to
housekeepin'."
The deacon's ears were all agape to
hear further particulars, but Mr.. Free
mans entrance just then cut short the
garrulous old lady, and rs her son made
no allusion to the event in the convers;l-
ton which followed the deacon would
not seem inquisitive, and so received no
more information.
I've heard some news" he said to the
family when he got home. " Belindy
Freeman's going to be married"
"When? Who to-" The questions
rained down.
"Next Sunday morning, in church, to
that May fellow. He's got a house
already engaged. ! didn't ask what one,
but presume it's the Cox house, right
next to the law oflice-that's empty
now.'
"He's called on the girls, and waited
on them too,'' said his daughter, Nancy
Jane, but l didn't suppose there was
anything serious as yet"
"Well, it appears it's all settled. The
old lady gave me full particulars. She
seemed as pleased as child, and told
how sociable Mr.. May was with her. Old
folks like to be noticed, you know"
When Nancy Jane went over that even
ing to carry Jerusha Speedwell, the dress
maker, her daily pint OF milk, she told
her the news.
II guess it must be mistake" said
Jerusha, doubtfully.
'sOh, no, it isn't" persisted Nancy
Jane, 81 for we have it right from the
family. And that explains those Irish
poplin dresses the girls had this spring.
Belinda's was pearl gray, and Lucy's
gold-mixed, and l thought it queer they
didn't have some alike, but l guess they
thought pearl gray was more suitable for
BRIDE"
'Sure enough" said Miss Speedwell
:" fitted those dresses less than a month
ago, but never thought thing" Miss
Speedwe | told her next customer that
Belinda was to be married in pearlgray
poplin, probably with bonnet and gloves
to match.
That evening, while the Freeman girls
were at prayer-meeting, and only their