The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-05-11

pands.
"It is too heavy for you" said
Cyrus, coming to her relief, with his
ready thoughtfulneas, and taking the
tray himself.
q He'll make good husband, oy
will, said the deacon, while the young
mans back was turned. "Shell be o
lucky gall that gifts him and, between
us, / amt noways partial to that there
Aggy Price. Highly tightly i-now,
Jennie, why didn't you set your cap for
him, and you right here at hand 2
'Twould hev bin as easy as lyin' |"
"Would it?" laughed Jane, out OF
the depth Of her silent misery.
OF course Jane should have left of
loving Cyrus after this !; but she didn't |;
and naturally he was as blind as others
Of his sex, and never guessed what nh
ache II gave plain Jane Hutton when
he dressed up in his Sunday best, with
the neck-tie she had made him on his
birthday, and rode or to pay his court
to Agnes Price, FIVE miles across the
country. She was always awake when
he let himself in OF midnight, and went
tiptoeing 10 his room, and she lay won
dering how II must seem TO be loved
BY o man after your own heart. Her
life seemed to promise to be oil No.
yember weather. as r.
But though The Numbers were, so
isolated, they had their merry.making
There was q quilting OF Mrs. Deacon
orockets in Number Two, or o husking
at Farmer Dusenbury's In Wheatfield,
or n haying.bee at Deacon Smiley's,
with dancing in the well-swept barn,
hung with lanterns in the evening; and
there were camp.meeting days, and now
and then there was o wedding /; and no
distance was too farto travel, and Cyrus
always harnessed old Dapple, and took
Jane along with him, as Agnes would
>be going with her brothers; or, some
times, II the road led that way, he
wauld call for Miss Agnes, and Jane
would sit on the back seat Of the wagon
and only guess OF what was going on
before her in the twilight, hugging her
pain in loneliness Of heart. Nobody
knewlbut Jane was Just as happy as the
otherA who danced "chortiB jigs" and
"collsge hornpipes"; nobody ever
would have known. Sometimes there
was q preacher on tho circuit, who went
about from one Number TO another
holding meetings, and Cyrus and his
mother and Jane put on their best, and
went the rounds too; and Cyrus and
Agnes helped at the singing, and lin
gered after the benediction. One week
the preacher staid at Ferriston Farm,
and asked Jane 10 marry him; and
though Mrs. Ferriston was sorry 10 part
with her, yet she advised Jane 10 think
Of II seriously, and went so far as 70
get Cyrus TO talk with her about II.
This was the last straw that broke the
camel's back. Jane was sick in bed till
the preacher left Tho Numbers. q
Dear sakes !" said Mrs. Ferriston,
mif it's going to keel Jane over like
this every time she has beau, the
fewer the better. Girls didn't used "a
take II TO heart so.n
"0n the WHOLE" remarked Cyrus,
"I'm glad she didn't take to him. It's
selfish, but howcouldwe get on without
her Just yet?"
"fsuppose you'll be bringin' q wife
home one Of these days. It's q pity
you couldn't hey taken q liltin' to Jane
youtself, and she right handy in the
house, and KNOWN oil our ms and outs,
and no fault TO find"
|" Choose tho ono that you love best.
Butt yourself, you'll suit the rest,'
sang Cyrus. "Jane wouldn't have me,
either
"Thaps for you to say, y returned his
mother, thinking that the girl was un'
born who would refuse her Cyrus.
Well, at one time they had Miss
Agnes Priceup at Number One to make
visit, and at first words weren't big
enough to express her satisfaction.
But she used TO laugh at james old.
fashioned way OF dressing her hair and
cutting her gowns and when Jane and
Cyrus got talking upon their fayorite
themes, she would put on her bonnet
hhA w uAA AVI v Nhlhf hnu byEub Moulu
naturally follow without delay.
She wasn't happy unless Cyrus was
praising her dress or herself, unless
there were young folks invited over
from the other Numbers and from
Wheataeld for o frolic, or they were
going abroad 10 some merry.making
and whom nobody was present but them.
selves, she would amuse herself taking
off The folks who spoke in the last revi-
yalimeeting, showing how Elder Prosy
at Wheat6eld, conscious in the midst Of
along prayer that the candles on the
desk needed snufiing, groped for them
with his eyes shut, snufled them out
between his thumb and finger, and
threwthe red.hot ends into brothers
new hat on the deacon seat then she
would follow this episode with singing
tCoronation" gutturally like Deacon
Crocket, and nasally like old Mrs. Qua
YER, and relate how Deacon Crockett al
ways omitted the blessing when they
had pudding and milk for tea; and Mrs.
Ferriston would look at Agnes over her
spectacles, and shake her head in pro.
test, but laugh in spite Of herself. But
by.snd-by my lady began to suggest
improvements In the house; there
might be wing built out here, the roof
might be raised, tho yard needed anew
picket. fence whoever heard Of o house
without O flower garden2 g
81 thought We had one, oh, Jane"
Baid Cyrus.