The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-04-09

and the Lord knows what, to settle it
and used to see John Stringer's
STOPPING shoulders and broad felt hat
down just beyond the rise of the
meadow, time and again. But he
scarce ever came near the door, till
| one day-I can't tell how it was
when the settlements were to be made.
/ / just took baby up stairs and had q
! good cry tor that bit o. land had been
Jesse's favorite piece, and Mother
/ Plumber had been hurrying me all
day about it.
"The ways o. Providence are so
stranger" said Mother Plumber, lay
/ ing her specs down atop o. the Bible,
and putting on that aWfully patient
air which was wearing me to skin and
4 bone-"past finding out, Now, if
Jesse had married Sophia Mills that
was, and you-"
! But l did not wait 10 hear any more.
As say, just caught up baby, and
went off to the garret. And while l
sat by the cob-webbed window, Mrs.
Barret-Sophia Mills that was-went
riding by in her new spring wagon.
She had her half dozen children,
round and rosy as barrel of apples,
with her. Sophia nodded and smiled
to some one coming up the road, and
looking along / saw John Stringer
walking, thoughtfnl-like. right mp to
our gate, just as he used to come in
courting days-for John never had
any foolish way about him. l saw
Sophia look back at him as she and
the children, with their f1uttering
ribbons and gay ginghams, disappear
ed at the turn of the road Then /
smothed my hair and washed my face,
and went down. The time of settle
ment had come, ] knew.
EsNfary Ann" said John, gravely,
'Sthe lawyer will be here presently,
but reckon we can make it all clear
in our own minds without his help.
Aud I've settled it-in fact there are
certain conditions on which I'll take
the land-if you'll agree"
Then | flew in a passion. you've
been long enough making up your
mind" saws /. II don't throw my
land at anybody's feet, and l haven't
asked any favor of you, least-ways,
john Stringer."
t-Softly, there, softly !" says John,
putting out his hand. "Don't be in a
hurry, little woman"
John Stringer," says |, all in a
heat, "you're just the same man you
were years ago, when you thought /
was flying up every time you got out
O. temper yourself"
"And weren't you, little woman 2"
said John, quite gravely. "Don't wo%
men folks always like their own way
better than anything else 2"
"You don't know anything about
7 cd $50 fhora
did then. You thought | wanted silks
and furbelows more than-than-"
ethan you did me" said j ohm "and
right enough you was, too, if You
could ha' got 'em. / always said so,
Mary Ann"
ssAny man with half an eye would
have known better" says [, holly.
'tHow 2" said John. His great,
hulking 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 !" he repeated
softly. "Do you mean to say / was
mistaken years ago ?" His big brown
hand was all tremble as he held out
to me. "Little woman little wemanl"
says he, 'let's hs' done with it all now,
and let it be as it never was"
Presently Mother Plumber put her
head in the door.
"Pears to me that lawyers making
a long spell of it," says she. "Han't
you Almost tired of waitin' for him,
Mr.. Stringent"
81 guess we've settled it pretty
much without the lawyer" says John,
rising ''and that is the condition /
had to propose, Mary Ann-to take
you and the meadow-land together"
And he did.