West-Jersey pioneer., 1875-06-03
HULDY'S YOUNG MAN.

$50! I see Hubby Blare's young man as
1 come up their lane," said Miss Mallet,
"a-leaning in at her keeping room winder as
cosy as you please. An unkommin smart
looking chap. Eh, Cyrus?''
"Do tell" spoke up sister Jane. els
Huldah Blare thinking about a beau at her
time of life? Rather late in the day."
''Never to late to mend,' said Cyrus, fa-
cetiously.
Now, Cyrus had been sweet upon Huldah
all his days; but latterly there had arisen
GOODNESS between them. Huldah wanted
him to study law, while he had set his heart
upon filling the pulpit at Rowley, and set
Ting down soberly with Huldah at the par
sonage. There had been a quarrel, and
Huldah had gone away on visit, to be
followed on her return by the aforesaid
young man. Nobody knew exactly whether
she had Tilted Cyrus, or whether he had
changed his mind; only Jane suspected, and
Miss Mallet thought she heard words one
night, when she went to Huldah's, before
raising the knocker. Miss Mallet always
made it a rule to stand on the door step for
few minutes before knocking, in order to
collect herself, and whatever unguarded
words might float outward from her neigh
bors' lips.
eyes, Huldy's no chicken" pursued Miss
Mallet, "Lemme see; her folks was married
forty mine year come Thanksgiving time,
and Huldy's the baby, She'll never see 35
agin. Her young man must be consid able
younger"
younger! Dear me! did think Huldy
had more dignity. I'd like to see boy
proposing to mep'
"Hoity-toity! dare say you would. Jane
Allen" laughed the visitor. "There amt
nothing in the Scriptures agin it, eh Cyrus?"
against boy proposing to Jane?"
"Cyrus, how can you be SO frivolous?-
You, a clergyman! Dear me, what can
Hubby be thinking of?''
''Her young man, reckon. Don't you,
Cyrus?'
81 don't reckon on anything where wo-
mans concerned" said he with some bit
terness.
sDeary me, Cyrus Allen, how came you
to let this young popinjay cut you out
that's what I'd like to know? Here you
was right handy, and knowed Hubby evel
since she was that high. allus thought
you'd make a match of it, you two. She's
just the cut out for minister's wife, to sing
psalms and lead in prayer at class meetins',
and carry broth and flannel to the poor.''
s'Huldy? Why, Miss Mallet," cried Jane,
''I've heard her say she wouldn't marry a
minister if there wasn't another man il
creation-having everybody in the parish
bringing tithes of mint and cumin, as she
calls it,"
ssP'rhaps she want asked"
ssLike as not" said Jane. ssSour grapes
But it does beat everything her taking ud
with this boyr'
ooh, he's got as good moustache al
Cyrus has; he's old enough to go alone"
''To know better''
"Wa'al, it isn't such terrible thing, NJ
way. Deacon Canticle's younger than his
wife, and they was allus peaceable together
Nobody'd knowed about it if they didn'
go peeking into the family Biblep'
"Time's delusion, said Cyrus "Whel
people reach maturity, few years on eithe
side don't signify" Cyrus was a triie tn
junior of Huldah himself. ''Shakespear
was younger than Ann Hathaway and Dr.
Johnson
'Law," interrupted Miss Mallet, 'sdi'
you know his wife was down with tn
measles?' taking it for granted that h
spoke Of the village doctor, and Thankful
she hadn't forgotten to tell the news.
"Oh, Cyrus means the DIR. Johnson WHIT
wrote dictionaries and things correcte
Jane.
"Law? I don't know nothing about him1
l never see his wife, neither"
"WelL'' continued Jane, with Huldy stil
heavy on her mind. sI'm willing folk
should marry their grandmothers if the
want to; but must say Pm disappointe
in Huldy."
"And 1 shouldn't wonder if Cyrus was.
"He's got his calling"
81 guess he won't need to be calling a