The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-01-28
"D0N'T TELL BETSEY JANE"


of voice aighted from Concord wagon
in front of his own farm house door,
and stood there for few moments In a
brown study, watching the figure OF his
brother-in-law and lawyer, as he drove
back toward the village of W,
whence the two men had just come.
"Don't tell Betsey Jane 70
Now Betsey Jane was Mr.. Nlcodemus
Hardings wife-a stirring, noble soul,
who made more butter and cheese, and
took more eggs to the city market, IN
the course of a season, than any other
woman for miles around. Strong,
healthy and hearty, she "made ths
Homework fly" to use her own emerge
tic expression; and If Mr.. Nicodemus
Harding owned his farm that day, and
was well-to-do, in fact, rich man to
boot, it was owing in no small measure
to the skill, energy, economy and gen
eral go-aheadativeness of his Betsey
Jane. What was it, then, that the
ungrateful man was not to tell Betsey
Jane?
cit would never do, never - thought
Nicodennus to himself, shaking his head.
s'She'd be wanting new carpet, or
new silk gown, or the house all painted
over, or some such nonsense. No, the
woman is the weaker vessel, and it won't
do to trust one too far. Their heads
won't stand it.
So Mr.. Nicodemus passed through
the house and out toward the barn, with
the pre-occup1ed air of hen who has
an egg to lay and don't know where she
can hide from the eyes of mankind to
the best advantage. The kitchen was
empty and silent as he went through it.
But, oh if he could have seen the
buxom, good-looking female, who stole
silently out of the pantry, and as
silently followed him on his way to the
barn.
Mrs. Harding came back in about fif-
teen minutes or so, with face red with
suppressed Laughter.
s'Don't tell Betsey Jane" she said,
giggling into her gingham apron. you
are very smart man, Nicodemus, and
nv brother, Tim Voss is another, and a
lawyer, into the bargain. ''Don't tell
Betsy Jane" indeed Two wretches !!
you deserve all you'll get pretty soon. %
Betsy Jane said no more, but bided
her time A week passed away, and
brother Tins wagon drove up again to
the door, and was off to the village once
more. Betsey Jane had asked in vain
to go. Nicodemus was bound on bust
ness-s'buslness which a woman could
not understand" he loftily explained to
her. SO, after watching her lord and
master out of sight, Betsey Jane went
about business that a woman could
understand with merry twinkle in her
bright blaci- eyes.
At 5 P. NJ Nicodemus returned home
again, looking quite as before. He tip
toed along through the house, Betsey
Jane watching him from the corner of
her eye the while. He passed out into
the shed. A fragrant smell of smoke
came forward to meet him-an order of
burning corn cobs and gradually curing
ham.
Nicodemus turned deadly pale, and
ran frantically forward to find fire
smouldering in the ash house, and a
large ham or two, covered by blankets,
placidly hanging there. The yell he gave
brougt Betsey Jane from the house
instanter, to find Nicodemus grovehng
before the ash hole, weeping and wailing
and tearing his hair, and uttering yell
after yell of anguish and despair.
''Why bless me! what's the matter :?
Are you in q fit Let me run for the
camphor !" shrieked Betsey Jane.
'sCamphor Bring arsenic Bring
prussic acid Bring poison of some kind
pison-pison-pison y yelled Nicode-
mus, frantlcally. Woman, you've ruin
ed me Twelve thousand in government
bonds did I put in that ash hole for
safety just a week ago, and you've gone
and burned them up to cook that cursed
bacon pison pison pison and let
me go out of this dreary world y
sob, SO that was what you were not
going to tell Betsey Jane Amt you
ashamed of pourself, Nicodemus Hard
ing?"
Nicodemus could notanswer. He lay
PROSTATE in the ashes and howled.
sGet up and don't be fool - said
Betsey Jane, amiably. ST heard you
and brother Tim conspiring that day
at the door. and L watched you to the
ash hole and soon found out what you