Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-04-19
Mrs. Browns Mystery.

out of my bias lately. jest on account of
cousin Jotham's mysteries and onder-
handed kerrins-On. Cousin lothian he's
a putty fair and square sort of . man
that is, as men goes. which hain't sayin'
no great things, 'twixt you and | and
the dOOrlatch. sister Peabody man of
stiddy habits and good mOrrils-a man
that was alters to home O. nights, and to
bed airly. This much I've been know
in to for years
But spell ago he commenced for to
act in the most curis and onaccountable
manner One day be comes TO me. jest
as | was putin away my weeks ironin',
and says he:
''Elmiry." says he. Il guess you may
leave out clean shirt for me, if you've
a mind to. 1 may 60 out tonight" "
says be.
| was considerable struck up to hear
him say this; for cousin lothian he was
alters as slack and slovenish bout his
close as pisOn. and I'd alters had master
hard work to git him to shirt hisself
Sundays, let alone week days. But |
didn't say nOthin'-thOugh l KEEP up a
powerful thinkin'. l can tell you. sister
Peabody.
Wall, that nig ght he went and rigged
hisself all out into his meetin' weskit
and trowsiz, and bran-new necktie.
noticed that he had had his whiskers
trimmed down to the barber's and his
hair all combed down onto his forehead,
into little scallop. jest as the young
fellers does. and If my Oilfactories didn't
deceive me Orfully. he had musk and
sassyfrax about his person.
Jest as the clock was on the stroke of
seven, be put on his hat and went off
1t was nigh midnight when l heerd the
door open and him go creepin' up stairs.
into his stoekin' feet, jest as kecrful as
could be- Is'pOse he hattered hisself
that nobody heerd him, but he was dret-
full mistaken.
The very next night but one he dress
ed up ag'in, and went of in the same
mysterus way, and came back in the
some mysterus way, and he done the
same all the follerin' week. l thought,
at fust, that it was some town meetin' or
politikle careusses that took him away
SO often but after ehawin' away for a
spell, and turnin' the thing over in my
mind putty keerful. l bout concluded
that them meetin' close, and perfoOmery
and spruced-up whiskers meant matter
monil intentions. and nothin else. |
should have thought of this afOre if it
hadn't been that cousin Jotham was a
confarmed old bachelor. of FIVE and fifty
years standin', and a reg'lar woman
hater.
This state of things was OWN to she
that was Callina Dobbs givin' him the
sack when he was young. 1t was dret-
ful blow to Cousin lothian, and ever
sence. he's had a great antiquity to the
female sect.
Wall. l jest KEEP my eye onto cousin
lothian putty elost, and the more ]
watched him. the more sartin was tina;
my conjeeters in regards to his euris &C
tons Ess cOrreck. He seemed to be
kind Of narvous and anxious-like, as
would be nat'ral for a man that was
thinkin' of gittin' married He actooal-
ly seemed Unhappy. cousin lothian did,
by spells.
! didn't have much pity for him, but
how my heart did ache for that poor de-
luded ereter onto which be had cast has
eyes with matrimonil thoughts intent,
! as it ware-that woman that had got tc
darn his sOx. patch his trowsiz. and dc
his cOOkin'. Ny soul actooally bled fol
her.
But who scas the woman? ? l eouldn't
seem to pitch upon nobody. and that
question fairly haunted me day and
night. couldn't seem to solve it ID.
ways. 1t wore on my sperrits in anna
Iin' way; ] couldn't sleep o nights;
lost all relish for my vittels, and pined
all away to mere shadder.
Suspense and Onsartainty is somethin
that can't bear up under. nOways, and
l determined that I'd onravel the whole
! thing, from beginnin' to end. if it eost
me fOrtin- So one dark night I fol
lered on arter cousin lothian l tracked
, him as fur as the corner. but | found il
putty hard work to keep up with him, ht
; went at sieh rapid rate
! KEEP him in sight clear up the stree
: where the stores and houses was. IL
didn't 90 into none Of them, howsonev
er. but went right straight oR. till b,
got way cut onto the edges of the vii
lage, where there was an old tumble
: down building, the upper story Of which
: was commonly used for singin' school
and dancin' schools
The fust thing kDOWed. be cut acrOs
the street and went into this buildin' 4
r tight as he could go. The upper stOrl
was all lighted up. and see men com
o in and gein' al the time i watches
|. round there awhile. and then wen