Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-09

didn't sleep o. nights, and got blue as a
bank OF clouds On Sabhath-day there he
was in the family pew as fine as silk. in
kid gloves and patent-leather shoes, a.
holding a hymn book along of strange
| CURL, who he'd on morey antique gown
and a blue bonnet like a flower garding,
and was all a. glitter with beads and bugles
and things. She he'd plaguy ugly face,
for all her good clothes, and she was
a-singing off OF Rhett's face instead of the
| hymn book; and when meeting was over
! he give her his arm, and never looked at
Sibyl no more'n she'd bin post. We
was at singing school the following Sat
urday night, and somebody says:
81 reckon how that there'll be a we'd
ding at Pixies Clearing afore hundred
year"
Il should hope Sc" says Lucy Ladd
And il won't be Lucy's nor Sibyrs, y
says Ben.
Time enough for that, y said Lucy.
81 joked Rhett about it myself o. Fri
| day." put in John Piker. Il asked why
/ he needed to be going abroad for wife
when there was so many pretty gurls to
home going a-begging."
81 hope you're saucy enough" says l.
"Is he really sweet on the CURL tochurch
with him?' asked our Jane. :" wonder
what he sees in herr
"Solid charms says Ben. Il heerd
him tell John Piker that il was proverbial
that beauty'd fade, but money'd hold its
| own through fire and waterr'
g see him kiss Sibyl one day" spoke
up little Tim Ladd, who was lame and
petted; " | see him kiss her twicet If
he don't marry Sibyl | will" And then
we all laughed; and Hush, Tim" says
Lucy, for there was Sibyl at my elbow
est taking off her shawl
The next day Ben and me was down to
the Witches Pool-for father didn't want
! me to be keeping company with Ben,
and him and me didn't agree on
that subiect-and while we was talk
ing together there, hid away by
the barberry bushes and the alaeTs ana
sumacs, who should come lettering by
but Sibyl and Jack Rhettl and they
stopped close by while he threw pebble
into the pool, and it went down and down,
and is going down now for all ] know,
for there amt no bottom to the pool, folks
think.
There, Sybil, +" heerd him say, my
love for you is as deepas that pool. Aren't
you satisfied? What does il signify If
do stay at home and amuse Bertha, If m
thinking of you all the time and wishing
was here? You don't want me 10 be rude
to a CURL who's visiting my mother, if she
has got mouth like shark, and she a
kind of cousin, too. I'm sure you needn't
be jealous Of her, Sibyl; she can't hold a
candle to your
Il am jealous of your good name,
Jack" saws Sibil. at hurts me as If
they he'd run knife through me when
hear folks talk of you as they do"
"What do they say about meY'
"They say you mean TO marry her, and
you don't love her could bear it, you
know--at least | ao0ulG bear tiff you
loved her dearly but 1t hurts me like
wound to hear them talk as If you he'd
no honor and no love for anything but
money"
:" shall set it all right some day, sweet.
heart, "asaid be. 1.-The fact is, Sibyl, my
| father and mother fret me to death"
"They want you to marry Bertha?'
"That's ii, and you and must waittill
| their within wears itself out. / have to
| humor them a little"
"Oh, then you deceive them, Jackl"
And is that so terrible? musteither
| deceive them or you, sweetheart" said
Jack, kissing her; but Sibyl only sighed
and then they passed on.
You see, was forced to play at caves
dropping because ] didn't want folks TO
know how was disobeying father and
going on with Ben.
Well Bertha she went home, and pretty
soon Jack he went too, TO study some
thing or other at the same place, and
| folks left off talking about 'em, and Jack
| would send Sybyl a necklace or some
| trfle now and then to please her; and
since Sibyl couldn't get the district school
| any longer, cause woman didn't know
| enough to teach In the fall, she went out
to sewing, for she he'd to help herself in
those days; and one day Jacks mother
sent for her TO make gown at the Hall,
| and she liked that SO well she he'd her TO
make another; for Mrs. Rhett was mas
ter hand for gowns. II was getting on
into November; the trees had turned TO
flames aud burned themselves away, and
the barberries were ripe and red, and Mrs
Rhett had Sibyl up there to make her
silk perlisse, and they got talking about
Thanksgiving beggsrs, for Thanksgiving
he'd been appointed.
II always give 'em something" said
Mrs Rhett, "whoevcr they are. A pie
won't hurt anybody. Miss Hcnshaw al
ways turns 'em away empty-handed, for
you never can tell. says she, whether its
one Of the neighbor's gurls or a needy
creature; but / tell her the neighbor's
gurls couldn't deceive me, nor any CURL
that ever was born"
80 Mrs. Rhettr' laughed Sibyl. ~
mean TO send somebody here and see if
you find out who she is"
$50 do" said Mrs. Rhett; and if
don't find out I'll give you as handsome a
wedding gown as CURL need to put on
her back, when you want one"
Though IL was not particular pleasant
on Thanksgiving Eve, but had showed,
and threatened to snow more, and not a
star was out, yet parcel of US hair
Drained gurls got together, and thought
ii rare sport to dress up in all the old buds
VIC could raise and go out begging, and
some of was first-rate at imposing on
kindly spinsters who hedn't nobody but
cat 10 care for. And then somebody
said Lets go and get Sibyl."
1t was some time aiore we could per.
suade her to join us, for she want none
of the fooling kind; but finally she got
herself up so you'd died a-laughing. She
a. l.