The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-08-26
his mouth, as if he'd got the toothache,

douduiC0 tcW Uc sccu SHCdhiH OuJ vi IOWu
that fashion, and no wonderr" az,
~ y Mebbe So" was the philosophical re-
joinder.
can then, tew think how attentive
he's been tew Mehitable Green!, Every
body said they was as good as engaged.
He goes there every Sabba'day evenin',
an alters waits on her home from meetin'.
Tew my certain knowledge, them TIVE
have stood talkin' at the gate half an
hour at stretch" ..
"You've got very observious mind,
widder; there amt many folks that sees
as much as you dew"
"There amt much that goes on in the
village that l don't know of, if dew say
it'll" responded the widow, with a graft
fled air.
can it is so kind-hearted of ye tew be
interested in them that you amt in no
way responsible for!"
"Wall, folks is commonly 80 selfish
they can't seem to think of anybody but
themselves an them that belongs to 'em.
thank the Lord / amt no sich! Poor
Mehitable! really feel for her She
sot her life by Mr.. Brown, as q body
could see with half an eye! Melissy
Powers was there when she first heerd
ont, an says she was all struck of heap.
Said she saw him the night afore, an he
didn't say nothin' bout goin'. / must
say that it's the curiusest thing / ever
heerd tell on. What could be the reason
he didn't marry herw
"Wal, he might have a good reason
fort. As l told brother Sam, when he
was prancin' round with the Widder
Pettee, when mans got wife"
The widow lifted up her hands and
eyes. ~..;T....f ,..,;....~-s
"Good gracious! you don't mean tew
say he's married 2? s'i'S -stgsi "ii
"Tew be sure; and got three chill.
dren.
"Of all things! Who on airth told
yep wREE9m q WGA&
"Who told me? Why, I was at the
weddin' myself. Is it anythin' surprisin'
fur man tew git married T'
"Wal, no. But tew think that you
never mentioned it,"
~ didn't s'pose twas anything that
would interest you in partic'lar," re-
sponded Josh, as he put the last screw
into the face of the clock. 81 hadn't no
idee, then, that you was of sich kind
and charitable turn of mind. i guess it
will go all right, now. Pmgoin' tew the
Center this AFTERNOON, but Ishall be
back the fust of the week, an if there's
any trouble, jeS let me know" -
"The sly, deceitful, good-for-nothin'
.scampW exclaimed the Widow Peabody,
as she tied on her bonnet, preparatory
to spreading this delectable bit of scan
dal through the village. "Tew think of
his having aWife an three children, an
he purtending tew be single man Pll
unmask the vilyunp
. The Widow Peabody was as good as
her word, succeeding SO well in her be-
nevolent, selfdenying efforts, that when
Brown returned to Barberry Green, as
he did a few days after, he was received
with a mixture of constraint and cool
ness by his former friends and associates
that surprised and puzzled him. n.s
To complete his vexation and bewilder-
ment, Mehitable Green, whose esteem
and affection he was SO anxious to secure,
actually refused to see him.
The stu9ious avoidance of him by
every one made it no easy thing to do,
but he finally succeeded in tracing the
matter to its source.
There was "quilting." at Squire
Teller's, and such clatter of tongues as
there was in the "square room," where
the fair quilters were congregated!
The Widow Peabody was there, OF
course; she never failed to "put in an
appearance on such occasions.
Mehitable Green was there, too, though
she had much rather have staid at home,
poor girl But she was high-spirited,
and didn't want folks to think that she
was wearing the willow,''snpt sheiz3
She sat an10ng q merry group of her
own age, her smiling faoe little ip unison
With her heavy heart.
The Widow Peabody was the center
and attraction of an Interested, If not in.
teresting group. :. Never was her voluble
tongue more active and venomous.
She was repeating, for about the hun
dredth time, her account ofMr. Browns
baseness and duplicity, and to which she
had given 3 Variety of additions and
embellish when The door opened
and IN came the hero Of ik followed Joy
josh Hardwick. sssstssS
., Without noticing the astonishment or
the faces Of those present, he marched
up to where. Mrs. Peabody sat. -. 4.
"Good evening, ma'am. ! hear, tha'
you have been busying yourself with my
affairs q good deal, lately. ."rngxyNxr
q Sir, said the widow 9rimly, |" i con
Gider II tcW be my duty tew warn folk
rR R.,sa <yrxS,ar,sof ~ >33d foo ~.
your wife? Ahem!"
Here Mrs. Peabody glanced arount
with look of triumph.Sas '1Fv
q But instead of being overwhelmed
with confusionlst this public exposure
as might properly be expected of him
Mr.. Brown said, quietly: ~ : e"'''
"My wife-that is to be, as l HOPPE
very well at present, as l am happy u
say" .sVR1Hlb gtBNas
Here the supposed culprit glanced a
Mehitable, who was an interested ant
attentive listener to this. IA u
Josh Hardwick now spoke: 9a
Look here, widder, Pve got ques
tion tew ask you. Idon't often speak
butwhen,I dew, it's tew the pint. Wha
dew you mean by saying as howl tolt
We that Mr.. Brown had wife an thre
children" a1wsd sp'N
Because you did tell me sol p erie,
the widow, sticking her. elbows .akimbo
evidently considering her reputation a
a reliable news vender" to be at stake
"You told me so the day, You fixed IN.
clock, an you needn't go fur tew den,
it, nnther." s,p.,a,ss =. - ~,ss
A""I didn't tell you nothin' o. the sort
was speakin' bout brother Sam, whel
you bust in, askin' if he was married, m
said Yes If you wasn't continnerl,
thinkin' evil of your nabers, you'd hav
knowed what meant"
Mr.. Brown now interposed. Lookin
around upon the expectant group, who's
faces evinced both surprise and curiosity
he said 80 sA-A
my good friends as Irhcpe and be
lieve you all to be-perhaps / owe yo'
an apology for my abrupt and uncere
lmonious departure from your mitlst.N ii
order to explain it clesEly y, i shall hav
to make a. ,ne, rather humiliatin,
oon r. oaint Rut a m oman. ooss I.x,