The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-07-21

What air you g1ggnn lur, oalni"
LIE anythin' strange fur the squire IN nls
LONELY sitivation, tew call on nelghoor an
1o1d schoolmate? Pears tew me I'd try teW
show some manners. body would thlnk
! YOU WAS brung up in the woods. You
Jh'ain't told Sam whether you was goln tew
Isingin'-school. Yes, Sam, she'll 60. You'd
better come airly, asit's quite piece to the
school
With another wink to Samantha, whose
whose cheeks were as red as the apples she
was pairing, Sam took himself off, whistling
i merrily as he retraced his way scross the
fields.
ri wonder what the squire wants tew
see me 30 partic'ler bout, Samantha :
Hain't the least idee2 Wal, all I know is
that he never was in no sich takin' afore
his wife died. I ruther guess that old
maid sister Of his don't make things none
tew comf'table fur him. She's dretful
DOOR housekeeper, 80 I've heerd say.
Fetch me clean cap out Of the bureau
drawer. NOG IEdVj onS oNS "N'A ~
crimped border an laylock ribbin. What
air you gigglin' at Pears to you Tn fS'"
up considerable How ridiculous you dew
talk as tho didn't want tew bo clean.
There's Sam comm through the gate;
don't keep him waitin'."
"How dew, Squire Skinner Walk in,
an take cheer by the stove, dew
oval, I don't care if I do widder; its
a bitter cold night, good deal colder than
T calc'lated on when I started"
'"True enough, squire; there are nights
that middle-aged folks, like we be, find a
warm corner by rousins fire like this
better'n the jolliest sleigh ridin' that can
be got up. Samantha she's gone tew the
singin' school, so I'm all alone this even
in. I'm proper glad you happened in;
them that's in our lonely sitivation orter
be neighborly.'
I s'pose Sam told you my arrant'"
said the squire.
oval, yes, he sorter hinted-te, he, he!
Boys will be boys, you know, an Sam is
as full Of mischief as an egg is full Of
meat. Try piece Of mince-pie. squire
didn't eat much supper, so 1 put one in
the oven tew warm. My poor dead-an'-
zone husband used to say that nobody
could beat mo maxim ,nince-pies. Take q
piece, dew.
eeThank'ee, widder, don't care If do.
I'm nightly glad you're 80 favorable to my
propersition. I told Sam that you was
allus so pertic'lar bout keepin' everythin'
Jest as twas in Mr.. Peabody's time, that
I was most afeared you mighnt't like it."
"Dear me, squire how curi'us that you
should have thought that, when you know
how much I allus sot by you ever sence we
used tew 60 tew school together. Tho
Lord knows h'ain't been in no hurry fur
any change, an if it had been any one but
YOU that limited at sich o thing I'd ha'
showed 'em tew the door in quick metre,
an they would't have been long in
taking it. neither. Them that's had the
padner that had ANTI in no hurry tew get
another Jon'than used to speak Of you
often he thought there wasn't nobody
like squire Skinner. An when I see you
in the cheer that he so often sot in, it rely
seems as if twas him settin' there"
"I'm obleeged to you, widder, fur youl
| {n h,,c;
Mine is leetle the ightest, but 'twouldn't
hardly be noticed, an if 30 be we can
strike a bargin, there won't be better
match in the hull township, III bet"
Lawful sakes, squire how you Huster a
body! It is so sudding. But, then, faint
as though we hadn't knowed each other
ever sence we was knee-high to grasshop-
per. Wal, no, I can't say as there would
be better match, takin' lit all in all, than
our'n would be. An we amt obleeged tew
wait or ask nobody, but can suit ourselves
in Margin. So, if you're agreeable I
ann
Squire Skinner stared at the speaker in
blank amazement.
"Good gracious, Mrs Peabody D.! what be
yop talkin' on? Ih'ain't said nothin' bout
marvin. I was speakin' bout swappin
my bay horse fur your gray one. YOU
see"
The widow Peabody arose to her feet,
the very brows upon her cap assuming h
belligernent aspect
"Dew you mean to insult me, Squire
Skinner ?"
"By no manner O means. Your gray
borse an mine is sich nice match as to
size an color so I thought"
"Dew you see that air door, sirP The
sooner YOU march out ont the better it
will be fur you'll"
but, wilder"
"start yourself, tell ye! an don't you
never darken my door ag' y
Exit the squire, in great hurry.
An hour later, Salmantha came In, her
cheeks all aglow and her eyes as bright rs
the stars that looked down upon the whis-
pering and lingering parting at the gate.
She found her mother in no very amlable
humor.
$50 you've come at last, miss A pretty
time O night fur you tew be comm home!
Thought I had sich good company that you
wouldn't hurry eh2 Who told you that l
consider old 'Lijah Skinner good comp'ny!
He's the most tiresone fellow I ever did
see! There he sot an sot, an wouldn't
take no kind of hint, till fairly had tew
tell him tew 60. wonder what good he