Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-07-26
SHE DIDN'T ADVERTISE.

tall, Macoupin woman the other day
Of the editor, whom she happened to
find in his sanctum.
Yes, ma am, this is the place." and
he handed her chair and prepared
himself for business.
.'Be you the man that runs the ne
paper, mister'"
81 am the editor of the paper, ma am.
What can do Tor you, DO you wish
to subscribe or 10 advertise %
when I've told it 10 you want YOU
to print it-that's what | want. And
it's all about man that come into the
Crooked Greek set,lement-that's " her
! live--a preachin'. He allowed he
had call 30 preach, and we thought
mebbe he had"
So much by way Of preliminary; then
she rested and stared hard at the edi.
tor.
''Ts il personal matter, ma'am -
Has this man been doing anything out
OF the way-anything improper:"
Improper: and she smiled in scorn
that he didn't see it before asking such
q aquestion. "You just write il down
Us | tell it, and see then if it is not i'm
proper"
"Will you proceed to tell me all the
facts, then, na'am 20
THAT is just what I'm agoin' to do
as soon as ever can think il over
Well, he come there aliuwin' he had a
call TO preach"
"l have written that" he remarked,
after waiting for her to go on with the
story. Nv What did he do them"
"Why he preached. You jist write
il that he preached; and he boarded with
me-"
"Refore going any further you had bet
ter give the names Of all the parties in
tercsted."
Names Why everybod that knows
me knows what my name is; and ain I
afraid TO have it called righ, out in meet
ing neither. But what have YOU got
writ down about iti'
That this man came to Crooked d
Creek and wished to preach"
THAT is so, and he did preach. lie
was sort OF delicate like, and he couldn I
eat common doin's like the rest of US.
His stummick couldn'; relish nothing
but fried chicken three times a day.
Now, write that, mister"
"Weli, | have described his delicate
appetite"
Next YOU might mention that he
wanted my Martha Ann to do most OF
TIE coolln. And the way he praised
that gals cookin' was calculated to give
her hopes that he was willing to enjoy
II regular always. He jist split that gal
for eookin anything but fried chicken.
o, that man is little the meanest, on
nory skunk | ever knowed here in Ma
coupin."
~"Didn't he pay his board"
"fes, he paid; but he was so dread
fui close and stingv. You don't reckon
. were goin' to kill every last chicken
on the place. and Martha Ann cookin'
herself mighty nigh TO death jist for the
price OF board, do you:"
81 really don't know what is cus,o-
mary in such cases, ma'am. Perhaps
this preacher ought to have gwen your
daughter present or some token OF
gratitude Tor her kindness"
Now YOU are talking sense, mister,
] know there sever was such a fool a.
I've been about that preacher. ough,
10 have made him stuck to corn bread
and meat ill he was willing to marry
Martha Ann or me, her mother. Then
he'd know that fried chicken was of
some account. But he's gone up to
Sangamon county a preachin,' and |
want to print i, in the papers how mean
he's been here, SO as other women
won't be wastin' their fried chicken on
him. Now, how much will il cost -
Forty lines at fifteen cents a line
will be six dollars, ma am. Shall |
make out bill p
"ies, make out bill Just as big rs
ever you can, and make him paw tor it.
Then he'll know what chickens is
WORTH"
But that is not the way we do busi-
ness here, ma'am. l; is your bill, and
you will have to pay-not the preach
er."
"Me pay for putting his meanaess
into the paper. What do you take me
for, misters What is the good OF put.
ting him into the newspaper unless he
has to pay: Good-day, mister"
She didn't advertise.