The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-03-29

"Wal, he might have good reason
fort. AS I told Brother Sam, when |
he was prancin' round with the Wild
der Pettee, when a mans got Il wife
"The widow lifted up her hands and
eyes. "Good gracious you don't
mean to say he's married -
"Tew be sure; and got three chill
dren."
"Of all things! Who on earth told
ye?"
.Who told me! Why, I was at the
weddin' myself. Is it anything sur
prism fer man to get married g
"Wal, no. Blu tew think that you
never mentioned it,"
II didn't s'posc twas anythin' that
would interest you in partlc' ler," re-
sponded Josh, as he put the last screw
into the face Of the clock. II hadn't
no idee then that you was of SIGH a
kind and charitable turn of mind.
guess it will go all right now. I'm
goin' teW the Center this afternoon,
but shall be back the first of the
week, an ifthere's any tronble jes'
let me know
"The sly, deceitful, good for-nothin'
scamp - exclaimed the widow Pea.
body, as she tied on her bonnet, pre-
paratory to spreading this delectable
bit of scandal through the village.
s'Tew think of his havin' wife an
three children, an he purtendin' to
be slngal man! III unmask the
vilyun -
The Widow Peabody was as good as
her word, succeeding so we'll in her
benevolent, self-denying efforts that
when Mr.. Brown returned to Barber
ry Green, as he did few days after,
he was received with a mixture Of
constraint and GOODNESS by his former
friends and associates that surprised
and puzzled him. TO complete his
| vexation and bewilderment Mahitable
Green, whose esteem and affection he
was so anxious to secure, actually re-
fused to see him. The studious avoid
ance of him by everyone made it no
! easy thing to do, but he finally sue
ceeded in tracing the matter to its
| source.
There was ''quilting'' at Squire
Teller's and such a clatter of tongues
as there was in the ''square-room,"
where the fair quilters were congre-
gated. The Widow Peabody was there,
Of course; she never failed to ''put in
an appearance on such occasions.
Mahitable Green was there, too,
though she had much rather stayed
at home. roor girl! But she was
high-spirited, and wasn't going to
have folks think she was ''wearing
the willow" not she She sat among
merry group Of her own age, her
smiling face little in unison with her
heavy heart.
The widow Peabody was the center
| and attraction of an interested, if not
interesting group. Never was her
voluble tongue more active and vene-
nous. She was repeating, for about
the hundretdh time, her accounted Mr..
Browns baseness and deplicity, and
to which she had given variety of
| additions and embellishments, when
the door opened, and in came the
hero of it, followed by Josh Hard.
wick. Without noticing the astonish.
ment on the faces of those present,
he marched up to where Mrs. Peabody
sat.
"Good evening. ma'am I hear that
you have been busying yourself with
my affairs good deal lately"
''Sir," said the widow, grimly, 81
consider it tew be my duty tew warn
folks ag'in them chat go about like
wolves in sleeps clothing. How did
you leave your wife? Ahem!''
Here Mrs. Peabody glanced around
with a look of triumph. But, instead
| of being overwhelmed with confusion
at this public exposure, as might pro-
perly be expected of him; Mr.. Brown
said quietly :
'sMy wife-that is to be, as hope
is very well at present, as am happy
to see.'
Here the supposed culprit glanced at
Mahitable, who was an interested and
attentive listener to this.
Josh IIardwick now spoke:
"Look here, wilder, I've got ques-
ton tew ask you. I dom often speak,
but when l dew it's tew the pint:
What dew you mean by sayin' as how
told We that Mr.. Brown had a wife
and three children?
because you did tell me so - cried
the widow, sticking her elbows AKIN.
DO, evidently considering her reputa-
tion as reliable 'news.vender" to be
at stake. "You told me so the day
you fixed my clock, an you needn't 80
fur teW deny it, nuther.''
81 didn't tell you nothin' of the sort.
was speakin bout Brother Sam, when
you bust in, askin' if he was married,
an said yes. If you wasn't continu-
ally thinkin' evil of your Majors you'd
have knowed what meant
Mr.. Brown now int exposed. Looking
around upon the expectant group,
whose faces evinced both surprise and
curiosity, he said:
My good frienus-as hope and be-
lieve you all to be-perhaps I owe you
an apology for my abrupt and uncere-
m0nious departure from your midst.
In order to explain it clearly l shall
have to make a, for me, rather humil.
iating confession. But an open con-
fession, they say,is good for the soul.'
Here the speaker glanced slyly at
the widow Peabody, who had pricked
up her ears, thinking that she should
now hear something more to her liking
Mr.. Brown resumed:
Il am reluctantly compelled to &C.
knowledge that, owing to the result of
fall, have-not a wife and three
children; am not so blest-but, hor-
rible to relate, three artificial teeth,
which, being, directly in front, are in.
dispensable to the fair degree of good
looks which I flatter myself possess.
Upon the night previous to my leav.