The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-07-12
What Brown Left Town For.

What Brown Left Town For.
Such commotiOn as there was in
Barbary Green-among the feminine
portion of twas never knSwn be-
fore by the older inhabitants.
Thomas Jefferson Brown, who was
counted as much fixture in the place
as the town-pump, had gone, no one
knew whittier.
That he should have left town with
out telling where he was going, what
he was going for. and when he was
coming back, were considered in the
light of a personal affront by his fel.
low.townspeople in general, and the
Widow Peabody in particular.
The Widow Peabody was one ol
those kind hearted creatures to be
found, to a greater or less extent, in
every country village, who take deep
interest in their ncighbors' affairs, Of
ten neglecting their own to attend 10
SnS'h. buS SiAauO Au thIo "ISACSA
world of ours often fails of its reward
and we are sorry to say that this
worthy individuals disinterested eli.
forts in her neighbors' behalf not un.
frequently met with a base return,
some of them being so unreasonable
as to suppose they knew their own
business best, and could manage il
without any of her help.
But this by no means discouraged
the widow Peabody. She expected
aech things from them that didn't
know no BETTER as she often observed
1t now being her sself-evident' duty to
find out the why's and wherefores OF
Mr.. Browns sudden and mysterious
disappearance, she set about it with
all commendable zeal and alacrity.
She commenced operations by
pumping Josh Hardwick, who used
TO do odd jobs for him, and anyone
else who needed his services, Josh be-
ing one of those handy individuals so
OAlSh All w hO Cou
turn their hand to almost anything
But Josh was non-committal either
he had nothing to tell or was indis-
posed to tell what he did know.
Mrs. Peabody believed it was the
latter, and as the natural effect of this
conclusion, the old kitchen clock that
had licked quietly in the corner for a
quarter of century was suddenly
discovered to need fixing
Now, be it known that there are
none Of these natural-born geniuses
of the New England type but that can
take clock to pieces and put it to-
gether again-to quote Josh Hard
wick's frequent assertion-.iest as easy
as nothin.'
josh hated Mrs. Peabody 'wus than
pison,' to use his emphatic language
but he tallers calc'lated on bein' perlite
to the wimen-folks.' And then he
was glad of a job; nothing suited
him better than 'tinkerin,' as he called
Ats Nv AO IOS1 III tAuAO III 5SCPPlu III
tew the widder's, jest tcw take squint
at the consarn.' He set it 'agoin,' and
then closing one eye and squirting up
the other, in manner peculiar to him,
watched the pendulum as it swung
sOiemnly to and fro.
'Don't keep good time, hey3 Suth-
in's ont of kilter, suppose. I'll soon
find out
Suiting the action to the word, Josh
soon had the wheels and weights aud
all the varied mechanism, spread upon
the table before him. Needs cleanin
1 expect
This gratuitous information was
volunteered to the Widow Peabody
who stood looking over his shoulder
her thoughts intent upon the subject
that so puzzled her astute. far-reach.
ing mind. 'How very sudding Mr.
Brown did go OFF. Don't you think
SOP
We'll, no, marm; can't say as l do
thought he fingered surprising. His
darter told me at the funeral-'
oh didn't mean that Mr.. Brown
but Thomas-him that left town il
sich terrible hurry that he .didn,
have time TO bid goodbye tew nobody
You was seen talking with him the
mornin' he left; what did he say he
| was goin' for, an where tew?'
Il do know more'n the man in the
moon he didn't tell me nothin.'
met him in the street, down by Dea
con SINNERS with his carpet-bag i,
his hand. Josh,' says he, I'm goin
out Of town. Here's Il dollar; tina
makes us 50 uare, bel1evc.' He wa
alters good pay, I'll say that much TO
him.
The widowpursed mp her lips, ,shak
ing her head mysteriously; these sim
pie words had, to her, a meaning o
direful import.
tAh! there it Is! If he'd have ex
ected to come back, he'd have waited