Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-03-23

mOOni ne ulunJ tell nc nOJnln. met
him in the street, down by Deacon Skin
ner's, with his carpe.-bag in his hand
Josh, says he, I'm goin' out of town.
Here's dollar; that makes us square, /
blieve.' He was alters good pay, I'll say
that much fur him." f- rri ..
The widow pursed up her lips, shak-
ing her head mysteriously; these simple
words had, to her, meaning Of direful
import. .-.---
"Ahl there it isl If he'd have ex.
pected to come back, he'd have waited.
It's just rs thought-he don't intend TO
come bdcki
"Mebbe not" responded Josh, taking
prolonged squint at the balance which
he was adjusting; "but don't see no rea.
son why he shouldn't, If he has mind
tew."
s'But there Is reason, IL you can't
help itp said the widow, with reprov-
ing shake of the head "There's reason
in everythin. Didn't he look sorter
solemncholy, as if he had heard some
bad news?"
"Wal, no; l can't say as he did. l
didn't notice nothin' pecoolyer bout him,
cept he kept his han'keecher tew his
mouth, as if he'd got the toothache, or
suthin'"
"He wanted to hide his face, moro
likew retorted the widow. He was
ashamed tew be seen sneakin' out of
town that fashion, an no wonderp
"Mebbe So" was the philosophical re-
joinder.
"An' then tew think how attentive
he's been tew Mahitable Greenl Every.
body said they was as good as engaged.
He goes there every Sabba'day, evenin',
an alters waits on her home from meet
in Tew my certain knowledge, them
tew have stood talkin' at the gate half
an hour on the stretch"
You've got a very obsarvious mind,
wilder; there amt many folks that sees
as much as you dew"
"There amt much that goes on in the
village that don't know of, if l dew
say It'll" responded the widow, with a
gratified air.
"An' il is so kind-hearted of ye tew
be interested in them that you amt in
no way responsible for"
"Wal, folks is commonly so selfish;
they can't seem to think of nobody but
themselves an them that belongs to 'em.
thank the Lord l amt no siehl Poor
Mahitable / really feel for her She
sot her life by Mr., Brown, as body
could see with half an eye! Melissy
Powers was there when she fust heerd
ont, an says she was all struck of a
heap. Said she saw him the night afore,
an he didn't say nothin' bout agoin'. l
must say that it's the curiusest thing l
ever hearn tell onl What could be the
resson he didn't marry herr"
oval, he might have good reason
fort. AS told Brother Sam, when he
was prancin' round with the Widder
Pettee, when a mans got 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 thingsl Who on airth told
YEP" s-.
"Who told me9 Why, 1 was at the
weddin' myself. Is it anythin' surprisin'
fur man tew git married?"
Wal, no. But tew think that you
never mentioned it,"
81 didn't s'pose twas anythin' that
would interest you in partic'ler," re-
sponded JOSH as he put the last screw
into the face of the clock. Z" hadn't no
idee then that you was of sich'a kind
an charitable turn of mind. guess it
will go all right now. Pm goin' tew the
Center this AFTERNOON, but ] shall 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 scandal
through the village. "Tew think of his
havin' wife an three children, an he
purtendin' to be single man! I'll un-
mask the vilyunw
The Widow Peabody was as good as
her word, succeeding so well in her
benevolent, self.denying efforts that
when Brown returned to Barberry Green,
as he did few days after, he was re-
ceived with mixture of constraint and
GOODNESS by his former friends and asso-
ciates that surprised and puzzled him.
To complete his vexation and bewilder-
ment Mahitable Green, whose esteem
| and affection he was so anxious to secure,
actually refused to see him. The
studidus avoidance of him by everyone
made it no easy thing to do, but he
finally succeeded in tracing the matter to
its source.
There was a "quilting" at Squire
Tellers, and such a clatter of tongues as
there was in the "square 'room," where
the fair qullters were congregated. The
Widow Peabody was there, of course;
she never failed TO put in an appear
anee" on such occasions. Mahitable
Green was there, too, though she had
much rather have stayed at home, poor
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, ##F#
The Widow Peabody was the center
aud attraction of an Interested if not in
teresting, group, Never was her voluble
tongue more active and venomous. She
was repeating, for about the hundreth
time, her account of Mr.. Browns base.
ness and duplicity, and to which she had
given variety of additions and embel-
lishments, when the door opened, and in
came the hero of it, followed by Josh
Hardwick, WITHOUT noticing the aston
ishment on the faces Of those present,
he marched up to where Mrs. Peabody
sat. w on .erT rrEr.a
"Good evening, ma'am. hear that
you have been busying yourself with my
affairs good deal lately.p
|Sir,p said the widow, grimly /" I con
slider it tew be my dewty tew warn folks
ag'in them that go about like wolves in
sleeps clothing. How did you leave
your wifeY Ahcmn
Here Mrs. Peabody glanced around
with look of triumph. But, instead of
being overwhelmed with confusion at
this public exposure, as might properly
be expected of him, Mr.. Brown said,
quietly;
my wife-that is to be, as hope =
is very well at present, as | am happy to
see, 4EN i,GL IT.T u#