The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-08-15

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fer yo.
sneAkin criisr! lie knows be dossen,
set ioot onter my premises, she maiieFsd,
as be eutered he was The fret admirer
70 whom she had given toe mittcu, after
her husband death
Heow be ye, Widderl leow dye dew
Miss Ffisbee remarked Caleb, numbering
into the room, without the ceremony Of
knocking. Don't gii up. | Kin wait on
myself. sun wolkln' on Miss Gay
gownd, see. De yew 'pTenucin' tew
Miss Frlsbee, Widderl Peers t me yew
know enough meow, 'thoul iaklu' up a
new trade
Oh vie, kaoir enough! nodding her
bead sagaciousiy.
That medder land O. youru's lookin
putty good, be remarked, somewhat at a
subject.
Must a ben out o yer road 10 find that
out.
Caieb's few acres were at some distance
from the widows farm
Oh, Pm sayih' what other folks say.
Pears TO me, Ia try to hey an idee O
my own, sometimes, returned the widow
sharply.
Pears TO me yer kinder spunky to-day,
amt ye? inquired Caleb, blandly. But
I've got tome news fur ye. Theys a
minister from BallYille, comm to see
ye. He's beered on ye an yer facility fur
pushiu' things, an be thinks yen drive
things in that perish; SO he's comm.
Caleb had no objections to any one court-
in the woman be had courted himself.
Gle understood that she would not take
him, SO that was the end of IT, But he
was axions TO see her safely married TO
somebody, for he bad no faith in women
being able to manage their own affairs
without the aid Of man.
A minister! snutIed the widow. Um!
Well! guess be won't tarry long. Ef
be church member, ef there is one thing
that | despise, it's q minister fur week
days. They don't know no more bout
feedin' stock than they dew bout feedin'
cannibals. Ez fur gittin' in crops, they're
ginerally so nigh-sighted they can't tell
wheelbarrer frum hsy.rick, though
think more'n likely, it's nuthin' but ig-
nerunce ails 'em. So he thinks III drive
things in bis perish, does he? Well |
will! III drive him init, an my dog
after him. ! guess be won't want me in
long w'the dog.
He's widderer, went on Caleb, when
he had stopped laughing at Whder Pins
threat.
Oh he is want ter know ef he isl
Yes. An he's got growed up con,
an some little prop'ty Nv his own.
Oil want ter knowl An SO he sent
word sroun betorehan' chat be was
commit Well! Wen see
The next night the minister put in an
and Widder Pin was prim-
ly gracious to him in spite of herself, for
in her early days fshc had been taught
that unbounded respect and awe was
due to a minister. But it was a stiff, un-
comfortable visit, nevertheless. 1t was
over at last, aud after saying the custom
ary Call again, she slammed the door to-
gether and bolted il, muttering, Miscr-
able hypocrte thet | be! ! wish to the
land he'd break his pesky neck fore he
gifts home. To come a fedgin' on me ez
eff was a beef critter The next call
was in the forenoon, and when the time
came to prepare the dinner for the hired
man, she said;
Gew kin either set by yerself here, or
yew kin 90 ont an look at the critters,
till dinners ready.
The latter was an opportunity of which
he gladly ayailed himself and although
the widow called ministers nigh-sighted
and ignerant concerning farm matters,
this specimen was an exception to the
rule. He was so pleased with his survey
that be mentally rehearsed the soft sander
calculated to win the widow, with her
encumbrauce though perhaps be thought
of it as the fdrm and its encumbrance.
Meantime, as the widow was getting
the dinner, she nodded her head with
snap now aud then and sometimes NUT
tered: S'pose he's seein' how'll like It.
Come this tine o day to see how cook
so | will gin him fish; see ef tba'l fetch
him.
The minister had good deal to say at
the dinner table about the widows lot
being cast in pleasant places, and her
goodIy heritage, and he could distance
her in eating fish, both in rapidity and
quantity. WIdder Pin began to lose
her respect for ministers.
The next call was just before supper
time, and be brought bunch o. posies-
peony and spray Of matrimony bios
SONS. He also had matrimony in bis but.
ton hole.
The land sakesl exclaimed the widow
as she watched him hitch bis horse.
dew believe they amt no fule ike an old
one.
lie was very loyer-like that evening,
aud kept hlIehing his chair closer to hers
till as she told Miss Frisbee the next day
she could almost scratch bis face, putting
the yarn over the needle of her knitting.
When on the way TO her house for the
fourth visit, Parson Ludlow resolved 10
pat the FINAL question that night. She
was jnst what be wanted, thrifty and
economical, a good worker, and good
cook, tidy, a small feeder and rich.
Again he wore fna,rimony 10 bis button
hole, aud this time i, meant business.