The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-01-03
Wanted to Have Her Picture Taken


They had come to town to sell a
wagon-load of potatoes and buy stove
for the front room. After finding a
market for the vegetables they were
driving along in their rattle-down,
crazy-going wagon, looking for q stove
sign, when the old lady spoke up
timidly:
| Mrs. .Craigler was tellin' me there
was place down here some'rs where l
could git four picters for twenty
cents.o
The glum and grim old granger gee'd
the team to get out of the way of an ap-
preaching street-car, and then turning
| half round in his seat on the board
across the wagon-box, looked the old
lady squarely in the face, and with a
jerking motion Of the jaws demanded:
Picters O. whatW
"Why, Of anybody of me" re-
sponded the frightened female, with a
faint little voice that would never do for
city life.
Whewl Woman, are you goin' clear
dead-gone crazy9 In the name O. grass
hoppers an gartersnakesl what be you
thinkin' of anyway? Put that ole dried
up, molasses-colored face O yourn in a
picterl Git outF Do you want to scare
people to death, or bring a disgrace on
the picter-takin' business2 An are YOU
fool enough to s'pose any man with the
least mite O. shoppride about him would
ever let picter O. you go outen his shee-
bang with his own name pasted on to it 2
Nary time. By all the stumps in the
Wilkins lott woman, what do you want.
with picters anyway, at your time o
life? Wastin' money, too, when we
need so many things precious sight
wus than we do nonsense like that.
The old lady colored up and looked as
though she had committed some mortal
offense, as she said with much hesita-
ton: ssss
81 didn't mean to have you waste
money on me, father, but Iinever had a
picter took in all my life, for when /
was young an would a. looked better in
frame, maybe, nobody knowed any
thing about such things then, an allns
afterwards the prices has been so much
that l didn't think it was worth while,
but now sence they've got 'em down to
five cents apiece, | did think maybe We
could afford it, an 1 kind O. thought l
would like to give each of the children
one for Christmas, for although know
am not handsome, still Pm mother, an
when Pm gone, father, don't you think
perhaps it might be little comfort to
'em to be able to tell a little how L.
looked, an show their own little ones,
an, father, l did so hope that you
,,o,,ld,,,+ +l;,I- t. fool;sb ~, ,r,o,,lJ
go with me, an have our two selves took
together, for it wouldn't cost any more,
an 1 know you would make a noble
picter, father, an could look att when
you're away, an it would be such COM
fort to me, an l wouldn't feel SO lone
some. Do, father, please, humor me Jest
this once, and l will try an skrimp a
little, an save enough to make it up in
little while. Somethin' tells me we
may never have another chance, an Il
would hate tailiaye. the time come when
you would be sorfy-like we've been
ever sence poor Jimmy was took from
US. You know, father, you've allus said
you'd give any money if you only had a
picter of him as he looked before he took
sick, the last time he come to town with
you. Won't you, father, please" !"
No longer was the farmer harsh and
gruf. His eyes were moist with the
emotion her timid words had stirred
within him, and large tear gathered on
his rough cheek and rolled slowly down
ward. Impulsively his arm reached out
and clasped the waist of his plain old
wife and gave it the biggest surprise in
the shape of squeeze known for many
day. though it was broad daylight,
and hundreds of people were passing by.
You're a trump, ole woman, you
areP' he cried, with a loving softness in
his tones. An you shall have all the
picters you want, an none o your five
cent thingum-a-j -jiggers, either, but the
very best they We got in the shop. Why,
you blessed ole darlin', you'll look ten
times better n anything ever saw on
a show-bill, an gold frame wouldn't
be an atom too good for you, but it's
took me right smart spell to find it
out"