The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1878-02-28
3ERTHILDA's OFFER.


as hard as his name. Certainly he was
q crusty sort Of an old gentleman, with a
disagreeable habit of teliingi what he
considered the plain truth to every one.
As every one d,d not at once bow low
and say: Mr. Flint you are perfectly
right. this habit of fraukness had
brought him into good many quar>
rels with his friends and relatives, so
that at last the only one of his own
blood with whom he was on speaking
terms was his orphan niece, Berthiida,
who kept house for hun; to whom he
WAS unusually kind. and who believed
him to be modern Solomon.
She had never once contradicted him.
When he told her that the Flints were
generally good.looking, but that she
took after her mothers family, who
were all as plain as pike-staffs, she an
swered, "Yes, Uncle, but that is not my
fault, you know" When he said that
she need not mind about being good
looking, because, after all, she was a
nice little thing ard would be more apt
to be left to keep house for him forever,
she appeared to be comforted.
She was mild and meek, and her van,
ity had been quite taken out nt her by
her uncle's frankness. ~ rr-
She was, really, by no means 30 very
plain; but she accepted Mr.. Fiint's
opinion without murmur.
It was all genuine. She was one OF
those little women who generally bow
down before the male head Of their
family aud worship him. She had not
even reflected that he might leave her
his money, or some of it. 1t was too
dreadful to think Of Uncle Flints ever
dying at all. q
As for marrying, it did not enter Ber-
thilda's mind. She had written herself
down q spinster. a. soon as she had
heard Uncle Flint's opinion on the
sutject. which WAS oracularly given
when she Was about sixteen years OF
age; but now shat she was very nearly
thirty, she was astonished by the ap-
pearance Of lover in the shape Of 8
stout farmer OF forty, q widower with
out children, ani owner of ias fine a
piece Of property as could be fonnd in
the State. s
TWAS case Of love at first sight on
his part, and Berthilda finding herself
made i " to. and being anite unused
to thu stuation, felt that it was her duty
to refaaa him. aimee to marry would he
tn cop.r~tiot Uncle Flint's distinct as
sertiop shas she WAS born to be an old
maid; W. she yielded to the advances
of Mr.. Hoskins. 30 far as to allow her
self TO be se.n home from injecting. "
kissed At the gate, and occasionally en-
oircl~si by . very large arm. which.
after .saraze or two, she always put
away with shocked little squal.
Finally Mr.. Hoskins offered himself,
and 3 rthilia, having confessed to a
psrtislls for him, ended sby asserting
that Uncle Flint must decide the mat
ter, and that she dared not mention the
subiec.,t, him.
"We,i. then. I will, said Mr.. hos
kins. Il amt afraid Of no man, and il
yonr uncle has anything agin me. he
can out with it and prove it, I'll write
and ask him. s,nce you are SO partick-
ierler. Berthildy; though bein' OF age !
can't see Why he has anything to say
about 1t. f, sas
To which Berthilda, sobbing. replied
that her uncie's word vas her law, and
was kissed at tho gate as usual, ta's
Econversation having taken place on .
Sunday evening on the way from
church.
,sOn Monday morning old Mr.. Flint,
going, after breakfast, into the little
room which he called his ofdce, and
where he transacted his businesss Al
notary public. iound lying on his desl
two letters already left for him that
morning. and opening them found tha'
each asked him for something.
One was from > neighbor named Per
kins, who desired to borrow horse o.
him. The other from farmer Hoskins