Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1879-10-23
Hisrenang
REES' MEMORY.

The fine farm of Manorgwyn, belonging
to the Reeses, was situated about FIVE
miles from our tewn Of Trefavon. And
Mr.. Matthew Rees himself was fine,
portly man Of some 40 or so years of age
and bachelor.
The only defect he had-if Farmer Rees
could be said to haYe a defect-was what
the neighbors termed the Gloss of his
head" He was indeed such an absent
minded man that he would seriously re.
feet whether he could have been present
when he came into the world. Still this
absence Of mind rarely interfered with
his daily or weekly duties. He transacted
his business as methOdically as if he had
been a machine wound up; but if any
thing new or unforeseen occurred, if he
were expected to remember date or a
name, or to act out Of the usual routine,
the machine got out of the order at once.
He possessed, however, two memories
one within doors, one without. These
were his housekeeper, Mally, and his car.
ter, Jehoram, famillarly called Jeho. But
they also failed him in the course OF
time.
"Mally, you never reminded mel" was
the farmers reproof one day when he had
invited a friend to dinner and he was
himself engaged elsewhere.
"Deed to goodness, master, I'm forget
ting myself" was the answer. Time
you should be looking for wife. There's
Miss Kezia, Francis Tygwyn's daughter,
now"
"Francis Tygwyn? Well, now, let me
think. His daughter2 forgot. He has an
unmarried daughter, Mally?"
"Lor, master, you know that he has,
and she is single, they are saying, for your
sake. Why, you used to make love to her
when you were boy"
"Did |? never remember making love
in my life, Mally. | shouldn't tknow how!
Did you ever make love2"
"0n my deed, master, you are funny.
I've been courted many time, but |
was never of the forward sort, as JehO
will say for me, if you'll be asking him.
We've been going together long enough
now"
Rees opened his eyes, and they were not
destitute of the sparks of amusement. In
spite of his oblivious temperament, he
took in a joke at the moment, even if he
forget it the next.
MalIy was justified in her assertion con-
cerning Miss Francis. This lady had
quietly allowed forty.five years of her life
slip by without taking to herself help
meet, and, strange as it may seem, forthe
sake of Rets Manorgwyn. When she was
II and he two and twenty, there had
passed between them words that he had
forgotten, but she had stored up in her
memory. He had never even told her he
loved her; but, after all that, Kezia at 4j
was as sincerely attached to Mr.. Rees as
she had been at seventeen.
Nothing further was said about Rees
and Miss Fannie, but in n short time NAL
ly and Jeho we're married. They retired
to a tidy cottage on the Manorgwyu estate
and the farmer found while he had two
memories out of doors he had none within.
Both he and his household suffered from
the loss.
"What were you saying to me about
somebody's daughter, some young wO H.
an Mallyp" he inquired, a month or so af-
ter that worthy spinster became matron.
81 was telling you of Francis Tygwyn's s
eldest daughter, Kezia, master. Make
you haste or she'll be too old for any
body.
"To be sure remember Francis Tyg-
wyn's Kezia. Thank you for reminding
me, Mally; I'll tie a knot in my hand
kerchief-l shan't forget.
He went about his business, repeating
"Francis Tygwyn's Kezia," until the
words rang in his head like the bells Of
Llantach church.
The following Saturday he met Tygwyn
in the market.
"Ah Jones-Francis, mean-you were
the man was thinking of. They are
telling me you've fine mare-no; a
young heifer. Pom my soul | can't re.
member. Which is itp Francis Tygwyn's
Kezia. Name o. goodness, which is it,
manp"
81 have a daughter Kezia, Rees," re-
piled Francis, half amused, half offended.
Daughter! OF course, that's what
meant; and very good daughter. they
tell me. How is sheP"
You had better come and see. It's
years since you've been to Tygwyn. Sup.
pose you ride back with me-"
"Surely | was there last week about
that mare we were talking of; but don't
care If do take turn there again"
The two farmers trotted briskly along
the turnpike, and walked their well-fed
horses quickly up the hill, reaching their
destination in an hour.
Whe Rees shook hands with Kezia he
little thought what autter she was in.
But he remembered Mally's advice and
the necessities of his household, and tried
to gather up his wits for the emergency Of
his case. When he looked at Kezia in an
absent sort of way he found himself won
dering what sort of thing a wife was,
and whether she would be more or less
troublesome than housekeeper. By de-
grees he took to admiring her round, fair
face and comely figure, and all Of sud
den vision of mis- youth fitted before his
cloudy mind. He suddenly burst out
laughing.
cough mixture" said Francis, hastily
leaving the room.
Rees memory vanished with him, ant
when he and Kezia were left alone he hat
nothing more to say. He had comfort
able glass Of spirits and water, delicately
favored with lemon, before him, and ht
began to stir it.
II was now Kezia' turn To have nothing
TO say, for she was shy woman, and ir