Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-24
REEFS MEMORY.

Il6 lll9 ldl III VI AldllOlSN III DGIOLlS-
ing to the Reeses, was situated about
five miles from our town 1of Trefavon.
And Mr.. Matthew Rees himself was a
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 have defect
was what the neighbors termed the floss
of his head" He was indeed such an
absent-minded man that he would some
times seriously reflect whether he could
have been present when he came into
the world. Still this absence of mind
rarely interfered with his daily or week.
ly duties. He transacted his business
as methodicallv as if he had been a ma
chine wound up; but if anything new
or unforeseen occurred, if he were ex-
pected to remember date or name,
or to act out of the usual routine, the
machine got out of the regular order mt
once.
He possessed, however. two memo
ries-one within doors, one without.
These were his housekeeper, Mally, and
his carter, Jehoram, familiarly 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 for
getting myself" was the answer. "Time
you should be looking for a wife.
There's Miss Kezia, Francis Tygwyn's
daughter, now"
Francis Tygwyn? Well, now, let
me think. His daughter? / forgot
Has he an unmarried daughter, Nal
ly?"
'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 We're boy"
"Did L? | never remember Of max
ing love in my life, Mally. | should
not know how Did you ever make
love?"
ION my deed, master, you are funny
I've been courted many time, but |
was never of the forward sort, MS 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 ammuse-
ment. In spite of his oblivious tenn
permanent, he took in joke at the mo-
ment even if he forgot it the next.
Mally was justified in her assertion
concerning Miss Francis. This lady
had quietly allowed forty-five years OF
her life to slip by without taking to her.
self helpmate, and strange as it may
seem, for the sake Of Rees Manorgywn.
When she was IL and he two and TWEEN
ty, there had passed between them
words that he had forgotten, but she
had stored up in her memory. He had
never made her an offer, never even
told her that he loved her; but after all
that, Kezla at 45 was as sincerely at
tached to Mr.. Rees as she had been at
II.
Nothing further was said about Rees
and Miss Francis, but in short time
Mally and Jeho were married. They
retired to tidy cottage on the Manor
gwyn estate and the farmer found that
while he had two memories out of doors
he had none within. Both he and his
household suffered from the loss.
w Ildb dlC J0u say lsh w iht 'boAb
somebody's daughter, some young wo-
man, Mally?' he inquired, month or
so after that worthy spinster became a
matron.
Il was telling you Of Francis Tyg-
wyn's elder daughter, kezia, master.
Make you haste or she'll be 10 old for
anybody"
"To be sure | remember Francis Tyg-
wyn's Keza. Thank you for reminding
me, MaTly; Ill tie knot in my hand
kerchiet-I shan't forget
He went about his business, repeating
Francis Tygvyn's Kezia" until the
words rang III his head like the bells.of
Llanfach church.
The following Saturday he met Tyg
wyn 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
remember. Which il is Francis Tyg-
WINS Keza. Name O. goodness which
is it, man y
al have a daughter Kezia, Rees," re-
piled Francis, half amused, half Of.
Tended.
daughter or course, that's what |
meant; and a very good daughter, they
tell me. How is sheY'
aYou had better come and see. It's
wears since you've been to Tygwyn.
Suppose you ride back with me-
aSurely | was there last week about
that mare We we're 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 I'D the hill, reaching
their destination ID an hour.
When Rees shook hands with kezia
he little thought what fntter she was
ia. But tie remembered Mally's advice
and the necessities Of his household,
and tried 70 gather up his Wis for the