River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-05-08
BERTHILD. FFER.

with his trends and relatives, so that at las
the only one Of his own blood with whom
was on speaking terms was his orpha
niece, Rerthllda, who kept house for him. t
whom he was unusually kind, and who bC
iieved MIN TO be a modern Solomon.
She had never once coutradicted him. Whe
he told her that the Flints were general
good.looking, bat that she took after ne
n others family, who were all as plain as pix
staffs, she answered, eyes, uncle, but that
not my fault, you know" When he SAID sh
need not mind about being good
looking, because, after all, she wa
a nice little thing, and would be more apt t,
be left 10 keep house for him forever, she ap
poared to be eomforted. She was mild ant
meek, and her vanity had been quite takel
| out of her by her uncle's frankness.
| She was really, by no means, So very plain
but she accepted Mr.. Fliut's opinion withou
a murmur. 1t was all genuine. She was on
| of those little women who naturally bow
down before the head of the family anC
worship him. She had not even reflected tina
he might leave her his money, or some portion
| OF it. Ii was too dreadful to think of Uncle
Flint's ever dying at all.
As for marrying, it did not enter Berthilda''
mind. She had written herself down
spinster as soon as she had heard Uncle Flints
opinion on the subject, which was oracularlN
given when she was about sixteen years o
| age; but now that she was nearly thirty, she
was astonished by tie appearance OF a lover
| in the shape OF stout farmer Of forty, Z
widower without children, and owner of as
fine piece Of property as could be found in
the state.
1t was case Of love at first sight on bis
part and Berthilda, finding herself made love
to- and being quite unused to the situation
felt that it was her duty to refuse him, sin G
to marry would be to contradict Uncle's dis
tiuct assertion that she was born to be an old
maid, and yet she yielded to the advances ui
Mr.. HGskins so far as to allow herself to be
seen home from meeting" kissed at the gate,
and occasionally encircledby very large arm,
which, after a squeeze or two. she always put
away with a shocked little squeal.
Finally Mr.. Hoskins offered himself, and
Berthilda, having confessed to a partially for
him, ended by asserting that Uncle Flint
should decide the matter, and that she dared
not mention the subject to him.
"Well, then, Will, said Mr.. Hoskins. II
amt afraid of no man, and if your uncle has
anything again me, he can out wi$h it and
prove it. I'll write and ask him, since you
are so partikeler, Berthildsy; though bein' OF
age, can't see why he has any thing to say
about it,"
To which Berthilda, sobbing, replied hat
4cle's word was her law and was kissed
lhc gate, as usual, this conversation having
taken place on Sunday evening on the way
rom church.
On Monday morning old Mr. Flint going
after breakfast into the little room which he
called his office, and where he transacted
his business as notary public, found living on
his desk two letters already LETTER him that
morning, and opening them, found that each
asked him for something.
One was from a neighbor named Perkins,
who desired 10 borrow horse ot him. The
other from Farmer HOskins, asking for his
niece Berthilda's hand.
Mr.. Flint was not in the habit of lingering
long over any decision. He regarded the
fact that Berthilda had had an offer as a sort
of miricle not likely to occur again. and he
had an idea that women always liked TO get
married
Hoskins was well to do and respectable
She should have him, if she chose She had
been good girl to him, and he really felt an
affection for her.
As for Perkins, he should not have his
horse. He hadoverworSed the one he had
borrowed of him last harvest time, and the
poor brute had died in consequence Lend
Perkins his cray mare, indeed! He would
give him piece of his mind for his impu-
dence. And he would settle that business
before he attended to Berthltia's offer.
So he drew his blotter toward him, seized
pen and ink, and indited this peppery eplstle
'Slr:-I don't wonder you wrote, and hadn't
the face to come and ask me for what you
wanted, like a man. Let you have her, in
deed! When every one knows you killed the
other one with hard work, and only sent her
deedl She was just a rack of bones when you
got through with her, and, | judge, half
starved, as well as worked to death.
You'll promise to take good care of her, no
doubt, You may, If you get her; but you'll
do that by stealing her, and as l suppose
you're quite capable of that, shall see to my
my locks.
FLINTn
This finished he wrote more briefly to Mr..
Hoskins
Dear Sir:"-I can't see anything in the way
of you having what you want. You can come
over, If you like, and talk it over.
"Yours, FLINT"
Having done these, he put each into an en-
velope aud sent them off
Poor Berthilda scarcely dared to raise her
eyes to her uncle's face that day; but his
manner to her was unusually kind, and she
had allowed herself to hope much from it,
when, as she sat at her knitting in the even
ing, Peggy, the sole domestic, beckoned mys-
teriOusly to her from the door; and having
thus beguiled her INTO the hall, informed her
that Mr.. HOslins wanted to see her at the
gate.
To the gate Berthllda went in state of ner.
viOGs agitation which made the blue-ribbon
bow in her hair culver like huuming bird
and there size found Mr.. Hosklns, so red in
the face wi b rage that the color was percep-
tible in the moonlight. And his greeting was
this:
DSTlHiiu1, IL OlU INT WAS any nOuy'S
uncle but yourn, I'd go in and pummel the
breath out of him. I've minter do it now. !"
20, dearw sobbed Brrthilds what is the
mattergn
Hes writ me a letter that was Jest chock
full OF insults from fust to last said Mr. Hos
kins. said |. writ cause was afraid to ask
him for you; said every one knew that |
killed Abigail Araminty with eyerwOrk, and
starved her to death, and sent her to her mas
to be buried Now Abigail Arimiuty died OF the
consumption that was in her family, and
spent lots in doctors stutfs; and if she was
buried from her mas that was the old lady's
wish. And Araminty, she would 90 there to
die. And did all mortal man could, and
ahird help and | wasn't nowise hard on Abb
gal Araminty; and your uncle he's liar, and
if hell come out here, III wiring his neck. I've
as much as kin do to keep from saying words
man hadn't orter say afte he's jined the
church. | never was so mad in my life. I'm
bursting with rage; and he said Pm thief,
and he's no doubt III steal you, If l can; aud
will. It's jest this, Berthlda-you come
along with me n0lo and get Parson Speer to
marry us, or there's an end to it. Its all up
between us. You choose betwixt old Flint
and me, nd if you choose, him, why, | amt
under no obligations to YOU no longer, and
III make Jelly Of him in three shakes Of a
Sleeps tail"
At these words Berthilda rrembled more
than ever. The fountains that were in her
head oyerHowed and ran out of her eyes
adown her cheeks"
cot OF On she sobbed, was ever a poor
woman in such trouble: O, o."
Choose" cried Hoskins; land darned il |
Amt o mad don't keer which way you choose.
I'd rather like to be at liberty to go for old
Flint ard mash him-by lingo, hadr'
Why don't die?' sobbed Berthilda But,
Q, Siias, / can't ieaNe Uncle Flint like that. II
/ wouldn't be deceutn
Then here goes" said Silas Hoskins, TAX
lng of his cuffs.
At this moment a long, l4th.likc figure
strobe past There ana began TO hammer at the
door.
The servant opened 1t, and Peter Perkins
/ voice inquired for Mr. Flint
/ Mr.. Flint at once appeared in the entry.
/ Well what do veu want here's was hi.
sanutaticn
/ "Wall, Mr. Flint" said Peter Perkins, "sce
/ in you was so 'bligin' and neighborly ab0ut
/ that gray mare, kinder Teokoned I'd jest
step in and lead her over tonight. YOE SEE
! | get in my hay to-morreF, and there's rail-
| 4 comm uD along the end Of the week. or
/ aiu't no prophet"
so you mean to steal herr said old Flint
rye seen impudenee before, but this caps
all"
Kinder guess you've forgot who am 2
said Peter Perkins Don't you remember
wTltin' 10 me this morning. I'm Mr. Pete
! Perkins, Mr.. Flint
II know you well enough" said Flint
| Dye think I'm in ms dotage? You're ths
man that killed my brown Lorsc last sum
mer, and ask for my gray mare TO do IL,
same by this. And l told you what though
/ OF YOU in my note. You must have becI
drinking, Mr.. Perkins. You must be drunk
/ sir, 70 ask me for my gray mare after what
wrote Won this morning.
Il drlnkings never toaeh anything ba