Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-06-23
Deacon Grinders Expert
rnent.

Grinder. as his one-horse chase drew up
on the green in front of Miss Philena
Peck's house.
Miss Peck hurried out, all smiles, to
greet the portly widower.
"The little darlings !" cried she, effu.
sively. Trouble, indeed Why dea-
con, how you talk It's positive pleas
ure to have 'em here. l should like to
keep them week"
The deacon only smiled and shook his
head.
''That would be a. little too much"
said he. "Come. children, jump into
the wagon"
And the three apple-cheeked little
Grinders-two girls and boy-were
kissed, and hugged, and lifted into the
wagon by the beaming spinster.
81 shall be so lonely when they are
gone" she said, II do so dote on chill
dren Remember, darlings, that the
gooseberries will be ripe next week, and
that your own Peck will be only too hap
py to see you again"
The widow Clapp came hurrying out,
as the chaise ratified by, with tin pail
in her hand.
"Dear me, Deacon Grinder" said she,
"You are always in such hurry. Do
stop minute, can't you? Here's pail
of our new honey in the comb. l know
the darliugs will like it on their bread
and butter of an evening. When are
they coming to spend the day with me?
| declare Josie is growing to be a perfect
beauty!'
Tut, tut, Mrs. Clapp!" said the dea-
con, his face shining all over with salts.
faction. Handsome is that handsome
does. That's my motto"
"And nobody can do handsomer than
my little joe, said Mrs. Clapp. "And
there's Tommy grown as handsome as
never was, and Dolly the very picture
of you; drop in to tea some evening this
week"
The deacon had hardly guided his
old horse around the the corner of the
village green, when Miss Barbara Bow
yer tripped out of the millinery store.
81 do hope you'll excuse me, Deacon
Grinder" said she, with all the pretty
confusion which naturally belongs to
maiden of six and thirty summers, ..but
l was so edited with your be-yu-tiful
remarks in prayer meeting Monday
night, that | couldn't help setting my
self to work to think what l could do
for you. And here's collar I've stitch
ed for Tommy, and handkerchief I've
embroidered for Josie, and a doll as I've
took the liberty to dress for Dorothy.
Oh, don't thank me, pray. 1t aint
nothin', compared with the peace O.
mind got listening to your precious
remarks -
But Naomi Poole, sitting at her nee-
dle-work, by the old red farm house
window, had only smile and a nod for
the party as they drove by.
"Pa, said Josie, who was shrewd,
sallow-faced child of eleven, don't Miss
Poole love US as we'll as Miss Peck, and
Mrs. Clapp. and Miss Barbara Bowyer ?"
81 hope so, my child" said the benign
deacon. "Why do you ask the question p
Because she never gives US anything"
said Josie.
"She is poor child-she is poor"
said the deacon. But am sure you all
have her good wishes"
Il would rather have honey" said
Tommy.
"And gooseberries and DOLLS" added
little Dorothy.
But when the deacon sat alone by his
hearthstone that evening, his sister,
Miss Mahala Ann Grinder. expressed
herself on the subject with great plain
ness and prespicuity.
"If you've really made up your mind
to marry again, Joshua"-sald she.
81 think it would add to my domestic
felicity" said the deacon, serenely.
"In that case," said Miss Mahala
Ann, 81 do hope you'll make sensible
choice, and not allow yourself to be i'm
posed upon by pack of selfish widows
and scheming old maids
"Sister," said the deacon, "you are
severe"
mo, ain't," said Miss Mahala Ann.
"If you wasn't we'll to do in the world,
and hadn't nice home and farm, and
money at interest, they wouldn't none
of 'em look twice at you"
do you thiuk SOP" said the deacon,
and he pondercd the question long and
earnestly in his own mind. "Upon the
whole" said he, bringing down his palm
upon the table, IL amt sorry that those
investments of mine in the Mariposa
Silver Company have proved failure"
"What do you mean ?" said Miss Ma
hala Ann, curiously cycling him over the
tops of her spectacles.
But the deacon only shook his head
and smiled.
"Time will show" said he, "time will
show"