The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-09-12
MIR. PALMLEAFS PROPOSAL.

ber sun over all the New HamI
shire hills dark and delicate, lik
the tracery of lace.work, the leai
less woods held up their bOugh
against the dazzling winter sky
and the Rev. Peter Palmleaf, study
ing over an embryo sermon in hi
own especial sanctum, glanced ~
where a black bird was whis.linJ
in the easement and thought tt
himself what lovely world til,
Lord had made.
When, all of a sudden, q shril
voice called through the entry:
" Peter, the horse is ready"
" What hOrsef" asked the Rev
Mr.. Palmleaf.
"Our horse to be sure p said Misl
PauDina, his sister.
"What for 7" demanded the par
son, staring through his near
sighted spectacles at the door.
"To take you to Mr.. Darrow'sp =
"Why am | going to Mr.. Oar
rows I" further questioned the mar
of theology.
dwell, l never |" said Miss Pau,
lima, bouncing into the study with
a yellow pocket handkerchief tied
around her head and her sleeves
rolled in business-like fashion up
to her elbows. i" Peter, you grow
more moony and absent.minded
every day of your life Have you
forgotten our discussion at the
breakfast tablet Why, you are
going to Mr.. Darrow's after a girl,
to be surep
A-girl!" !" repeated the young
minister, dreamily rubbing his fore.
head, go, do recall something of
the conversation. A hired GIRL"
EYES," nodded the lady briskly.
" She is going to leave Mr.. Oar
rows this morning because the
family is so large and the work so
heavy. She can't find fault with
our establishment, l guess. Ask
her how much wages she wants,
and how old she is, and ask her if
she has any f0llowers--and be sure
you bring her back, as | must have
her or some person to help me be.
fore Philinda's folks come from the
city,"
"But suppose she won't cOme,"
said the young minister, obviously,
fitting on the fingers of his gloves.
"Then you must make her come,"
said Miss Paulina, hurriedly re-
treating to look after certain ket-
tie which was noisily boiling over,
at the back of the house.
And thus charged with this mis-.
sion, the Rev. Peter Palmleat got
into the one horse cutter and
jingled merrily away.
Mr.. Darrow's farmhouse nestled
under a.hill, in the protecting shad.
ow of a cluster of evergreens, with
a green fence in front OF it and a
red barn in the rear, and a colony
of dove houses at the southern sun
ny angle, and Mr.. Darrow himself,
a ruddy faced, elderly man, with
fringe of white whiskers around
his chin, was shoveling away the
pearly masses of snow i'll front OF
his door.
"Eh!" said Mr.. DarrOw, leaning
on the handle of his spade, as the
bells jingled up in front of his gate
and then stopped. "How 7 Why
it's the minister! Good morning.
That there Sunday sermon of yours
was a masterpiece. Me and Squire
SenneX-'
"Yes," said Mr.. Palmleaf, leis-
lrely aligbting and tying the horse
20 a post. "But l have called on
business this morning"
For Mr.. Palmleaf was emphatic. |
lily a man of one idea. For the
lime being the SHRED girl" had
chased all theology out of his head.
"Eh !" said Mr.. Darrow, "busi-
ness n
"Pve come after a young wo.
nan,n said the minister.
DR.. Darrow dropped his spade in
he middle of the snow-drift.
"Do you mean Dolly :" he said.
at that's her name-yes," as
erted the minister, solemnly.
9You don't mean that-it is to
,e an engagement cried Mr.. Oar.
ow.
"Well, yes, that is, if we suit
ach other" said Mr.. Palmleat,
mildly.
"Jerusalem !" said Mr.. DarrOw,
rho had always heard that Mr..
'almleaf, like most men Of genius,
Gas an "eccentric," but had never
ealized it before. "Have you
poken to her n
Z" Certainly notp answered Mr..
'almleaf. "Of course | shouldn't
hink of such a thing without see
Dg you first"
q Very straightforward of you,
IN sure,n said the farmer. "But,
{ course, can have no objection,
/ Dolly is suited. Though and
e smote one red .mitted hand upon
is knee, "now ! come to think OF
!, you've never see Dolly"
{" No n said the minister, serene
r. "But that need make no diff.
srence."
"Jerusalem p again uttered the
,rmer. "It Wasn't the way used
D look at things when L was a
oung MANI
"Tastes differ said Mr.. Palm !
,af, a little impatient at this