The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-08-21
Mr.. Palmleaf's Proposal

Mr.. Palmleaf's Proposal.
White and glistening like mammoth
bridal veil, the December sun lay over all
the New Hampshire hills; dark and del
icate, like the tracery Of lacework, the
leafess woods held up their bough ghs
against the dazzling winter sky--and the
Reverend Peter Palmleaf, studying over
an embryo sermon in his own especial
sanctum, glanced up where blackbird
was whistling in the easements, and
thought to himself what a lovely world
the Lord had made.
When, all of sudden, q shrill voice
called through the entry:
aPeter, the horse is ready"
"What horse?" asked the Rev. MIR.
Palmleaf. 49,.
"Our horse, to be surep' said Miss
Paulina, his sister.
aWhat for9" demanded the parson,
staring through his near-sighted specta-
cles at the door.
iTo take you to Mr.. Darrow's."
aWhy am I going to Mr.. Darrow'sf"
further questioned the man of theology.
"Well, I neyerw said Miss Paulina,
bouncing into the study, with yellow
pocket handkerchief tied around her
head, and her sleeves rolled in business
like fashion up to her elbows, "Peter,
YOU grow more moony and absent-minded
eyery day of your life! Have you for
gotten our discussion at the breakfast
table? Why you are going to MIR. OAR
rows after girl, to be sureP
"A-girlp repeated the young minis
ter, dreamily rubbing his forehead. "Oh,
I do recall something of the conversa-
ton. A hired girl"
eyes" nodded the lady briskly. "She's
going to leave Mr.. Darrow's this morn
ing, because the family is so large and
the work so heavy. She can't find that
fault with our establishment, guess.
Ask her how much wages she wants, and
how old she is, and ask her whether she
has any followers-and be sure you bring
her back with her bundles; as ] must
have her or some person to help me be-
fore cousin Philinda's folks come from
the CITY," =. =,
"But suppose she won't Gomez" said
the Young minister, obviously, fitting on
the fingers of his gloves.
aThen You must make her come" said
Miss Panlina, hurriedly retreating to
look after a certain kettle, which was
noisily boiling over at the back OF the
house.
And thus, charged with his mission,
the Rev. Peter palmleaf got into the one
horse cutter and jingled merrily away.
Mr.. Darrow's farm house nestled under
hill, in the protecting shadow of a
cluster of eyergreens, with green fence
in front of it, red barn at the rear, and
colony of pigeon-houses at the sunny
Southern angle; and Mr.: Darrow him
self, ruddy-faced, elderly man with a
fringe of white whiskers around his chin,
was shoveliDg away the pearly masses of
snow in front of his door.
"Eh |" said Mr.. Darrow leaning on the
handle of his spade, as the bells jinsled
up in front of his gate, and then stopped.
"How? Why, it's the minister ! Good
morning! That there Sunday sermon
O. yours was q masterpiece. Me and
Squire Sennex-"
eyes" said Mr.. Palmleaf, leisurely
alighting, and tying the horse to the
post. "But have called on business
this morning"
For Mr.. Palmleaf was emphatically a
man of one idea, for the time being, the
"hired girl" had chased all theology out
of his head. 49,
"Ehl' said Mr.. Darrow; business ?"
said the minister.
MI. Darrow dropped the spade in the
middle of snow drift.
"Do you mean Dolly ?" he said.
"If that's her name-yes," asserted
the minister, solemnly.
"You don't mean that-it is to be an
engagement?" cried Mr.. Darrow.
aWell, yes-that is, if VIC suit each
other" said Mr.. Palmleaf, mildly.
Jerusalem |" said Mr.. Darrow, who
had always heard that Mr.. Palmleaf,
like most men of genius, was an "eccen-
tric," but had never realized it before.
"Have you spoken to her"
Certainly notP' answered Mr.. Palm.
leaf. "Of course shouldn't think of
such thing without seeing you first"
every straight forward of you, Pm
sure" said the farmer. "But, of course,
I can have no objection, if Dolly herself
is suited. Though" and he smote one
red-mitted hand upon his knee, snow 1
come to think of it, you've never seen
Dolly"
"No r' said the minister serenely.
"But that need make no difference"
Jerusalem T' again uttered the farm
er. cit wasn't the way l used to look at
things when was young man."
"Tastes differ" said Mr.. Palmleaf, o
little impatient at this heightened dis
cussion. =,
"Oh, of course you can see her." said
Mr.. Darrow. "Sbe's in the dairy, SKIM
ming milk. "Dollyp raising his voice
to a wild below. "Here's the Reverend
Mr.. Palmleaf wants to see you! There's
the door, Just to the left, Sir"
And, in his near-sighted way, the min
lister stumbled into Farmer Darrow's
dairy, where a rosy.cheeked girl, with
let black hair, brushed away from low,
olive-dark brow, and eyes like pools OF
sherry wine, was skimming the cream
from multitudinous milk pans into q
huge stone pot.
aYoung woman" saik Mr.. Palmleaf,
turning his spectacles upon her amazed
face, do you want to engage yourself?"
"Sir?" said Dolly, her spoon coming
to an abrupt standstill amid the wrinkly
ard leather-like folds of the cream on
particular pan.
"In other words" explained Mr.. Palm
leaf, do you want q good home Z"
0Indeed, sir, never thought of such
a tbingp said Dolly, all in furry;
elbow old are you 2" questioned MIR.
Palmleaf