Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-11-11
NO. 267.
Gales ano Skettbes.
rHE pEACON's wooING.

light on the mountain tops swaS changing
from rose 10 phrple. when deacon Pinch
stopped his melancholy old mare in front
of the village post office. 1t was Satur-
day night. the only time when New Beth
any aroused itself from its lcthargy and
showed any signs of life and energy. The
rest ofthe week 1t drowsed and langnished
after the fashion of small country towns
remote from railway and manufacturing
cen'ers.
whoa. Mary Jane ~ said the deacon.
with unnecessary emphasis: throwing the
reins on the mares broad back, and
springing to the ground.
But the desPondent Mary Jane had al
ready ceased her shambling gait from
sheer force OF habit. A ten years service
with the deacon made her perfectly tamil
lar with the accustomed rounds of stop
ping places. Wednesday night il was
prayer meeting; Sunday. the church SER
vice; and Saturday night, invariably the
post office, and. as late variation. an
after pause at the house of Mrs. Betsey
Hill. the milliner. who for a quarter of u
century had Supplied the women of New
Bethany with head-gcar icariully and
wonderfully made.
The moment the deacon stepped inside
of conversation. that something extraor-
dinary had happened.
Heard the news -eh. Deacon ?" asked
one of the village loungers.
The deacon looked up enQuiringly.
Miss keziahs had an anazin' streak
OF luck"
Its been nothin' but an amazin' streak
of luck ever since she was born, returned
the deacon. "lf ownin' the best iarm in
town and havin' money at interest isn't
luck. I'd like 10 know what is
'0es; but this is something out of conf
mon. You used To know her brother,
who died years ago and left his only child
Tor Miss keaiah to bring upp Wa'al,
when old man Mead died Miss Kezah
took the farm rs her share of the prop
erty. and heI brother. bein' of n rovin'
turn OF mind, took the few thousand of
personal property as his'n.S and invested
them in Western lands, whs,h turned out
wuthless. an Fe lost every gent he put in
Folks always blamed hint for bein' so
| foolish and haity, and they Jay grief and
modification like hastenfd his death.
Waal it turns put they havc-put railroad
square through the lands, and it's sent
real estate way up. nobody anows where.
Miss keziah has been offered nigh onto
$4,000 for the lands. and they say she
will get ever 10 much more if she only
holds ON
"lou don't mean it ?''
81 dew; it's as true as scripture"
''She III hold out, never fear said the
deacon; land hold 1t to be our bounded
duty as neighliors to advise her TO that
endn
Instead of lingering as usual for the
village gossip for New Bethany Post
Office on Saturday night answered the
purpose of a weekly paper-the deacon
seemed in great hurry TO get home.
1t was the night of the choir rehearsal.
and in driving by the church he saw Mary
Mead-Mss Kbzah's niece-gong up the
steps. lie Suddenly whipped up his
sleepy old mare, and drove home at
breakneck rate of speed.
Now's Your time. Solomon Pinch" he
muttered to himself, ''it's mebbe long
while afore We III have such good chance
ag'in. She'll be sure to be alone for
couple of hours or so-hi, old lady no
stoppin there tonight" he added. giving
the lines sudden twist AS Mary Jane
showed an inclination to stop before Mrs.
Betsey Hills house we've other fish to
fry now, old girl
| When he reached home he drove the
mare under tho horse-shed and tied her
there. instead Of Embarrassing her rs
usual. Then he entered the house and
hastily swallowing the scanty supper
which the hired woman placed before
him, donncd bis best clothes and drove off
again at a rapil pace.
Law sakesi alive"' exclaimed the
woman. AMAZED. The deacon's got
sumihn' on his mind, sure 4, It's the first
| time ever knew him to disremember TO
ask blessing
| Ever since ,he death of his wife Deacon
Pinch had looked on Miss Keziah as her
probable SUCCESSOR. For wears he had
| gaZed with coretous ewes on the fine
Mead farm will its substantial buildings,
but he could never screw his courage up
to the point Of facing the swapping black
eyes of its OWNER.
OF late he hail been seen several times
knocking at the door of Mrs. Betsey
Hills little brown house. and the worthy
milliner was ovtrioyed at the opening OF
the prospect bei,re her. But the news of
the sudden rise in Western lands caused
Mrs. Hill with her small possessions, to
sink into significance by the side of the
rich woman with her well-tiled acres, her
Overlooking bar1s, and her prospective
thousands of dol liars.
The idea of failure in his matrimonial
venture never fer an instant entered the
Deacon's head.
''The way a lore ye is rs plain and
straight as pipj stem, Soloman Pinch,"
he murmured, rubbing the palms of his
hands together. 4s he walked toward Miss
keZiah's side dc oior. "Women is mostly
alike. eager and |willin' to embrace matri-
monial opportunl ties. They'll snap at an
offer like hungty trout at a worm. She
has got the money and | have got the
prominence and influence that > pint
not to be overlooked, and deacon's isn't
to be had every day. Put her money and
my influence together, and rather guess
we'll stand about top Of the heap in New
Bethany"
Miss Keziah wis sitting by the table,
knitting as usual She had just begun to
narrow for the TOD of the stocking, when a
step sounded on the walk. She threw
down the stocking and opened the door,
and holding the lamp high above her head !,
her eyes rested U pom the amazing spec