Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-06-03

influence: Unat 5 INT not TO De over
looked; and deaconS isn't to be had eve
ry day. Put her money and my influ-
ence together, and l rather guess we'll
stand about top O the heap in New
Bethany.
Miss Kezia was sitting by the table
knitting as usual. She had just begun
to narrow for the toe of the stocking,
when u 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 on the amazing
spectacle of the deacon in all the Sun
day maoniicence of white shirt and shi-
ney black broudcloth. "Well, l neveri"
she calculated. and then, feeling that
her reception had been hardly hoSpitable,
she lowered the lamp and said kindly,
Come in deacon-come in"
THANK ye, thank ye; l don't mind if
1 dew"
Take a seat, deacon"
"Thank ye; don't mind if l dew"
The deacon surveyed the attractive
room, which, with its CHEEKY fire apd
comfortable cushioned chairs, seemed a
veritable paradise in comparison with
his untidy, ill-kept home. He placed
his hat on the floor beside his chair, dis
playing his scant, gray locks ingenious
ly plastered on top of his head so as to
cover as much of the bald surface as pos
sible. Then there was long pause.
Anything going on, deacOn?" asked
Miss kezia, reSuming her knitting She
was greatly puzzled to account for those
Sunday clothes.
"NOthin' within the range of my OBJ
ServatiOn. There won't be much agoin'
on now till lection time; things II be
pretty lively then"
"W ant to buy any hay this year"
chirped Miss Kezia. Mine is extra good
this season; my hired man says it's the
heaviest yield in the town."
Il rayther guess I'll hev enough to car
ry Inc through the winter. If l don't
shall know where to come for hay, as
hay is hay. declare your farm does
| beat ALL L feel kind O rugged like when
think the best farm in town is man
aged by woman"
Miss keZia smiled graciously, and the
deacon drew his chair little nearer his
hostess. 1t must be a great load for We
to carry alone. Such a large farm is
TREMENDOUS responsibility for lone
woman"
"Oh, don't mind it; it keeps me
proper busy"
The deacon hitched his chair along a
| few inches farther. "Ye'd oughter heV'
a brother or cousin, or some relative
| like, to share the burden with ye."
My shoulders are plenty strong, re-
| turned Miss MeZia. good naturedly. I'm
glad to show folks that there are women
who are good for something besides gid
dy-gaddying and tattling."
| lis, yS," answered the deacon, "we
can all testify to your vally and worth.
YOU'RE really a honor to your sex
YOu're-you're bright and shinin' bea-
con light to the trihin' and vain-minded
women Of tie world;" and the speaker
waved his hand at the conclusion of this
little oFatorical flourish.
Then hitch, hitch, hitch, went the
chair Kezia-ward. 4Don't you feel sort
O lonely at spells?" he asked insinua-
tingly.
Miss Kezia glanced suspiciously at the
rapidly advancing chair. She dropped
her knitting, and went to the fire and
piled up the blazing sticks of wood.
Then she came back to the table and set
! her chair on the farther side of it, thus
putting a barrier between her and her
visitor. Pm never lonely, deacon;
plenty to do is the best medicine for
| loneliness"
But wOman's tender, dependent
creatur' Woman's vine" (here the dea-
con assumed his weekly prayer meeting
drawl) and needs suthin' to cling to
to when the troublOus, desOlatin' waves
and winds O afiiictiOn and sorror roll
over her"
stuff and nonsenseW exclaimed Miss
Kezia with contemptuOus sniff. Il
! shouldn't have expected that man of
your sense, deacon, would repeat such
silly trash. l have no patience with the
people who are always talking as if a
woman couldn't stand alone, and need
ed propping up,like rag doll that hadn't
any backbone. I'm no vine-or such
creeping, helpless thing, 1 can tell you.
| can stand alone as well as anybody,
| if the Lord so will it, altho' L admit,
deacon, that it's pleasanter to have some
one keep you company"
That's jest it; ye hev' hit the nail
sQuar' on the headl 1t is pleasanter to
hey' company in our sOjOurn on this
mortal earth"
The deacon seized his chair with both
| hands, and by a circuitouS line of hitch
| ing placed it within three feet of Miss
Kezia; I'm man of prominence and in
fluence in the community; it seems to
me that it would be good thing if we
could walk hand-in-hand thro' this vale
of tears. Providence seems to pint its
finger that way" The deacon was think
ing at that very moment of the money
he would save by thrifty manager
like Miss keZia in the place of his inef-
ficient, wasteful hired woman.
Miss KeZia was dumbfounded. She
dropped her knitting, and the ball of
yarn rolled across the floor. Mercy
she finally gasped.
"Ill make We firstrate husband, and
yell make good wife. We've been
members of the same church for thirty
year or more, and we've been members
of the spiritoolal family. we'll now be
members of the same human family"
Miss Kezia Strengthened herself up in |
her high-baeked chair and drew in her
chin, while her voice rang out shrill and |
clear: 81 rather guess it'll take two to
make that bargain
4 second look at her aged admirer, |
who was edging up to her with a sheep |
ISL SillptI, eAtSPeIdleu IIle NoIudE pe-
yond control. THE old foolI she said |
wrathfully.
The color came into the deacon's thin
cheeks, and he started to his feet, look
ing anxiously toward the door, as if !
meditating a hasty retreat. But the
yarn was wound around his boots, and |
he was forced to remain.
Miss Kezia likewise rose. and folding |
her hands primly in front of her, re-
marked grimly: when you first began |
your talking hadn't the least idea what
you were driving at. l thought you
were limiting about Betsy Hill, and
wanted to take me into your confidence.
never dreamed that you meant me
Why, L supposed every one in town
knew that l wouldn't give up my free
dom for the hast man livinU Bptsv