The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-12-10
NEIGHBOR COODwINC'S STORY.

to him are 30 manifold. II is rs | now
call to mind some eighteen months ago,
as my spouse stood under the maple
tree that is near our porch, busy, as IL
her wont, with some dairy matters,
that she heard the clatter OF horses
hoofs, and looking up whom did she see
but her nephew, Nathan. He rode up
to her, aud without dismounting, ga
luted her, bending low to do 10, and
after presenting her with fat and
neatly dressed fowl, made discourse
which will repeat, as nearly as my
memory bears out what my wife did
tell me"
"The Lord hath been very good to
me, my Aunt Charity"
80 he hath, Nathan"
"My blessings are more than / can
reckon, my Aunt Charity"
Truly, you do we'll always to bear
that in mind, Nathan"
"Yet fear that, through 80 many
mercies, shall be unmindful of my
spiritual duties, and become attached to
the things of time and sense, my Aunt
Charity"
"You must pray to be delivered from
temptation, Nathan
al have cast my eyes about, seeking
some means by which may be tried as
by fire, my Aunt Charity"
"You do wrong, Nathan. The Lord
works in his own way"
ggsrkaraf,~a 4 I.tta,a L.. Iatl 1tea.t
ed my thoughts"
"What mean you, Nathanf'
Toward Mrs. Polly Prentiss, my
Aunt Charity"
Now, if l know my spouse, neigh
bors," said Mr.. Goodwing, interrupting
the course of his narrative; land, to
Judge by the flash Of indignation that
was in her eyes as she told me this, the
answer that she gave Nathan was not
gentle. Her words were
Toward that shrew ! Why, she hath
in her to aiilict man worse than him
from whom our Lord did drive seven
devils"
"Yet, knowing that, desire Mistress
Polly in marriage surely, in that way,
if in no otbor, | may make selfsacIi
fee, and be tried as by fire"
You are pleased to jest, Nathan"
81 never Jest, my Aunt Charity; for
every light word We are held TO &c
count"
"But Heaven doth not command yor
to eat bread that nath moulded, nor tS
take wild beast to your home, Ma
than"
may, but it has come upon me will
the force of conviction, my Aunt Char
ity, that / must have such trials as viii
weAn me from the world, and if mar
ry this woman | shall have such tia
ever present.
"Thereupon my SPOUSE, nga;1 Mr.
Goodwing said 10y way Of interruption
did call him stupid fool and iii,
pray Heaven afterwards to forgive her
She said to him also, that to wed tha
woman would be to seek n grave or til
mad-hoNse. But he SHOOK his head
and without further remark rode away
aud my spouse did comfort herself b
the thought that, determine AZ h
might, two minutes of coHversatio
with Mistress Polly would drive III
notion from his head.
4 week later, Nathan come again.
"She has promised to wed me, IN
Aunt Charity"
"She has promised to wed you, n
than Have you in truth asked Il,
hand | could cry with vexation at
sorrow"
} "How else, my Aunt Charity, cou
+ she promise to wed me unless | ask,
her hand7"
"How else Why, the shrew, III
she taken the notion, would not he
tate to go to you or any other man al
demand marriage. OF course she pro
2 ised you. Little chance had she of
husband. Why, Nathan, why did y
not wed the widow Abigail Spenc
Tell me that. A good woman, Thrift
housewife, and gentle soul"
"Ah, my Aunt Charity, much did
desire to do 80, but that would ha
T been too great blessing Sorely a
: / tempted to ask the widows hand
, the day that her sister welded you
, Spicer. i sat that evening in {
] kitchen by the window as she knit,
: and marked her grace of manner "a
{ comliness and | made mention
Lydia's happines, and when / did ii
! Abigail turned to me with tender ey
> and coyly said
: "'Will you take pity on Lydi
, lonely sisterF and for an instant, eV
many minutes, did have sore temp
ton too WOO her, for judged by Il
remark she might, if urged, have gi,
me he. hand. Then came the words
the Scripture to me, to flee template
and / made great effort and quit
her. / have not seen her since, exec
in church, where she does gaze on
with tender eyes"
"You are wicked man, Nathan 4
: pleby, thus to break the heart of a &C
woman and take up with shire
: Still, having done so, Nathan, tell
: of your wooiDg Of Polly"
at was on the evening of the j
Lords Day, my Aunt Charity, as
sun went down that | made my way
). Mistress Polly's dwelling. / heard
sharp tone of her voice as approach
If / mistake not she was speaking
: one of her fathers farm hands, and /
said: You great seed-sowing mn
skull Out of my sight, You ill-fav
> ed hideous.mannered clod.'
"And yet you persevered in your
: tentiops, Nathan ;"
"Tfuly 1 did, and ! heard her say,