The Red Cloud chief., 1880-06-17
III PROXY.

INDEED, SAID the deacon 5 wife. L
knew by that she hadn't heard a word |
had been saving.
WHY, yes" / repeated, a good deal
discouraged, for | saw | must begin
again 1T the very beginning, "shc Is
more than a hundred years old. and en-
tircly destitute. Yet She did not com
plain of anything but the cold. She
WAS formerly 4 slave in Kentucky, but
somehow sirayed away up here, and
now has outliycd everybody that ever
belonged to her. Ii | could manage to
get her in the Colored Woman's Home
Tor the rest of her lie | should be glad.
But rs She isn't a resident of the city,
it will bc necessary 10 pay her board.
A dollar a week, Mrs. IIoyt thinks it
is"
Certainly, that would be the best
Ching 10 be DONE" replied Mrs. Dea-
con. waking mp II little. 'Sti!l | don't
know what we can do until we have
called "a meeting of the Society"
That WAS much like her, If the YES
try had been on fire she would have
stopped 10 call Il meeting of the Socie-
II before She would have yentured to
throw on a dippcr of water.
"iiut the poor creature is freezing
and starving" said /, impaticntly.
Can't Won, us President of the Socie-
". empower me TO give her at least
one of those wooden sacks We have on
hand?H
II don't know but | might 90 as far
as that. though | suppose it isn't exact
u in order" rcturnedthe deacon's wife.
leaninr back in her chair, and smooth
inc the table cover between her thumb
and finger.
She seemed to be mcditating, so L
waited for a minute, and then she said,
abruptly:
What do you think of Mr.. Brod-
head. Bclla?"
There, | shouldn't wonder if he
would give something Handsomely |
exclaimed. going down on my knees in
INV heart to the deacon's wife for my
injustice. He is a man of means and
a generous man. I've always heard"
The deacon's wife look puzzled.
.Oh, Nour old colored woman" said
she. directly. Il wasn't thinking about
her: WAS thinking of you. Mr.. Brod-
heal has a very high opinion of YOU,
Bella. Did YOU know it?'
What do YOU mean, Mrs. Shackel-
forl?' said /. as surprised rs though
the man in the moon had winked at
me. Tor MY friends all knew how | de-
tested such talk. And besides. never
considered Mrs. Shackclford that sort
of a CONAN Her attention was usually
centercd in the Sewing Society and her
flower garden.
But for once some other idea had
taken possession of her mind, and As
her thoughts always ran in grooves,
She never could harbor more than one
at a time.
Mr.. Brodhead is a nice man,, and a
fine-looking man. she said. looking at
me sharply. A man of means and 4
generous man. Is YOU say"
II suppose so." | replied, gathering
M shawl about me.
..Oh, don't YOU 90 yet, Bella. was
wanting TO see YOU, and consider your
dropping in quite providentlal. The
deacon and | were talking of calling on
Won this very evening" said the dea-
cons wife. putting out her had to keep
me from rising; land when saw your
blue shawl turning in at the gate said
10 myself that as marked Il token as
Rebckah at the well, with the pitcher
on her shoulder. / haven't the gold
earrings and bracelets 10 offer you. but
have all the rest" she added, laughing
~nervpuSly.
just now the deacon came in. Now
there : in the opinion of his wife but
one reason why Deacon Shackelford
didn't make the world. He found it
ALREADY made. And when he came in
she looked up to him rs though Atlas
had comr. and she could safely drop
the world on his shoulders and go OIL
picking golden apples
-. was Just speaking n good WORD
for Mr.. Brodhead TO Bella, Deacon, -
said she.
All. and what does Bella sav?' re-
! turned the deacon. looking as though it
were a question of investing in real
estate. or the price of gold
Bella doesn't saw anything" / re-
nlied. Certainly not before she is
asked"
You need not wait long. if that is
all" answered Deacon ShackeIioru
| ..Tll ask you now. Have You any 90
lection to an offer OF marriage from MI
Brodhead? There!'
HE Is a very pashlui HILL Az"
head is. Bella. and so he got us to help
him a little. Why he is in love with
YOU" ~interposed Mrs. Deacon Shackel-
. ford: .she is il love with you down TO
his Eoots." ,,
Let it run out of his toes, then
soid T. beginning to feel like new yeast.
But YOU CAM have ANYTHING against
the man" persisted Mrs. Deacon.
And think! after awhile you won,
have your grandfather and your Aunt
.Sussnnah 10 talk to, and you will miss
= # don't have somebody in theil
nlace. 1t is best to think of these
fbinrs. And you won't find a kinder
man. if YOU search the world over witt
wax candle, than Mr.. B~rodhead."
MIR. Brodhead is well enough, Mrs