Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-12-09
PRESENCE OF MIND.

have always been celebrated for my
presence of mind in emergencies.
Grandfather used to say that he ne 'er
had o girl who was not afraid of mouse
or a spider, and how mothers daughter
ever came TO be so brave he couldn't
guess. That was before married, and,
of course, have not become timid with
advancing years.
am Mrs. Jasper Jackman my hus-
band is, Of course, Mr.. Jsclman, and
our place is known as Jackman's Nook.
Nook, indeed Ii there was corner to
the world, I should fancy it was put
away in that, for it is the most out-of-
the-way habitation that ever existed.
It is, indeed. You can't see it until you
are within fifty feet of it, for the trees
and the nasty rocks.
Now, you know I'm not the least bit
nervous. but, having lived with father
and mother and the rest all my life, I
did not enjoy being shut up all alone
Ike a-a-a-well, hyena in menag-
erie, while Mr.. Jackman attended to busi-
ness in town and 1 often thought if
house-breakers were to make an attack
upon the house, what should I do, a
poor little woman, with no one to call
uponp For count Bridget as q great
cipher in every occasion Of life that does
not involve soap-suds.
told Jasper that absolutely, if I had
known what place Jackmsn'5 Nook was,
I was not sure but that 1 should have
thought twice before refusing old DR..
Muligitawny, whose palatial residence is
on Fifth avenue, New York city, as, Of
course. everybody knows.
However, after you have once said
"yes" to the gentleman who "pops" the
question to you, you may say "no" ever
after to all other questions, for all he
cares, for he'll have bis own way al
ways.
Mother-in-law Jackman having made
Jasper promise that 1 must live always
at the Nook was considered unanswera-
hle {; and, after all, what could we do |?
No one would hire or buy the place, and
we had it on our han,ls. OF course we
lived there. I alway knew that doing
so would be the cause Q: my showing the
presence of mind for which 1 am cele
brated in my own family-if nowhere
else. And SO it came to pass.
One stormy night in November, in the
gear 1S83-it was the 4th, | think, for
baby was just / year old on the LIST, and
there was some of the cake I had made
for his "bressed title birfty birfday 1"
still left in the pantry, and a cake of
that size certainly never would last
longer than that in our house. 1t was
he most unpleasant day ever remem-
ber to have lived through. The ground
was soaked. The bare branches looked
like 80 many skeletons, and the sky was
the color Bridget's tin pans were when I
first got down stairs this time last year.
In the city it would have been some
fun to sit in the window and watch the
folks go past, looking like so many
drowned rats, but at the Nook q should
think 1t was q nook) there was nothing
10 be seen-absolutely nothing.
I had not o book which I had not
read, and the note-paper was out, for
Jasper had forgotten to bring me some
from the city. and had finished all my
sewing.
spent my time as best could I; but
how did wish that the regiment which
was encamped about half mile away
was uear enough for mo to watch them
drill If they do drill in such weather.
I'd thought them too near before on ac-
count of Bridget, whom 1 have caught a
score of times talking to men in blue
jackets at the gate, and wished them of
to the seat of war, or anywhere else,
over and over again; but that afternoon
what relief they would have been
was the more lonely that Jasper had
said that morning, "My dear, If IL rains
as it does now tonight, L sha'n't come
home, but will stop at your fathers. "
And how could / blame him in such
weatherP Yet it was dreadfully lone
some. II you arc sociable with your
servants they always presume upon II,
and I do SO love to talk.
OF course / watched the clouds with
interest. II it should prove fair at last,
Jasper would come home, and If II
rained he wouldn't
Every now and then there would be .
pretense Of clearing Oh. and I began 70
hope for pleasant sunset but It VA
always false pretense. and ct tea-tims