The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-12-23
wink, but kept silent and soon found
that pressing business required his abb

that pressing business required us ap-
sence.
But the doting mother was taken into
full confidence and she and Minerva had
long, earnest and apparently deeply
interesting conversation upon the sub
iect-one that continued for over an hour;
indeed it had not concluded when the
old man returned, for he caught the
name of the minister and asked:
"What are yon going to have Domino
Martin here for, child?"
"Oh, just because I like him, and his
wife is such dear old lady. and they
will be very lonely on such day, with
their children oil married and away from
home. Sol thought you would Like to
see them, and if he is here everything
will be sure to go right, and it is Christ
mas, you know, and"
"Hold on, for mercy's sake!" e1-
claimed her father, "or you won't have
breath enough left to eat your dinner,
and that would be very bad"
"But you wanted to know, and"
"You have told me sufficient to satisfy
any reasonable mortal man" he said as
he took his place at the table and began
loading her plate as if she had been in
danger of starvation for month
Dinner overt was one of the sub
stantial, old-fashioned kind, though the
mother had added the richest of dessert
delicacies to tempt her child, as if there
was no such thing as dyspepsia In the
land-and the Deacon took ON easy chair
by the broad hearth, lighted his pipe,
and between the curling clouds Of smoke
resumed the subject of the morning con-
versation.
Chow many are you going to have,
daughter" he questioned.
;"All the boys and girls"
b -s.Boys first, every time with your sex,
md girls with the other" he laughed,
ss.but all means how many?"
"Wen Collectively from fifty to sew
enty-fve.
aGracious! the old house will scarcely
! hold them, and will be certain to be torn
down with their romping. But what
does mother say?"
a."Oh, she is perfectly satisfied, aren't
| Won mother, decS?" and look Of under
standing passed between parent and
!, daughter.
sdThen all I have to do is to help the
riot along, for riot it will be with so many
/. youngsters together. But what was it
you said you were going to haye?"
il ga tub'lo yevang, was answered with
! Che broadest possible French accent
alton.
| ..Ah, yes, remember, and no doubt
! it will be grand. !" : :
81 think you will find it solemn,
! father"
''Yes, yes" and fearful she should see
how much he was puzzled, he Instantly
changed the subject and continued: !:
s'Well, it will take lot to feed so many
boys and girls. They are always hungry,
; and con devour more than so many
wolves. So, Hannah, I fear you haven't
provided one quarter enough"
"You are right" responded his wife;
"since our pet told me about her plans
and how many would be here have
been calculating"
"Well, they shant go away hungry.
J If there is enough in the land to feed
|. them. I'll have Mike kndle fire under
/ the big farm kettle, and kill lotsof chick
ems and turkeys, and send him for Mrs.
Smith to help dress them, and when /
90 over to town tomorrow I'll bring
home some oysters and-well, any thing
else you need to have good time"
"Oh! how much I thank you, dear
father" said Minerva, impulsively spring
ing to his side and kissing him. "You
ara the kindest and best father in all the
| world"
l.:All talk" he laughed, though rare
pleasure was yisiblein his face, "and
you'll get married some day and forget
all about me"
"Marriedw exclaimed the girl, sud
denly growing ashy pale. ''Never! I
mean," she continued, with her face
flushing to the deepest crimson, "Imean
that I'll never forget you"
''Whew," he whistled, 81 never saw
the wind chop around moro suddenly.
Catch a girl saying she'll never get
married. They would as soon. think Of
not being handsome and having pretty
dresses. But you needn't blush so. It's
oil right and proper, and the natural con-
dtion of womankind.
'aThen," asked she, archly an coquet-
ishly standing before him with one little
finger thrust between herred lips in mock
1modesty and bashfulness. "You wouldn't
object to my getting married?"
''No, not to good, honest, industrious
man. Why should I? A human heart,
and especially OF your sex, without love,
is as good as wrecked. No, my darling;
find good man whom you can love with
your whole heart, and who loves you the
same, for ] am old-fashioned enough TO
believe in such things, and III not only
give my consent but my blessing, some
thing worth harrington start in Life, and
such a wedding as will make the old
rafters ring"
'.And suppose, father" questioned the
blooming girl, half way between smiles
and tears, ''suppose it should happen to
be Franklin. Emmons, I mean?"
!"Humph! I don't know. He is"
"Just as nice young fellow as ever
lived" interposed his wife.
eyes, yes. / can't say aught against
him, but.
ri know" laughed Minerva at his con-
fusion, "when you really come to think
of giving me up it is too much. That's
it."
'1 believe you are right, child But I
must go and see about an extra supply Of
provisions. Gracious!ait will be fortu-
nate if we don't have famine"
He wiped away the mist from his old
eyes, brought there by the thought his
daughter had suggested; tried to whistle
bravely down the very situation he had
with the touch of rugged eloquence de-
Tended, and hastened to call his man-of-
an-work and give him instructions. "Mi-
nerva has come back, Nike" he said
"and is going to have some kind of a
blowout on Christmas Eve. She calls ita
tabler vevaught, or something Of the
kind
ga fwhat p" questioned the Irishman.