The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-05-27

The deacon admired the attractive
room, which with its CHEEKY fire and com
Portable cushioned chair, seemed a verit-
able Paradise in comparison with his un-
tidy, ill-kept home. He placed his hat
on the floor beside his chair, displaying
his scant gray locks ingeniously plaster
ed over the top of his head so as to cover
as much of the bald surface as possible
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 obser-
walton. There won't he much goin' on
now till lection time; thingsll be pretty
lively, them
want to buy any hay this year?' Miss
Kezia chirped. "Mine is extra good this
season, my hired man says it's the best
yield in town.
III rayther guess I'll hev enough to
carry me through the winter. If don't
shall know where to come for hay as is
hay. declare your farm does beat all
/ tccl kind of rugged like when think
that the BEST farm in town is managed
by a woman"
Miss Kezia smiled graciously, and the
deacon drew his chair n little nearer his
hostess.
ut must be load fer you 10 carry al!
alone. Such large farm is a tre-men-
jous responsibility for lone women such
rs YOU"
"Oh, don't mind It; it keeps me pro-
per busy"
The deacon hitched his chair along q
few inches farther. eyed oughter hev'
brother or cousin, or some relative like,
to share the burden with yc."
MY shoulders arc plenty strong," re-
turned Miss Kezia, good naturally. "1'm
glad to show folks that there are women
who are good for something besides gid
dy gadding and tattling."
"Yis, yis," answered the deacon, tive
can all testify to your valley and worth.
You're q real honour to your sex. You're
you're bri ght and shlnin' beacon light
to the trit1in' and vain minded women Of
the world;' and the speaker waved his
hand at the conclusion of this little ora
torical flourish.
Then hitch, hitch, hitch went the chair
Miss Kezia. ward. don't We feel sort
O. lonely at spells?" he asked, inslnuat-
ingly.
Miss Kczia glanced suspiciously Mt
the rapid y-advancing chair. She drop.
ped 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. "I'm never lonely, deacc n plenty
to do is the very best medicine for lone
liness.'
"But woman's tender, dependent
creetur. Woman's vine, (here the dea-
con assumed his weekly prayer-meeting
drawN and needs suthin' to cling to and
love when the troublous, desolatin' waves
and winds Of afhiction and sorrer roll
over her"
''Stutf and nonsense!" exclaimed Miss
Kezia, with a contemptous sniff. Il
shouldn't have expected that a man of
your sense, deacon, would repeat such a
mess OF silly trash. I have no patience
with people who are always talking as it
a woman couldn't stand alone, and need
cd propping up, like rag doll that has
no backbone. I am no vine-no such
creeping helpless thing, can tell you.
can stand alone as we'll as anybody, if
the Lord so wills it, although 1 admit,
deacon, that it is pleasanter to have some
one to keep you company"
That's jest it; you hev hit the nail
right square on the head. It is pleasant
er to hev company in our sojourn on this
mortal earth"
The deacon seized his char with both
hands and by circuitous line of hitch
ing placed it within three feet OF Miss Ke.
zia's table "You're forehanded woman
Miss Kezia; I'm man of prominence
and influence In the community it seems
to me that it would be good thing if
we could walk hand in haud through
this vale of tears. Providence seems to
pint its finger that way" The deacon
was thinking at that very moment Of the
money he would save by putting thrifty
manager like Miss Kezia in the place Of
his inefficient, wasteful hired woman.
Miss Kezla was dumfounded. She
dropped her knitting, and the ball of
yarn rolled across the floor. "Mercy %
she finally gasped.
''1'll make ye tirst-rate husband, and
yen make me good wife. We've been
members OF the same church for thirty
years or more, and as we've been men,
bers of the spiritooal family, we'll now
be members of the same human fam
ily."
Miss Kezia Strengthened herself up in
her high backed chair ana drew in her
chin, while her voice rang out shr1ll and
clear: II rather guess it'll take two
totmakc bargain"
A second look at her aged admirer,
who was edging up to her with Sheep
ish shipper, exasperated the good woman
beyond control. "The old fool" she said,
wrathfully.
The color came into the deacon's thin
cheeks. and he started to his feet, looking
anxiOusly toward the door, as If medltat-
ing 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, remarked
grimly:
"When you first began your talking I
hadn't the least idea what you were div
ing at: I thaught you were limiting
about Betsy Hill, and wanted to
take me into your confidence. I never
dreamed you meant me. Why, l sup
pose every one in town knew that I
wouldn't give up my freedom for the
best man living. Betsy Hill is pious,
likely woman; she'll make good home
for you, and she needs home herself"
The deacon looked completely wither-
ed, and Miss Kezia continued: "If you
will step around little llvelier, deacon.
and pick up the stones on your lots and
put them in good fences, and NOW down
some of them pesky weeds. there's no
earthly reason why your farm shouldn't
look as we'll as mine. If I've SAID any,
thing to hurt your feelings, deacon, / do
hope you'll overlook it. WHY, you're all
twisted up in that yarn; I will untangle
it."
The delay in unwinding the yarn from
the deaCOn's feet Uove Mice Ko1;o a ~.ool