The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-11
HEPSIBAH KELTRY
MY GRANDMOTHER STORY,

MY GRANDMOTHER'S STORY.
"Well, child" saii my grandmother,
brushing an imaginary speck of dust
from her black silk apron Gan especial
vanity of the dear old lady's) and settling
the snow-white kerchlef which she wore
pinned about hel neck, well, child, if
you really want to hear the story of
Hepsibah keltry. I'll tell it to you, and
tell it to you just as my grandmother
told 1t to me sixty years ago, when |
was your age.
"She knew IIepsibah well. and a
proud, high-spirited young woman she
was, too. but with one of the prettiest
faces in the whole country around.
"She WAS old Abijah Keltry's only
child, and from the time that she came
into the world quite unexpected-l like,
for Abijah had been married full fifteen
years before her arrival) until she was 81
grown young woman, she was a perfect
imp of mischief in his quiet home.
Commands. threats and p%unishments
(for Abiiall was Il sea-faring man in his
youth. and they are mostly o n too
gentle in their ways) did no good in her
case. She fairly trampled over her
meek little mother-poor Patience Kel-
try-and met Abiiah with open defiance
and rebellion whenever he put his foot
down too heavily.
My grandmother said hat she
could remember her wcll-a tall. slender
girl, with apale, long face, great flashing
blue eyes, pretty white teeth, and hair
that was AL in the prettiest crinkles and
and was all mixed yellow and brown in
the sunshine. 4 pretty girl. grand
mother said. but with a temper that
made the other young women = little
shy OF her always. for she. when achild.
would scratch and bite like a wildcat
when any ~onecroSScd her will. and, even
when she was grown, she had been
known to slap Deacon Industry Pea
body's oldest girl full in the face for say
ing something that displeased her.
The young men, however, liked her
bold, bright ways, and more than one
had tried to keep company with her,
but although she would favor them all
by turns to veX the other young women,
she would tie herself to none and very
soon gained the reputation ola thorough
coquettc, and seemed not i~li-pleased
with it.
when she was turned nineteen, how
ever, 4 stranger came to the town from
q distant part of the country-a we'll
appearing, honest young fellow. with
gentlemanly, quiet ways, very different
from the manners of the town beaux,
and HcpSibah straightway tried to tie
him to her apron-string. AS she had the
rest of them; but she found it no easy
task.
lie was polite and agreeable to her
us he was to all the other young women.
but nc more so; and 80. 1T lest it came
about that Hepsibah herself was pin.
ing and signing for the first time in her
lite. And when this state of things ar
rived. John Shepard-for that was his
name-changed around, too. and became
her devoted admirer.
So far so good; and if IIepSibah had
only kept her temper and her jealousy in
check, they would have been married
that very winter, and gone to he sekeep-
ing in the house that he had HI 1t next
her fathers on the hill; but jealousy
and evil temper are hard to control, and
one night, mt a husking, Hepsibah upset
her dish after this fashion:
John and she had been rs loving rs
two doves all the evening. and every red
ear that she found he was lot slow to
take advantage of, and, in fact, he
seemed to have eyes Tor no one else until
the floor was cleared and the dancing
began. Then. having danced with her
twice. he looked around, and seeing lit
tie Faith oulsifcr sitting by the wall,
took her out on the floor.
'Hcpsibah said never Il word, but
turned as white rs death and walked
INTO the house; and when, shortly after.
Faith went in to make peace with her,
she treated her fair little face as she had
treated Prudence Peabody'S, AID walked
off home with Ichabod Bartlett Tor a
beau.
"Of course John Shepard was raving
angl. T." h"r behavior, and, after
apolOs.zlMS 10 Faith, devoted himself
to htr for the rest of the evening, and,
when the party BROKE up, made his best
bow to her before them all, and asked
leave to see her home, which SHE granted
gladly.
the next week there was to be
Il grand bail in the town-hall-not
crand according to your ideas now, my
child, but very grand for those times
and ali the young people in town were
busy preparing tor it, Hepsibah among
the rest.
"There was a good deal OF whisper
ing about her actions at the husking, you
}nay be sure, and everybody was Won
'lerlng if she and John had made up;
nut no n dared to ask her until one
nay Martha Hodgkins a brisk, snap
ping little old maid who WAS not afraid
OF anything-made it her business 10
.lrop in Mt Abijah's, ard there she found
Hcpsibah busy making = pink trock,
:tnd singing over her work rs happy rs
Il queen. p,
BE we goin',' says Martha.
go! course says Hepsibah. YOU
didn't think | took in this ilock ,c,
make, did youT (She was that hateful
that she had to give poor Patty Il hit
nbout sewing for n living.
WHO be ye goin' with? says
Martha.
THAT'S telling said Hepsibah; but
I'll warrant he'll be the handsomest
loan there. And as John Shepard was
called the best-looking fellow in the
Dia:e, Martha was satisfied who she
meant.
The night of the ball came, how
ever. and John Shepard had not beer
,,ear her since the husking. Hepsibah
lad made so sure that he would come
around all right that she had refused
I'LL Others who wanted to take her. and
so, when the night came she was left out
IN the cold entirely.