The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-06-11

| yOarseli over pretty lace. Butter your
bread before you eat it. There's Melissy
Bonney, whose fathers worth
That's enough interrupted Tom. and be-
fore Miss Silence could stop him he was out
of the kitchen door and walking briskly
down the path toward the gate.
Lawful sakesl what peculiar creatures
men are Talk of me bein' peculiar; why,
| amt a circumstances to that Tom Lowrey.
Hen marry that Prissy Carroll now, if it's
only to show me he don't care for my mon
ey;' and with a sigh, Miss Silence went back
to her lard
Christmas gil, indeed, she multered, af-
ter standing for some time in thought. /
think [ see myself eatin' humble pie to
Martha Baldwin, But somehow or other
her conscience did not feel quite so easy as
it Lad before Toms call.
An hour later Tom was sitting in the Wild.
ow Baldwin's parlor. 1t was very evident
that the closest economy was necessary with
the Baldwins, for the carpet was patched
and worn, the muslin curtains washed bread
bare aud the furniture in sad need of var
nish and new hair cloth.
Il wish | saw my way clear to take you
out of this Prissy,' said Tom, with sigh;
but clients are scarce enough in Wolf
boro'.'
Now, Tom, where's the nee to worry?
| can't leave Aunt Martha anyway. We are
both young enough to watt
| II. ,
said Tom,' with kiss on the dlmpled white
chin.
There's some one knocking cried Prissy,
springing up and running to the door.
It was no visitor but the hired man from
Miss Silence's farm, with the spring wagon,
which he had brought to convey Tom at
once to his cousins home, for Miss Silence
had, not ten minutes after his departure, an
hour previous, overturned kettle of lard
by accident and scalded herself very seri-
ously.
Where's my hat?' cried Tom, in great ex-
cite ement, while the man was telling how be
had wasted time by going to the Office first
and not finding him there had hunted him
up.
Let me go with you Tom; | know | ear
help, cried Prissy. as her lover was spring
ing into the light wagon
'Oh, Prissy, if you only would
Wait until get my bonnet and shawl
and tell Aunt Martha; 1 won't be gone
t minute;' aud Prissy rushed into the kitcher
where her aunt was ironing.
Go, by al means, said Mrs, Baldwin
n when she had grasped the meaning of the
a girls incoherent explanation.
Miss Silence made no remark when Pris
Il sy entered her room with Tom. She was il
great pain, and WAS glad to sec even thi
v member of the hated Baldwin household.
$ For three weeks Prissy was chief dreclo
i Of the farm and managed things so clever
= that Miss Silence had no chance to fin
fault But the grim spinster had no word
g of commendation tor the young girls until
1t ing industry.
g Il calkerlate TO pay you for what you'v
done she said one day, as she watched Pri'
sy making bread. you need not thin
= you're workin' for nothing
i 4 don't want any pay, Miss Silence, sal
s. Prissy, with trembling lips, Il am only to
J. glad to do what | can, because sl
hestated and turned scarlet.
d Because you're in love with Tom finisl
lie ed Miss Silence. oh, you need not blusI
II for know all about it, and if he chooses
1t break his head agin a stone wall, ain
goin' to stop him
u At the end Of three weeks Miss Silent
$ was able to be about again, and Prssy WEI
it home declining the twenty dollar bill ofie
TO ed her for her services But she had n
u been home three hours before the hired ms
- from the farm came with two large basket
which he sat down on Mira. Baldwin's kitah'
Ks floor. Compliments of Miss Silence, al
y she sent these in place of the money al
III was driving off in the spring wagon beto
Prissy could recover from her astonishme
ed to ask him any questions. The basket W
full of good things of every Sort and the
4. was royal Christmas dinner for the Bal
u wins the next day, much to the JOY OF {
II, children who had contemplated ruefully di
II ing on mush and potatoes.
I'd Prissy sent note of thanks to Miss 5
lence by Tom, but she never received
ID answer.
li' Time went by and Toms law business il
proved so much that he persuaded Pris
against her judgment to marry him.
mt Miss Silence did not grace the importa
ry occasion with her much wished for pr
N, ence.
its I've no time to be galivanting of to vi
We diugs, was her excuse when Tom reproac
ire ed her for this slight.
it she is such peculiar woman, we m
his not expect her to act like other people;
10 she has a good heart m spite Of her gu
ilg ways said Prissy, when Tom tried to m'
l'e excuses for his cousins remissness.
ry; But her greatest popularity lies in
M not liking you, Prissy,' said Tom kiss
ear his brides soft cheek And indeed l Ca
the quite forgive her lack of taste
"t' All wept well with the yourg couple
l"' more than a year. They began honsekeep
in modest cottsger0m was paying for
pie installments, and were so prudent that
his managed to gather about them many Ii
i'm comforts which made their home pleas
res But fortune very seldo.I smiles long
two time, as we all know, and reverses will &C
ster to everyone. One bitter night in Decen
day Toms house caught fire and burned to
jars ground, nothing being saved except 81
the clothing belonging to Prssy and the b'
ard OF course Mrs. Baldwin opened her hous
ex- them at once, though it necesiitated m
iore crowding Pris.y suggested an appeal
Miss Silence, but Tom emphatically
Irs, declined to make it, lie was far too pI
usin to ask for the help which he thought shc
have been earnestly offered. His law b,
per and papers had all been destroyed in
e re- fire; for he had used a room in the cot