Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23

the money, and l new got the prOm1-
nence and the influence: that's pint
not to be overlooked; and deacons isn't
to be had every dav. Put her money
and my influence together, and / rayther
guess we'll stand about top o. the heap
in New Bethany"
Miss Kezia was sitting by the table,
knitting as usual. She had just begun
to narrow for the toe of the stocking
when step sounded on the walk. She
threw down the stocking and opened the
door, and, holding the lamp high above
her head, her eyes rested upon the amaz
ing spectacle Of the deacon in all the
Sunday magnifcence of white shirt and
shiny black broadcloth. "Well, new
er!' she calculated; and then feeling that
her reception had been hardly hospitaple,
she lowered the lamp and said, kindly,
"Come in, deacon-come In"
"Thank ye, thank ye; don't mind if I
dew..''
"Take seat, deacon"
"Thank ye; I don't mind if dew
The deacon admired the attractive
room, which with its CHEEKY fire and COM
Portable cushioned chair, seemed verit-
able Paradise in comparison with his I'M
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, deacon9" asked
Miss Kezia, resuming her knitting. She
was greatly puzzled to account for those
Sunday clothes.
i. "Nothin' within the range of my obser-
walton. There won't be much goin' on
now till lection time; things'll be pretty
lively, them
WANT to buy any hay this year2'' Miss
Kezia chirped. "Mine is extra good this
season, my hired man says it's the best
yield in town."
II rayther guess I'll hev enough to
carry me through the winter. If don't
I shall know where to come for hay as is
hay. I declare your farm does beat all
I feel kind of rugged like when I think
that the best farm in town is managed
by woman"
Miss Kezia smiled graciously, and the
deacon drew his chair a little nearer his
hostess.
sit must be load fer you to carry all
alone. Such a large farm is tre-men
jous responsibility for lone women such
as you.''
"Oh, don't mind 1t; it keeps me pre-
per busy"
The deacon hitched his chair along a
few inches farther. eyed oughter hev'
brother or cousin, or some relative like,
to share the burden with ye.'
"My shoulders are plenty strong" re-
turned Miss Kezia, good-naturedly. "I'm
glad to show felix's that there are women
who are good for something besides gid
dy-gadding and tsttling."
s'Yis, yis," answered the deacon, tive
can all testify to your valley and worth.
You're real honour to your sex. You're
you're bright and shinin' beacon-light
to the trifin' 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.w ward. "Don't ye feel sort
o. lonely at spellss" he asked, inslnuat-
ingly.
Miss Kezia glanced suspiciously at
the rapid 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, deacon; plenty
to do is the very best medicine for lone
liness."
0But woman's a tender, dependent
creetur. Woman's vine, (here the dea-
con assumed his weekly prayer-meeting
drawD and needs suthin' to cling to and
love when the troublous, desolatin' waves
and winds of affection and sorrer roll
over her."
"Stuff and nonsense!' exclaimed Miss
Kezia, with a contemptous sniff. II
shouldn't have expected that a man of
your sense, deacon, would repeat such q
mess of silly trash. I have no patience
with people who are always talking as it
a woman couldn't stand alone, and need
ed propping up, like rag doll that has
no backbone. I am no vine-no such
creeping helpless thing, can tell you. l
can stand alone as well as anybody, if
the Lord so wills it, although 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. 1t is pleasant
er to hev company in our sojourn on this
mortal EARTH"
The deacon seized his chair 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-hand 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.
sI'll make ye frst-rate husband, and