Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-04
THEM WILBUR GIRLS

those black eyes Of his. Them Wilbur
Girls are the torment of our town, and /
could go back to the time when they was
little youngins, and tell lots of torment
ING to commence Just where l did, and
tell about Marion and-well, never mind
who; You'll hear soon enough.
When our minister said them words so
earnest, looking right in Marion's eyes,
heard her say, kinder under her breath
like
well, is it my fault2 You are lead
ing the flock"
Laura Wilbur laughed then. She is
the youngest, but not nigh so wicked as
Marion.
Then says to my husband-the ugli-
est man IN the world-good enough,
though, awful good
Nathan, them girls should be put out
of the church; they really amt fit to be IN
it."
And he whispered back TO NE
Samantha, Judge not, that ye be not
Judged"
l responded sharp like
scriptures come tolerably handy to
you, Nathan, when you are taken IN by
two pretty faces. Hush, now, says L;
''no more scripture nor anything"
After church when l went home, l told
Nathan about how them Wilbur girls
used to laugh at prayer meeting every
time old Mr.. Gray gave US his experience.
The poor old man was forgettul like,
and give it in different every time; but
that was nothing to laugh at, as I told
'em.
Them Wilbur girls was awful pretty !;
they was fair, and had big blue eyes;
their hair was yellow, and fell in pretty
curls over their white foreheads. l tired
to like them girls but l just couldn't.
Now there was our minister; the whole
year he had been preaching for US he had
tried to save their souls. He told them
so one day, desperate like; and that Mari
on says:
"Why, Mr.. Norton, Laura and haven't
got any souls to speak Of"
Says L
ssMiss Wilbur,You1l find OUT some day.
and brother Norton he looked awful sad
and troubled like.
Well, in few days we had church
festival. The Wilbur girls kept post
office. Every body knew they didn't
do it to help the church at all, but to
have fun and talk to all the boys. But
they was the only girls we could git to
write letters, so we lectured them and
set them to work. Says I
mo foolin', now, Marion
So, the day before the festival, when
we was a decorating the church, they
come up to write the letters. I never
seen prettier sight than them two girls
bending their sunny heaos earnestly over
their work, and now and then a bright
smile lighting up their pretty faces.
And it was that very evening l found
out a secret.
Brother Norton he seemed to think
them girls sitting there writing made a
pretty picture, too; for he said to me,
sad like
''Sister Wells, is it not pity that two
such lovely young ladies should be so
well, so
"Say it out like man, brother Norton,
so transitional wicked"
"Well, no; not really wicked" he an
swered.
"Yes," says 1, "wicked-awful wicked,
to-
Samantha, Judge not" put in my
husband.
"That'n do for you, Nathan" says I.
Our minister kept a-staring at them
girls, and SO did l, and says directly
~ tell you, Brother Norton, feel sor-
~ for the man that marries Marion Will
bur-"
amt no fool, and knew IN a min
ute what it meant when I saw his face
get as red as my hair; our munster was
in love with Marion Wilbur-of all
people in the world! Plum disguised
was.
For while after the festival them
Wilbur girls were pretty quiet. Our
minister and some others got up revi-
val meeting and am thankful to say a
great deal of good was done. The last
night there was a big crowd. Deacon
Williams, who is half blind, went to PISS
around the hymn books; as fast as he
gave 'em the ones that took them COM
menced to laugh and giggle like. Says
/
Nathan, they are all set of lunatics."
Pretty soon he gave me a book, and I
opened it; 1t was first reader! Lor!
wasn't l mad, thought l didn't laugh!
Marion Wilbur owned the next day to
our minister that she spent five dollars
for them books, just for the fun OF fool
i:g people. Says he, mad for once
'Mlss Wilbur, never dare to enter the
church doors againl''
every well, Mr.. Norton, won't; but
Laura and will get ladder and go in
at the window" says she.
And they did, too, the very next Sun
day. Everybody was a-singing "Sweet
Hour of Prayer when in them girls did
come at the window! Everybody -min-
lister and all-laughed but me. And
says
Nathan, that1l do.'
When we got home I says
"Nathan, them folks in the Bible was
tormented by locusts and other plaques,
but none of them was equal to them Will
bur girls; and John the Baptist ought to
be thankful that he had his head taken
of before he saw en-"
That evening our minister called I'D to
our house in his buggy. Says he
Get in, sister Wells, and take ride ("
and 1 went.
As we passed out of town and was