The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-07-29
"Now's your time, Soloman Pinch,

for n couple of hours or so-Hi, old LADY,
no stoppin' there tonight" he added,
giving the lines n sudden twist as Mary
Jane showed IN inclination to stop before
Mrs. Betsey Hills house; "we've other
fish to fry now, old girl"
When he reached home he drove the
mare under the horse shed and tied her
there, instead Of embarrassing her as
usual Then he entered the house and
hastily swallowing the scanty supper
which the hired woman placed before
him, donned his best clothes and drove
off again at rapid pace.
'Law sakes alivel" exclaimed the
woman, amazed. "The deacon's got
sumthin on his mind surel It's the first
time | ever knew hum to disremember to
ask blessin'"
Ever since the death Of his wife Dea-
con Pinch had looked on Miss Keziah as
her probable successor, for years he had
gazed with covetous eyes on the fine
Mead farm with its substantial build
ings, but he never could screw his
courage up to the point of facing the
swapping black eyes of its owner. OF
late he had been seen several times
knocking at the door of Mrs. Betsey
Hills little brown house, and the worthy
milliner was overjoyed at the opening
of the prospect before her. But the
news of the sudden rise in Western lands
caused Mrs. Hill, with her small posses
sions, to sink into significance by the side
of the rich woman with her well-tilled
acres, her overflowing barns, and her
prospective thousands of dollars.
The idea of failure in his matrimonial
venture never for an instant entered the
deacon's head. "The way afore ye is as
plain and straight as a pipe stem, Solo
man Pinch, he murmured, rubbing the
palms of his hands together, as hewalled
towards Miss Keaiah's side door.
"Women is mostly alike-eager an will
lin to embrace matrimonial opportuni-
ties. They'll snap at an offer like
hungry trout at worm. She has got
the money, and I hev got the prominence
and influence; that's pint not to be
overlooked; and deacons isn't to be had
every day. Put her money and my in
huence together, and | rather guess
we'll stand about topo' the heap in New
Bethany"
Miss Keziah 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 magnificence OF white shirt and
shiny black broadcloth. "Well, | nevcr!"
she calculated, and then, feeling that
her reception had been hardly hospita-
bic, 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 We; don't mind if / dew"
The deacon surveyed the attractive
room, which, with its CHEEKY fire and
comfortable cushioned chairs seemed a
vcritable paradise i'll comparison with his
untidy ill-kept home. He placed his
hat on the floor beside his chair, display
ing his mighty gray locks ingeniously
plastered 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 Keziah, resuming her knitting.
She was greatly puzzled to account for
those Sunday clothes.
"Nothin' within the range of my OBJ
servation. There won't be much agoin'
on now till lection time; things'll be
pretty lively then"
"Want to buy any hay this year.?
chirped Miss Keziah. "Mine is extra
good this season. My hired man says it's
the best harvest yield III town"
81 rather guess I'll hev' enough to
carry me thro' the winter. If | don't /
shall know where to come for hay as is
hay. l declare your farm does beat ALL
/ feel kind O rugged like when / think
the best farm in town is managed by a
woman.
Miss Keaiah smiled gracously, and
the deason drew his chair little nearer
the hostess. "It must be great load
for We to carry alone. Such large farm
is tremendous responsibility for lone
woman"
"Oh, I don't mind it; it keeps me
proper busy"
The deacon hitched his chair along
few inches farther. eyed oughter hev'
brother or cousin, or some relative like,
to share the burden with ye."
"My shoulders are plenty strong"
returned Miss Keziah, good naturedly.
I'm glad to show folks that there are
women who are good for something be-
sides giddy-gaddying and tattling."
"Yis, yis;" answered the deacon, 1--WE
can all testify to your valley and worth.
You're real honor to your SEX You're
you're a bright and shinin' beacon
light to the trifflin' and vain-minded wo-
men of the world" and the speaker
waved his hand at the conclusion of this
little oratorial flourish.
Then hitch, hitch, hitch went the
chair Miss Keziah-ward. Don't YOU
feel sort o lonely at spells" he asked
insinuatingly.
Miss Keziah glanced suspiciously at
the rapidly 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 best medicine for lone
liness."
"But woman is tender, dependent
creatur'. Woman s vine, here the
deacon took up his weekly prayer-meet-
ing drawl and needs suthin' to cling to
when the troublous, desolatin' waves and
winds of afilictioh and sorror roll over
her.
"Stuff and nonsense exclaimed Miss
Keziah, with a contemptuous sniff 81
shouldn't have expected that a man of
your sense, deacon, would repeat such
silly trash. have no patience with the
people who are always talking as if