River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-10-21
NEIGHBOR GOODWING'S STORY

recall, lie early IOQnQ the peace oil
heaven, and has been al his days
thanking god that the blessings vouch-
safed to him are so manifold 1t is as
| now call to mind some eighteen
months ago rs my spouse stood under
the maple tree that is near our porch,
busy as is her wont, with some dairy
matters, that she heard the clatter of .i
horses hoofs, and looking up whom
did she see bat her nephew, Nathan.
He rode up to her, and without dis
mounting, salutcd her bending low to
do SO, and after presenting her with a
fat and neatly dressed fowl, made dis
course which | will repeat, rs nearly rs
my memory bears out what my wife
did tell me-
THE Lord hath been very good to
me, my Aunt Charity.
:. SO he hath, Nathan
Ny blessings are more than | can
reckon, my Aunt Charity
Truly, you do well always to bear
that in mind, Nathan
Vet fear that, through SO many
mercies, | shall be unmindful of my
spiritual duties, and become attached
to the things Of time and sense my Aunt
Charity
. You must pray to be delivered
from temptation, Nathan
i have cast my eyes about, seeking
some means by which may be tried
~ by fire, my Aunt Charity
"'You do wrong, Nathan. The Lord
works in his own way
Therefore, | believe that he hath
directed my thoughts.
What mean YOU. Nathan
Toward Mrs. Polly Prentiss. my
Aunt Charity
Now, if | know my spouse. neigh
.bors," said Mr.. Goodwing, interrupted
the course Of his narrative; and, to
Judge by the flash Of Indignation that
was in her eyes rs she told me this, the
answer that she gave Nathan was not
gentle Her words were:
Toward that shrewi Why, she
hath in her to atilict man worse than
him from whom our Lord did drive
seven devils
Yet, knowing that / desire Mistress
If in no other, | may make self-sacri-
flee. and be tried a by fire
YOU are pleased to jest, Nathan
81 , ever Jest, my Aunt Charity;
for every light word we are held to ac-
count
But heaven doth not command
you to eat bread that hath nodded, nor
to take wild beast to your home,
Nathan.
Nay, but it has come upon me with
the force of conviction; my Aunt Cha
rity, that | must have such trials Us will
wean me from the world. and if mar
~ this woman | shall have such trial
ever present
"Thereupon my spouse" again Mr..
(Goodwing said by way Of interruption,
"did call him a stupid fool, and did
pray heaven afterward to forgive her.
She said t. him, also, that to wed that
woman would be to seek grave or
the madhouse But he shook his head,
and without further remark rode away;
and my spouse did not comfort herself
by the thought that. determine rs he
might, two minutes of conversation
with Mistress Polly would drive the no
ton from his head.
"A week later Nathan came again.
".:Shc hath promised to wed me, my
.Aunt Charity
SHE hath promised to wed you,
Muthau2 Have You in truth asked her
lramdo could cry with veXation and
SOrrON
HON use. my Aunt Charity, could
she promise 80 wed me unless ! asked
her hand?'
How else? WGv the shrcw, had She
taken the notion, would not hesitate to
20 to YOU or any other man and de
mand marriage. OF course she prom
ised YOU. Little chance had She of a
husband. Why. Nathan, why did you
not we'd the Widow Abigail Spence?
Tell me that \ good woman, a thrifty
housewife, and gentle soul.
All. my Aunt Charity, much did
desire to do so, but that would have
been to great a blessing. Sorely was
tempted to ask the widows hand on
the day that her sister Lydia welded
Young Spiccr | sat that evening in the
kitchen by the window rs she knitted
and marked her grace of manner and
,comelrness: and | made mention o.
I.ydia's happiness, and when did this
Abigail turned to me with tender eyes
and coyly said:
Will you not take pity on Lydia
lonely sister, and for an instant, ever
many minutes, | did have sore tempta
.tion to WOO her; for | judged by tina
remark She might ifurged, have glver
nae her hand Then came the words o
tlae Scripture to me, to flee temptation
ars5 made great effort and quilted
her. { have not seen her since, eNcep
in church. where she does gaze on mt
with tender -y-es.
You are = wicked man, Nathan
Applehv. thus to break the heart Of !
good woman and take up with shrew
Still. having done So, Nathan, tel m'
Of your wooing Of Polly.
. 1t was ON the evening of the has
Lords day. my Aunt Charity, rs tn
sun went down that made my way t
Mistress Polly'S dwelling. | heard tn
sharp tone other voice rs | approached
If | mistook not. She was speaking 4
one Of her fathers farm hands and Sh
said. You great seed-sowlng numt
skull out of II sight. You illfavoreo
hidcouS-manuCrcd elud.
And yet you preserved mYour IN
tentions Nathan
Truly, | did, and had heard he
say, Il hate a man, great. ill-hegotte
lEilllGS. men iltE lttiitl ltIftttt,
fear YOU will never have opportunity I
do aught hat hate mart To thi
She sand III would have been we
fos my mother had she not fayore
YOU. If | had man, oh, but d max
him iuc the day
AMI hearing that YOU did not tur
away. Nathan?
What | heard only satisfied m,
AUNT Charity. that l should find tn
trbulation | do greatly need. VI
Prentiss came to me, and | spoke m
mind To him without delay. ! sal
that | desired his daughter in ma
riage.
And what did he reply"
He answered that Eumce was
well-favored girl. and that he could ne
deny her to me, if She chose to tax
me. said that not Eunice but mir
tress Polly | desired. and | confess h
seemed amazed and did stare NJ m
with certain fixed expression tn;
was painful 70 look upon. Them he n
preached me and said that he neve
heard that / was imprudent in m
drink. and | had trouble to persuad
him that his suspicion Wronged m,
Then he looked At me again, and eve
limited that my reason had left me \